| Berroco Blackstone Tweed Chunky |
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| Written by Barbara Rottman | |||
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The Look Early Fall is the ideal time of year to knit with tweed, and Berroco’s new Blackstone Tweed Chunky is a nearly perfect tweed yarn. With bright flecks of color sprinkled across the autumn-toned yarn, this updated version reminds us of why we love traditional tweeds. Unlike its scratchy predecessors, this Italian-spun yarn is a blend of soft wool with the luxurious addition of mohair and angora. This hefty thick yarn will knit up quickly into jackets, pullovers, vests, scarves, and hats.
The Feel Blackstone Tweed Chunky is smooth, soft and silky. Your fingers will search for, but not find, the bits of heather and straw so commonly found in rustic tweeds. You will find yourself caressing this thick but soft yarn, digging your fingers into the springy ball wool, mohair and angora. It rates 10 on the softness scale.
The Patterns Berroco launched Blackstone Tweed Chunky with a spate of patterns that will keep you busy or inspire your own creations. It works to a chunky gauge (13 stitches over 4 inches) with excellent resiliency and body for a bulky yarn. Review the many free patterns on the Berroco website to get an idea of which design elements are effective with this gauge yarn. For example, substitute Blackstone Tweed Chunky in the simple one-button cardigan designed for Berroco’s Peruvia Quick. The tweedy specks will add a bit of color to this simple stately garment.
Color Range
Blackstone Tweed Chunky is available in 10 heathery colors. Besides the natural brown, grey and honey tones you would expect to find in tweed, you will be charmed by lovely shades of clover, rhubarb, cranberry, concord, or blues in the shades of wind and water.
Working It At only 60 yards per 50 grams, it may seem that your needles are eating this yarn. However, the short yardage also means the yarn has weight and will maintain body, so knit it to the recommended looser gauge. Blackstone Tweed Chunky has good resiliency; the stitches retain their shape needing only light blocking. Due to its thick volume, knit and purl stitches stand in good contrast to one another. This yarn is beautifully complete in stockinette stitch. But, if plain knitting bores you, simple garter stitch, ribbing or traveling stitch inserts are enough to add interest to the knitting.
What I’d Like to Make with It Berroco pairs Blackstone Tweed Chunky with the lighter weight dyed to match Blackstone Tweed in this lovely jacket, Baudelaire. It’s a simple fitted jacket with high collar, three-quarter sleeves and a ruffled front closure. The feminine ruffles contrast nicely with the bulky jacket. Consider using this combination of dyed to match yarns in other designs, like adding a leafy lace edging to a bulky pullover.
Knitting Outside the Box Blackstone Tweed Chunky has many of the properties we love for felting, especially its strong and sturdy core. It is all wool and is not a “superwash”, so it should felt nicely. The mohair and angora are likely to raise a fine halo once felted. While I remain curious about felting this yarn, I don’t think I could bring myself to alter the lovely tweedy yarn into a flat piece of felting. Others may disagree, but I think this yarn is at its best when knit into burly garments like sweaters, pullovers, vests, shrugs and ponchos.
Blocking It Dry flat.
Washing It Hand wash in cool water using a gentle soap for wool.
Wearability Handle garments knit in Blackstone Tweed Chunky with the care that all hand knitting requires. Fold, don’t hang, your pieces. Avoid over washing. You can keep this 100% natural yarn clean by brushing off any surface dirt and gently blocking as needed. Everything about this yarn suggests you will get many seasons’ worth of wear from your investment. Overall Recommendation: If autumn is not complete for you without a tweedy sweater, vest or scarf, then you must try this yarn. It will knit quickly into a soft, luxurious garment that you’ll treasure. I rate it #9.
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