I have a love/dislike relationship with Brooklyn Tweed’s Loft yarn. I love the colors and many of the patterns designed for it. But the yarn itself is very fragile — it must be hand wound and even then it can break if given a sharp tug. Sometimes, it can feel as if you’re knitting with dryer lint. (Sorry, Jared!) Over the years, I’ve bought numerous skeins of Loft and started many projects. But I’ve rarely finished them. One exception: my Foxhall Gloves, which looked great but did not wear well.
However, I’ve just finished knitting Boardwalk, designed by Heidi Kirrmaier, and I’m quite pleased with it. The color I chose is Nest. I started this sweater ages ago. I knit it almost to the armhole and set it aside. When I came back to it, I decided I had knit it too tightly. The fabric was too dense and I was worried the finished vest would be too small. I ripped it back to the welted hems and then went up a needle size (from a 2.75 mm to a 3.25). This time, I kept going until it was finished. Yay!
This felt like a slow project (possibly because I knit much of it twice), but once you get past the armhole it’s fun. The mitered front is very clever and the directions are well written. The yarn itself blocked out beautifully and has a nice drape. I am inspired to go back to some of my earlier Loft projects now that I’ve finished this one.
From Susan — It is absolutely darling!! I love it!
Comment by lv2knit — October 17, 2016 @ 12:54 pm
I agree about BT yarns. I cannot knit a descent cable with it without breaking it over and over. Also, it made my hands so dirty…I was constantly washing them. Life is too short to use a yarn you are not satisfied with.
Comment by Judy — October 17, 2016 @ 11:09 pm
I didn’t have trouble with loft breaking (even when I wound it), but it is very softly spun. I knit Breckon of Loft, and I love wearing it – it really is light. I’ll admit I worry about wear, but so far, so good.
Comment by Pam — October 18, 2016 @ 2:32 am
I haven’t bought Loft. But I do have “Boardwalk” waiting in the wings for when I find the right DK yarn to knit a size smaller with since I don’t like to knit with fingering weight yarn, Looking at your Boardwalk I see how elegant Loft can be and might buy just one skein of it for a small (tiny) project. Chloe
Comment by Chloe — October 18, 2016 @ 7:33 am
Sally,
I too have some misgivings about Shelter and Loft. While the colors are beautiful and deeply saturated, the yarns do tend to break rather easily and the pilling on four of the BT items I have made is excessive. A sales guy at my LYS reassured me that due to some aspect of the BT yarns (was it the spinning?), pilling tends to happen early on in the days the garment is worn, to be followed by a time with no pilling. Has anyone heard of this? It sounded plausible, and given the amount of money I have plopped down for BT yarns, I hope it is true.
Of course, the patterns and photography are gorgeous. But, has anyone else noticed the arms on many of their patterns seem rather long?
N
Comment by Nancy — October 18, 2016 @ 4:41 pm
I think today’s Loft may be improved from the first Loft. I see a difference when I look at them side by side. I can’t remember who told me this, but possibly an extra half twist has been added to Loft which served it well. I find it to be the most wonderful weight for a sweater and the loftiness/airiness of it lends a fabulous quality. I haven’t had any break on me since the first time I used it about 4 or 5 years ago. If you can look at the skeins in sunlight, the colors and particularly the tweed flecks are divine.
Comment by Ann McCauley — October 20, 2016 @ 7:39 pm
The knitters I know personally who’ve used Brooklyn Tweed yarns are unanimously unimpressed by them. I don’t like the feel of the yarn. Don’t ask me to elaborate on why because I can’t really explain my aversion. I just don’t like handling it so I’d never use it.
I’m much more impressed by the Brooklyn Tweed pattern selection (which continues to grow), any of which can be knit in a wide assortment of other yarns. I love this vest, though I’d be tempted to change the bottom because that wide band diminishes a bit the impact of that beautiful design at the neckline. Besides on me that band would be a visual disaster. I’m way too height challenged for that design flourish.
Comment by Purrlie — October 21, 2016 @ 10:57 am
You said that so well about Loft. I too have quite a bit of it in stash. I made the design Benedetta. A hole spontaneously opened up in it as I was knitting it, and I had to get expert help to darn it. Once it was done I thought it was so cute. I loved it. I carried it in a bag to work and didn’t put it on till I got there, in case it got “chafed” under my winter coat. Still didn’t do any good. Holes opened up in the fabric. A while back I emailed BT about it. Telling them how much I loved the colors and the concept (lofty and light) but that it was simply impossible and useless to make so fragile a yarn. They did say they had had problems with it early on, but hoped that the problem had more recently (past year or so) been resolved. So I bought some more (sigh, that contradiction you described). I’ve not knitted it yet, but maybe Boardwalk is the thing! Thanks for all the lovely projects, and thoughts, you share here!
Comment by Laura — October 22, 2016 @ 7:57 pm
Beautiful! ?
Comment by Caryl — October 24, 2016 @ 11:47 am