Tweed – Universal Yarn Creative Network

November 3, 2023October 30, 2023

Free Pattern Friday – Carya Cardigan

Happy Free Pattern Friday, fellow crafters. Are you looking for a way to update your Fall and Winter wardrobe? Today we have just the pattern for you – the Carya Cardigan designed by Mary Stowe. From a fun stripe pattern to a super soft classic tweed yarn let’s learn more about the Carya Cardigan.

Carya is a quintessential cardigan with a twist. The different stripe patterns on the body and sleeves and the accent color on the edgings elevate this wardrobe staple to the next level. Carya is knit flat, in pieces and seamed. With button and neck bands picked up and knit after finishing. Thoughtful details like armhole and neck shaping allow for a comfortable fit that will have you wearing this piece on repeat.

The Carya Cardigan uses one of our favorite tweed yarns – Rico Design’s Fashion Modern Tweed Aran. This textured yarn with tweed flecks creates a tactile and comfy fabric perfect for cozy sweaters and snuggly accessories such as scarves, wraps, throws, or blankets. Spun in Italy, Rico Design’s Fashion Modern Tweed Aran is extremely soft and light, distinguishing it from conventional tweed yarns. The color palette includes 18 options in both classic and bold colors, as well as pastel shades. Carya takes full advantage of these color options by utilizing three of these delightful shades – Grey. Ecru, and Berry.

If you’re looking for another reason to try out this yarn and get started on this fab free pattern, how about 20% off through the weekend? Take advantage of these savings to select your favorite three colors of Rico Design’s Fashion Modern Tweed Aran and get a jump start on your cold-weather crafting. Which colors are calling your name?

Keep on knitting on!

Afifa

January 13, 2022January 13, 2022

Fibertinis: Old Fashioned Meets Tweed

Hi Fiber Friends!
I’m so excited to introduce you to a new blog segment I’ve been dreaming up called “Fibertinis” where I match popular cocktails with our yarn for a perfect pairing! For my first segment, I’m matching up our Deluxe DK Tweed Superwash with an Old Fashioned.

Deluxe DK Tweed Superwash and an Old Fashioned (Image Credit Taste.com)

Both of these classics have a long and rich history. According to Clan, by Scotsweb, Tweed as a name was first used in 1826 when a London cloth merchant clerk received a misspelled invoice which was meant to read “tweel,” the Scottish name for the fabric twill. Legend says that he presumed it was meant to be a brand name for the woolen fabrics hailing from the Tweed River region so they advertised them as such, and it stuck! Regardless of the nomenclature, tweed has always held an iconic and polished status since the woolen fabric elevated from a Scottish practical peasant garb, to a symbol of wealth and royalty with the rise of Estate Tweed in 1835.

Nowadays, tweed is still coveted both as a symbol of refinement, or its casual and cool rustic appeal. In a word, it’s a classic. It is for this reason that Deluxe DK Tweed Superwash is the perfect pairing with an Old Fashioned – a timeless, classic cocktail. According to a ranking of the 50 Most Popular Cocktails in the World in 2021, the Old Fashioned was the number one most popular cocktail in the world. The Old Fashioned’s beginnings are a bit hazy as its namesake has also been used as a catchall for any cocktails including bourbon or whiskey, which were considered old fashioned before the art of cocktail making was refined. As far as I can tell though, the general recipe of spirits, bitters, water, sugar, and citrus have been around and in demand since the 1880s. Even the origins of this pair land on a relatively similar timeline!

Drifting Hap designed by Rachel Brockman

Just as tweed has always been a blend of practicality and posh, our Deluxe DK Tweed Superwash is made from 90% superwash wool, 3% viscose, and 7% acrylic, making it both easy to care for and sophisticated. The soft and springy feel of the wool and beautiful stitch definition are the things I love most about this yarn. With 20 colors to choose from, and plenty of pattern support, there’s no reason not to make something perfectly classic for yourself or a loved one! Some of my favorite designs to try come from our collection Rustic and Refined, including Pilger and the Drifting Hap, featured in photos above. This robust collection has 13 total patterns, so you are sure to find quite a few things you won’t be able to live without. In addition to those I’ve already named, I also really like the Traverse Socks, and Sojourn Tunic, seen below.

