There have been two new knitting pattern photos this week that have made my eyes widen and my mouth fall open. Both happen to be near-black and off-white, which is a combo I find irresistible. And in both cases, used to exquisite effect. First came Joelle’s Diagonal Pinstripe Scarf, a simple garter-stitch scarf (free pattern at the Purl Bee) knit on the diagonal with randomly placed single-row stripes, which creates a sort of ticking effect due to the garter stitch. Or as she says, “in Heirloom White with fine lines of Dark Loam, the effect is like a graphite drawing on cotton rag paper, loose and mysterious.” Then came Michele Wang’s Alloy, part of the latest Brooklyn Tweed collection, BT Winter 14. It’s classic Michele — an impeccable set-in-sleeve pullover with contrasting textures — but in this case she’s added color-blocked panels in the sleeves and sides. Had it been knitted in anything other than Fossil and Cast Iron, it wouldn’t have been the same. As is? Want.
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By the way, I know there are several of you who’ve been studying my Pullovers for First-Timers post, trying to decide what you want your first sweater to be. If you’re leaning toward a drop-sleeve pattern (i.e, no sleeve-cap or armscye shaping) there are two great options in that new BT collection: Abbott by Michele Wang and Benton by Julie Hoover. Both manage the proportions well.
I absolutely swooned over the new BT collection! At first I thought the black(ish) part was leather, which would be kind of awesome, no? You’re right. That color combo is irresistible.
Leather in those places might be kinda sweaty!
oh yes!!!!!!!! leather panels would be brilliant!!!!! i think i must….
Haa! Might be!
That color combination as well as the pattern above is so classic and will last the test of time. Thanks for sharing!
As current as that sweater looks with the insets, I do think the shape makes it pretty timeless.
Yes, I agree….timeless but updated!!! Perfect!!!
Yup, two of my absolute new favorites right now. I love the idea behind the pinstripes in the scarf–that they make a sort of documented “ledger” for when you pick up and put down the project. (Especially since a project with that much tiny garter stitch would assuredly take a few rests in my queue…)
And that sweater. There are no words.
I know, such a great way of approaching that. And they wound up so perfect!
I adore Joelle’s scarf. I saw it right after posting a striped shawl I was already nine inches into. It prompted me to rip back so that my stripes had more air between them. I love her whole approach, for that matter. She shows such beautiful restraint in everything she makes. I aspire to that.
As for the new BT sweaters, I don’t think there is one I don’t want. What a great collection!
“She shows such beautiful restraint in everything she makes.” Mm hm.
Both of those patterns made me swoon this week as well. I’ll be visiting Purl Soho in a few months and I might just have to pick up things to make one of these projects!
Can I come with?
I saw the BT collection yesterday while getting my Ravelry hit. OhDearYarnGoddesses! The artistry is incredible. And the two above examples from BT and Puro Soho – oh my! (Love Michele Wang’s designs.) I have to chuckle over the BT patterns. Major construction, at least for me. And I’m just talking about the hat pattern, Hickory. Good challenges for my January.
I was wondering what that hat would look like without the cables. I really like the shape and construction.
I’ve been drooling over the latest BT collection too. That jumper is really cute.
I had already pinned the scarf pattern when it showed up on the Purl Bee blog. And that Benton sweater you mentioned is gorgeous. Sigh. My list of things I want to knit is reaching epic proportions. Does anyone ever get the whole list done? It’s a bit like my bookshelves; at least three or four books purchased for every one read.
Oh gosh, I hope nobody ever gets their whole list done! There’s so much knitting fun to be had.
That scarf …. that scarf…. (must knit).
MAN. Couldn’t wait for your post-Brooklyn Tweed Winter big-reveal post. Alloy is my favorite of their collection too! Definitely one of those instances when I wish I could just buy the damn sweater instead of having to knit it from scratch.
Hope I didn’t disappoint you, Jess!
loved the BT winter collection. have queued many. one of the many things i liked was the 70’s-style jeans that the model in the “elements” designs was wearing – i need them!!!!
I have countless 70s jeans like that — love them — but rarely wear them lately because they really require tall shoes, which no longer suit my daily existence. I keep trying to find a solution to this problem …
I love many of the BT sweaters they show but have never knit a sweater. Are the patterns well written? Would you recommend them to a beginner? (I am looking at the easier patterns on their 1-5 difficult scale.)
Also, do you think you need to us the BT yarn for a successful FO? I have never felt the yarn but I have read that is can be stiff and scratchy.
Any replies are appreciated!
I have used the BT yarn and it is stiff in the skein but once blocked it is quite wearable and lovely. The yarn is carefully made and has unique properties- I would check Ravelry for projects using substitutions to see how they came out before diving in- but then I always check Rav FOs first anyway. If you are really sensitive, you might want to stick with an outer wear type of garment until you know how you react to it. Or you could buy a skein, knit a swatch, block it, and wear the swatch inside your shirt for a coupe of hours to see how it feels.
The colors of the BT yarns are really unique- beautiful heathering.
I agree with Meredith’s response about the yarn — everyone’s definition of “soft” is so different. But I would definitely recommend knitting from their patterns, though. They’re very high quality and you’ll learn a lot from following them.
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