BT friend, choral singer, and accomplished knitter Kris Hoeveler recently wrote in to share the story of the cabled cardigan that's become a family legend! About "THE SWEATER" as it has come to be known in my family...   The charming couple in their cabled cardigans. About a year and a half ago at a rehearsal I was wearing a cable-knit sweater (shown above) that I had made from a pattern and yarn from Scotland. I am in a choir with Luigi from Brooklyn Tweed, who saw that sweater and commented on the cabling. A few rehearsals later, he made me an offer I could not refuse ..read more

Dear Friends, November 1st, 2013 was the day I officially joined Brooklyn Tweed in a professional capacity – this day marks the beginning of what has been for me a deeply rewarding journey. I am filled with gratitude as I write about this personal milestone of 10 years with BT, and I want to take this opportunity to share with you a few memories and observations I have made along the way. Luigi and Jared, co-owners of Brooklyn Tweed  ABOUT ME Some of you may know that I grew up in Italy, but not too many may suspect that I was accidentally born in Wayne, New Jersey (perhaps not so accide ..read more

Brooklyn Tweed's design coordinator Lis Smith is also a natural dyeing enthusiast! With all of the beautiful Fall colors around us this season, we asked Lis to share her suggestions for folks wanting to try natural dyeing at home with Brooklyn Tweed yarns.   Dyeing overview For the past 15 years I have enjoyed the practice of naturally dyeing fiber with color derived from plants and plant extracts. There are a myriad of other forms of dyeing, but this is the method I am familiar with, so I will focus on giving an overview of using plant materials foraged or cultivated in yo ..read more

Each time I add a new skein of yarn to my stash or a new pattern to my library, I am confronted with the question of “why?”. Why do I buy new yarn and new patterns when I already have so many that are ready to be used to create socks or shawls or sweaters or… whatever? The closest I can come to an answer that feels “right” is to say that I do it because of the idea of possibility. As a maker, when I see a skein of yarn my mind fills with the possibility of what that bit of string can be shaped into when I grab it and a couple of sticks, pair it with a well-designed pattern and get to work. In ..read more

Clothing is wearable art that can tell thousands of stories without a single word being spoken. As knitters, crocheters, and fiber artists, we have the power to proliferate possibility and infuse our most authentic story into our creations stitch by stitch. Whether intentional or unintentional, decisions chosen when crafting a handmade creation compose all of the little puzzle pieces that influence the larger-picture and story called fashion. [Melodia Shawl by Janina Kallio] Makers have a special connection to fashion because every fiber industry role can influence dominant styles or trends ..read more

Hello. I am a flannel shirt. I am blue and black. I have a front and a back, two sleeves, and seventeen buttons. You, my caretaker, came into my life when you borrowed me from a friend’s closet one stormy summer afternoon in Michigan. As you buttoned me to your neck, you were grateful for the temporary warmth, yet somehow shy of claiming the shelter that I offered. In that moment, you believed me to be a paradox, a thing of profound desire shrouded in a threat. At the same time you felt effervescent with joy at the thought of wearing me, you heard the curled-lip things that people said on ..read more

Our world often exists in an imposed expression of a binary, so many binaries that create artificial boundaries for all individuals. Humans have imposed the idea of a strict binary of gender to different degrees at different times throughout history; however, gender is a spectrum. A vast array of different facets of humanity all expressed through the ideals and experiences of each of us, with so much in common and so many beautiful differences. Often those who seek to exist in a space without the constraints of gender binary struggle to express and create their identity because the tools of th ..read more

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Our month-long celebration of Norah Gaughan's design career has been an absolute pleasure to watch. I've loved seeing all the beautiful projects that knitters have created using Norah's designs and stitch patterns, and thought I'd share one of the most beloved handknits in my own closet. A few years ago I had the pleasure of working as Norah's photographer for the Knitted Cable Sourcebook, a collaboration that gave me a beautiful window into her creative process inventing original cabled fabrics and stitch patterns. During that time s ..read more

    Ranch 03: Campbell-Hansmire — sent straight from fiber heaven to my knitting needles! Before I ever held a skein, I loved this yarn for its origin story and progenitor, Julie Hansmire.  Not only is this yarn squishy and oh-so-soft, its 100% Merino wool was sourced from a woman-owned ranch — sadly a rarity in American wool production. And even better, it’s a ranch operated with an eye to sustainable practices, motivated by the twin goals of environmental preservation and holistic animal welfare. This is a ranch that compassionately tends both sheep and land.    [On ..read more