Traverse Socks, designed by Rachel Brockman and Sojourn Tunic designed by Amy Gunderson

Now that I’ve researched a bit about the origins of my chosen cocktail and fiber, I truly feel they are a match made in heaven! I can picture it now – curled up in a booth of a cozy tavern sipping some citrusy bourbon goodness and stitching along on my next make. Won’t you join me?! I hope you’ve enjoyed this first edition of our Fibertinis Series! Let us know in the comments what tweed project you’d make, or what cocktail & yarn we should pair up next!
Happy Stitching!
Ashley Jane

September 10, 2018September 10, 2018

Who Likes Free Yarn?

Digital magazines I Like Knitting and I Like Crochet are giving away our beautiful yarn to make projects from their October issues. Yes, that’s right: FREE yarn!

The Mew and Me Sweater is worked mostly in Tunisian crochet, with sideways ribbed edges. It looks knit, but it’s not. Crocheters – this one’s for you!

Done in three different shades of Deluxe DK Superwash, it works up quickly. The yarn is machine washable, so there are no worries if your little one gets a little Halloween chocolate on it. You can head over to I Like Crochet to enter: LINK

October means we’re heading into scarf season, and the Blaire Reversible Scarf doesn’t disappoint.

This knit scarf begins and ends with reversible cables that grow in and out of ribbing, and it looks great on both sides. Deluxe DK Tweed Superwash adds a bit of rustic texture and interest without distracting from the stitch pattern. This project would make a great gift, too!

Enter to win at I Like Knitting: LINK

June 12, 2018January 28, 2020

Father’s Day Tie

If you’re looking for a last-minute but thoughtful Father’s Day gift, you’re in luck. Today we’re sharing the Father’s Day Tie. This necktie takes just 36 grams of Deluxe DK Tweed Superwash!

I talk to my dad at least two or three times a week. He’s one of my best friends, and I feel so lucky for that. On top of that, my husband (and hesitant but equally gracious model for these photos) is a pretty fantastic dad to our dogs and cats. Yep – I am totally the kind of person who sees their pets as a ridiculously special part of my family.

Anyway, as we well know, Father’s Day celebrates all the great father figures out there. Yep, father figures – because it’s so important to recognize those that have played that role in our lives, regardless of a biological relationship. Whether that’s a spouse, friend, dad (or dog dad!), it’s important to take a moment to say thank you.

The Father’s Day Tie is knit flat primarily in linen stitch and features a spine of slipped stitches down the center. Paired with Deluxe DK Tweed Superwash, this accessory elevates an otherwise casual look. So what are you waiting for? Grab your needles and yarn and get started! You can find the pattern here (link).

October 6, 2017December 1, 2017

Free Pattern Friday – Almas Poncho

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Almas Poncho in Deluxe DK Tweed Superwash (link here).

Fall is upon us, and we felt the need for something toasty!

Almas is knit seamlessly in the round from the top down. It can act as a shoulder/bust warmer for a brisk walk in the woods, or can be scrunched up and worn as a cowl paired with your favorite winter coat. We like the rustic quality that Deluxe DK Tweed Superwash gives this cozy piece.

As a short poncho or capelet, it can be worn collar up or down, as you wish.

With just a touch of stranded knitting, this project is a nice introduction to the Fair Isle method of changing colors in your work.

We hope you have a delightful weekend.

Happy knitting!

January 11, 2017January 11, 2017

Weaving Fabric for Moto Jackets

And the adventure continues! You can read the first two posts in my moto jacket series here and here.

After warping my loom with my monstrously long and wide warp – 280″ long x 36″ wide using Deluxe DK Tweed Superwash, I was delighted to weave the fabric. I wove the same herringbone pattern that I used in my sampler scarf (seen here).

This piece of fabric I’m weaving will be for two jackets. My warp is color 414 Charcoal in Deluxe DK Tweed, and the photo below shows color 413 Smoke as the weft.

One bobbin of yarn lasted for about 3" on my 36" wide warp. — One bobbin of yarn lasted for about 3″ on my 36″ wide warp.

Back when I was winding my warp, I thought to tie some bright thread around some of the warp threads at the halfway point. I’m going to be changing my weft color halfway through since the jackets will be slightly different in color. This thread reminds me it’s time to switch colors!

