Brooklyn Tweed Says Summer isn’t Just for Cotton

I know there are people who toil away through the hot summer months in homes without air conditioning, the poor things. But for those of us with that modern convenience, or those who live places with relatively mild summers (or those who find themselves at this time of year experiencing winter instead of summer) now is a fine time to be knitting with wool or any other fiber that you want.

To celebrate the knitters who love to work with wool even in summer, Brooklyn Tweed recently released its third volume of Wool People. This collection includes pieces from designers such as Veronik Avery, Hannah Fettig and Mercedes Tarasovich-Clark to name a few. In all there are 17 designs created with the notion of clear, airy layering pieces in mind and an emphasis on the heathery tonals found in the company’s yarns.

I took a look through the look book and a few patterns stood out to me, including Avery’s Edge Hoodie, which has classic hooded sweatshirt styling combined with lace chevrons down the sides and an asymmetrical hem; the Ferrous Wrap from Grace Anna Farrow, which has an allover eyelet pattern yet still somehow manages to feel weighty; and Mari Tobita’s Haru-Gasumi Tunic, mostly solid color stockinette trimmed with a bit of color and textural embellishment at the cuffs and hem.

Patterns can be purchased individually and run $5.50 or $6.50 each.

[Photo by Brooklyn Tweed.]

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Not too long ago my daughter and I had a discussion about what a chestnut really looks like. The nut itself is small and brown, of course, but on the tree they’re covered with this weird kind of spiky, kind of fuzzy shell. It’s a wonder anyone ever figured out they were edible.

If you didn’t know that, you might wonder why this project is call Chestnut balaclava, but now you know.

This fun design from Yevheniia Pyroh is covered with spikes just like a chestnut shell, and is even the same color, though of course you can make yours whatever color you like. It uses two strands of fingering weight yarn held together (which it says is fingering weight but you could try a light/DK yarn and see if you get gauge with it if you’d rather).

There are two different design options in the pattern. One is a more fitted balaclava style hat (it doesn’t cover the face but does go around the neck) and a looser fit hood.

It’s worked primarily in garter stitch, with shaping done by knitting and purling in the same stitch and through various decreases (including a knit 3 together).

The pattern is charted but also explained in words. It’s worked flat to the size you want, and then joined into a hood shape with ribbing at the neck. The opening for the face is finished with I-cord.

This hood/balaclava would definitely be a conversation starter and in different colors it might read more dinosaur than chestnut, which could also be fun. The sizing is totally custom so you can make it fit whatever head you’re stitching for.

If you want to try it for yourself (and I’d love to hear about it if you do!) you can download the free pattern from Ravelry.

[Photo: Yevheniia Pyroh]

Balaclava Knitting Patterns

Colorwork Balaclava Knitting Pattern [Knitting]

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