I thought I would highlight a fairly new yarn to our shelves this week, Brooklyn Tweed Tones. A sibling to BT's Loft and Shelter, Tones is quite the interesting yarn for many reasons.
First, you might notice Tones is very similar to Shelter. Like Shelter, it is a worsted-weight American grown and spun Columbia Wool. It is also a woolen spun yarn meaning that it is a bit lighter and airier than a worsted spun yarn. I encourage you read Brooklyn Tweed's excellent article on the difference between woolen and worsted spun yarns. Tones also comes in a 50 gram 140 yard (128 meter) skein. It knits to 4.25 to 5 stitches an inch on a US 7 to 9 (4.5 to 5.5 mm) needle. The yarn does need to be washed by hand and laid flat to dry.
The pandemic has hit Brooklyn Tweed's supply of Shelter, Loft and Quarry quite hard. Brooklyn Tweed has lost the ability to replicate the heathered colors found in those bases. You might notice their new Nature's Palate collection is filled with strong and solid colors. Through their development of Tones, using a new dyer and mill, they were able to create some new stunning colors. They say: "A light and dark heathered base gets over-dyed with traditional techniques to create "Tone Pairs" of 24 harmonious shades, offering countless options for creativity! Create colorwork, stripes, crisp cables and bold texture in sweaters, accessories, and blankets with this soft and sturdy yarn."
I have always enjoyed working with Brooklyn Tweed's woolen spun yarns. They hold cables beautifully, are excellent for color work, and, due to their lofty nature, create a warm but light garment. You can create a sweater filled with cables and it will not weigh you down!
Let's chat patterns!
My First Raglan Sweater by Jared Flood - I knit my sweater the bright pink color, Hollyhock and I love it. This sweater is indeed very simple and great for one who is interested in diving into sweater knitting. You can chose to knit the sweater in a solid color or in stripes. They even have a video to walk you through the entire process!
We have the striped version available in kits but if you want to knit the solid version the sizing to number of skeins is as follows: (finished measurements) 35½ (39½, 43½, 47½) (51½, 55½, 59½) (63½, 67½, 71½, 75½) inches; to be worn with 5-8 inches of positive ease. 7 (8, 8, 9) (10, 10, 11) (12, 13, 14, 14) skeins
Forest Stroll Blanket by Jared Flood - This is a beginner-friendly blanket that is "adorned in repeating acorns made from simple lace and stockinette with adorable garter stitch caps." The blanket can be knit in 3 sizes and will be a handsome addition to a nursery or home.
Turn a Square by Jared Flood - The Turn a Square hat is a quick knit and a great way to try out a couple of skeins of Tones. It features four "compass points" decrease lines making the crown of the hat "bend" circles into squares. I think this would be a fun hat to knit!
Bresson by Alma Bali - I love the garter stitch detail on this sweater. It give a modern turn to the top down sweater. The pattern is written so you can select the details that are right for you – cowl or crew neck, straight or A-line. No matter what, you will have your perfect sweater.
Douglas Cardi by Andrea Mowry - If you are an Andrea fan this is the sweater for you. With the color range of Tones you have so many options to create a stunning striped sweater. The best part, all Tones colors work together so you cannot make a mistake!
Harlow Worsted Hat by Andrea Mowry - Made up of a fun two-color brioche pattern that creates a squishy, reversible fabric. Andrea says that Harlow is, "a perfect jumping off point for beginner briochers to try on their newly acquired skills." Suitable sizing and designed for any age, this hat pattern will quickly become your favorite, too!
The beauty of Tones is that you can mix and match overtones and undertones in colorwork or stripes for painterly harmony in your fabric. Knit or crochet vibrant combinations with overtones and undertones of different hues, or go for a more subtle approach by pairing an overtone and undertone from the same colorway. Either which way, you'll have a stunning project finished with Tones.