This contrasting thread tied to the some of the warp threads lets me know I'm at the halfway point. — This contrasting thread tied to the some of the warp threads lets me know I’m at the halfway point.

Not too long into the second half of my warp, I realized I had a couple of problems. I managed to mis-thread two heddles, which resulted in a glitch in the patterning. See below for one example.

I could have fixed the problem right there – I could have broken the warp thread, threaded an afterthought heddle and tied on a new strand, but I opted to leave the mistakes in place and fix them after the fact.

If I had noticed sooner, I would have fixed them right away. But because I had made it this far and knew I’d be doing some repair work anyway, I figured I might as well do the whole length at the same time.

Cutting doesn't have to be scary! — Cutting doesn’t have to be scary!

After cutting my fabric from the loom, I simply knotted the warp ends together – no hemstitching. I then zig-zagged the edges with my sewing machine, and also sewed lines at the halfway point. I figured it would be a lot easier dealing with two 3 yard pieces of fabric rather than a 6 yard piece. I then cut the fabric apart at that halfway point.

After my two halves were cut apart, I threaded a tapestry needle and wove the correct placement for my mistaken threading. It was a little tedious, but very doable and wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought it might be.

And here are my yardages basking in the sunlight prior to washing. I threw both of the pieces of fabric into my machine and washed and dried them on gentle cycles. Because I wove a fairly dense fabric, the fabric changed very little after finishing. But I already knew that would be the case since I was a good little weaver and did a sampling first.

My jacket will be made from the stack on the left – gray on gray fabric, teal lining, and gray zippers. Yonca chose cream to go with her gray for the fabric, matching gray lining, and bold lipstick red zippers.

My goal is to be finished with these jackets by next weekend’s TNNA. So if you’re planning on attending, stop by our booth and check them out. Otherwise, I’ll be back in a couple of weeks here on the blog with all the sewing details.

November 23, 2016November 23, 2016

Weaving Wednesdays – Herringbone Sampler

I’m pretty excited about this current weaving project. For years now, I’ve wanted to weave my own fabric for a custom-sewn jacket. And finally, I’m going to make it happen. In fact, I’m making two of them! Yonca, our sales director (and my boss) caught wind of my plan and requested a jacket for her own. You be able to find us at next January’s TNNA in our matching jackets.

Years ago, I sewed a moto jacket from this Burda pattern.

Here I am wearing my version, circa 2009 or so.

I’ve been wanting to weave with our Deluxe DK Tweed Superwash ever since we introduced it earlier this year, and I decided this would be the perfect project for it. I toyed around with a few ideas for the type of weaving draft I’d use, but in the end I decided on a herringbone tweed. I love the idea of classic herringbone and tweed modernized in the ultra-cool moto jacket.

Before beginning, I knew I need to make a sample of my woven fabric. I mean, if I’m going to be weaving yards upon yards of fabric for two jackets, I need to know I’m going to like it, right? I was also having trouble deciding on colors, and saw this as a perfect example to introduce a little plaid into my tweed and herringbone.

First, I selected five colors from the Deluxe DK palette that I’d been considering:

Next, I set out to warp my loom with a section in each color. I read that it’s a good idea to use a denser sett (ends per inch) when weaving twill, so that’s what I did. For a DK weight yarn such as Deluxe DK Tweed Superwash, I would normally weave with a 10 dent reed. But for this project, I opted for a 12 dent.

I’m using a four harness loom which makes weaving twill a breeze. But with if you have a rigid heddle loom, with the use of pick-up sticks this is totally achievable.

As you can see, my warp has 5 different colors. I also wove with the same 5 colors to see how they all interacted with one another. I found it interesting that the same 2 colors played differently depending in which was warp and which was weft. The color that is the warp (in this particular twill) shows as being more dominant that the weft.

It’s nice to do a “practice” piece of weaving that I’ll actually use and wear!

The colors that I ultimately selected for my jacket are the two that I would have picked anyway, but I’m so glad I did this exercise. It also gave Yonca a chance to see the different colors so she could make her choice as well.

Stay tuned for more herringbone twill and moto jackets!