Ranch 03: Merino with a Capital M

Give a hearty welcome to the newest yarn in Brooklyn Tweed’s single origin Ranch line: Ranch 03: Campbell-Hansmire. <--- click here to purchase!

Worsted spun into a springy sport weight, this special limited-edition yarn is Merino with a capital M. Rancher Julie Hansmire has been lovingly tending and thoughtfully breeding her Merino flock for nearly 30 years, honing the sheep’s high quality fleece into a supple wool with unparalleled softness.

Raised without fences, the flock is grazed across the open grasslands by Julie’s close-knit team of Peruvian shepherds, moving with the seasons from Colorado to Utah and back.

Ranch 03’s 5-ply worsted spun construction yields a round, smooth sport weight yarn. Plump, 100% Merino rebounds against your hand with a joyful bounce, ideal for garments and accessories alike. Enjoy the modern palette of vibrant colorways, showcasing the glowing hues that only Merino can provide.

Brooklyn Tweed’s Ranch Series enables you to draw an unbroken line from a single flock to your finished fabric. This direct connection from rancher to knitter deepens the sense of gratitude for the hard work and heart-forward stewardship that brings this beautiful fiber into being.

Brooklyn tweed has also launched three new patterns with this yarn! Everyone who purchases at least one skein from us will received a coupon for a free download of the super cute Hansmire Hat by Jared Flood which has been sized for the whole family.

Grace knit up a sample in the colour Rose Gold and here’s what she had to say:

“Ranch 03 is a delight to work with. It is squishy, bouncy and the colours are saturated goodness. It is a perfect yarn for spring knits”

Sarah knit up the Dalleray cowl in the colour Sorbet. Arcs and twists of organic cables loop upwards in columns, echoing soft stalks of alfalfa waving gently in the mountain breeze. Here’s what she had to say:

“First off, let's just talk about those colours. In a word-Ah-ma-zing.

I knit a sample in Sorbet. It's very pink, and it surprises me that I like it. I don't often knit in pink and I don't own anything pink either. But this pink is bright without being too neon, cheerful but not obnoxious. A nice balance.

Ranch 03 takes after its predecessors and joins Peerie and Arbor with it's off-the-hook stitch definition and springy texture. The Dalleray cowl is made up of cables and twisted stitches and each one sits nice and flat, and just where I wanted it to. While my project only used one colour, I'm thinking that this would be great for colour work as well (much like Peerie or Arbor).

With a 5-ply I'm always worried wool splitting is going to be an issue, and I'll say that nothing is fool-proof. But it's a pretty tight twist, and I didn't have any extraordinary issues on that front.

And finally, a high-quality sport weight yarn isn't always that easy to come by. It's gaining in popularity, but you don't see it that often - fingering and DK weights are still much more popular. Take a look at Ranch 03 if there's a Sport weight project you've had your eye on. It'll be worth it.”

The last new design is Spero, a customizable colourwork pullover by Jared Flood. Knit seamlessly from the top-down, this playful pullover boasts interchangeable colorwork charts for a finished piece that speaks directly to your personal style. Modern geometrics meet traditional motifs, making for a fresh feeling to your stranded knitting.

 

I (Deanna) have also taken the liberty of searching Ravelry for some project ideas that I think will work really well with the characteristics of Ranch 03. Take a look here if you’d like some more inspiration: https://ravel.me/knitdeanna/r0pi