Meet Valemount
My Sister Knits has a stunning sweater sample on display that we’d like to bring to your attention. Valemount, designed by Ann-Marie Jackson for Brooklyn Tweed, is a knit that will take your mind off of everything else going on in your world!
Every technique used in Valemount is not difficult on its own; there are a few of them combined in this design that will make it satisfying and fun to make. All are well defined in the instructions! There are a few cables, some double moss stitch, and some short rows. You may just expand your knitting skills and confidence exponentially by making this gorgeous pullover!
In addition to Brooklyn Tweed Shelter, you could use Green Mountain Spinnery Mountain Mohair.
We consider it a bit of a ‘challenge’ project for a few reasons:
Brooklyn Tweed patterns are full of detailed information which makes them long and possibly just a little overwhelming. Take your time to read through the pattern and don’t be afraid, follow it step by step, and you’ll be fine! That’s part of the wonder of BT patterns! We highly recommend them to take your knitting from wherever it is now to a higher level.
There is seaming involved. Again, don’t be afraid! Seaming a sweater only sounds difficult. Here are two tutorials that are fantastic and will inspire confidence! Seaming adds structure and strength to a sweater which allows it to hold its shape for years. Do you know that you can use a lighter weight of yarn to seam? And it doesn’t have to be the same color either! Using a lighter weight is actually a good idea to avoid adding bulk to the seam.
You could also use The Fibre Co. Cumbria
There is just enough cabling to give newbies a valuable learning experience. If you’d like to practice cabling without a cable needle, here is a tutorial to get you started.
Short rows are used to create the curved hem. Valemount is knit from the bottom up, so you get the short rows over and done with first. Starting with those gives you the confidence to keep going! They are explicitly explained. You can be excited about these because they result in a fantastic hem shape!
Once you’ve finished the short rows, it’s straight knitting up to the armholes with no shaping.
We like the look of this sweater with plenty of ease. The recommended ease on the pattern is 3 - 5”. For an easy way to gauge how much that is, pinch together the sides of the top you have on right now. Measure how much is on each side and add them together. That’s the amount of ease! The amount you like is personal preference but if you’d like more, find a total circumference measurement that you like and make that size.
Hudson + West Forge would also do nicely!
Depending on the time you can spare for knitting, Valemount might not be a quick knit but does that really matter? Just look at the heirloom quality sweater you’ll have and think of how proud you’ll be of the finished product!
Make sure you totally love the yarn you use because you’ll be at it for a while! What an inspiring project to make at the beginning of the year!
We’ll be happy to help you with your yarn choices either over the phone (970.407.1461) or in person and we’d love to see your progress!
Happy knitting,
Jenny