Earlier this month, I received new photos from the Brooklyn Tween team of my first design for them, Culm. Since realizing that I had never shared this design on the blog before, I thought this would be the perfect time to do so. It is up there with one of my favourite sweaters I have designed and definitely the one I wear myself on a daily bases. Culm was originally a part of Brooklyn Tweed’s Wool People 13 collection, which launched back in June of 2019.
Swatch of body texture for Culm.
Swatch of hem detail for Culm.
This was my first submission to Brooklyn Tweed and remember it well. I had just moved to Helsinki, Finland. Eero and I were staying in a small studio apartment, in Lauttasaari, an island close to city centre. I would walk over to his parent’s place which was nearby at the time. I would spent a few hours working from there since we didn’t have internet yet at our own place. Eventually, once the design was accepted, a box of Peerie arrived at the post office, my first mail to receive in Finland.
Original sketch of Culm.
Original sketch of Culm.
In this design, the two main textures are twisted ribbing and double moss stitch. Twisted ribbing is a personal favourite which I have used many times on the cuffs, hems and neckbands for sweaters. However, for Culm, I wanted to add some additional detail for the knitter and or wearer to the cuffs and hem which I find are often overlooked. I brought in a simple band of lace eyelets that is also repeated at the shoulder seams.
Besides double moss stitch, the body also feasture a front panel of twisted rib columns, with the occasional one broken up by alternating rows for knit and purl.
Culm knit in Peerie. Photography by Brooklyn Tweed.
As for construction, Culm begins by casting on for the hem. This part is worked flat at first and then joined in the round when the body is ready to start. While the body starts grow, increases are worked at the side seams to create that relaxed, dolman fit. Once the armholes are reached, the front and back are finished seperatly and flat. The shoulders are seamed together and then the sleeves are picked up from the body and worked in the rounds. The neckband will be the last section to be completed, it is picked up, finished with a few rounds of twisted ribbing, folded over and then stitched down.
Culm knit in Peerie. Photography by Brooklyn Tweed.
Culm knit in Peerie. Photography by Brooklyn Tweed.
The original version of Culm was knit in Brooklyn Tweed’s Peerie, a tightly spun merino 4 ply with a lot of bounce. I love the stitch definition it gives and have used it a handful of time by now. The sample I knit is pictured above, in the colour Burnished. However, the new photos I mentioned earlier are pictured below.
Culm knit in Tones Lights. Photography by Brooklyn Tweed.
The team at Brooklyn Tweed knit up a new version in Culm to highlight their launch of a brand new yarn, Tones Lights. Last year Tones was launched, a worsted weight America Columbia wool yarn. This year, Tones Light was added, a fingering weight version of the same yarn. In each series, both light and dark bases have been overdyed to create what Brooklyn Tweed is calling “tone pairs”. The overtone and undertone combination creates two different hue that naturally pair well together.
To celebrate the launch of Tones Light, Brooklyn Tweed released brand new designs that feature Tones Light. Also, a handful of older designs were selected to be reknit to show off the new base and Culm was in that selection. The new version of Culm is shown in the colour Hollyhock Undertone.
Photo of Tones Lights. Photography by Brooklyn Tweed.
CULM DETAILS
Finished Dimensions
42½“ (46½, 50¼, 54, 58¼, 62¼)” [108 (118, 127.5, 137, 148.5, 158) cm] circumference at bust
Peerie sample shown is size 46½“ [118 cm] with 14½” [37 cm] positive ease on model, photographed in Peerie color Burnished
Tones Light sample shown in size 46½“ [118 cm] with 14½” [37 cm] of ease on model, hotographed in Tones Light color Hollyhock Undertone
Yarn & Yardage
7 (7, 9, 10, 11, 13) skeins of Brooklyn Tweed Peerie (100% American Merino Wool; 210 yards/50 grams)
1280 (1470, 1690, 1945, 2235, 2570) total yards of fingering weight wool yarn
Potential yarn substitutes include Tones Light. Note that put-ups (yardage per skein) may be different for alternate yarn lines, so check your total yardage for your size.
Gauge
25 stitches & 36 rounds = 4” in Moss Stitch with Size A needle, after blocking
Needles
Size A (for Main Fabric)
One 32” circular needle and one set of double-pointed needles (DPNs)* in size needed to obtain gauge listed, suggested size: 3.25 mm (US 3)
Size B (for Ribbing)
One each 16” and 32” circular needles and one set of DPNs*, one size smaller than Size A, suggested size: 2.75 mm (US 2)
*32” circular needle can be used instead of DPNs if using the Magic Loop method for working small circumferences in the round (e.g. sleeves).
Culm knit in Tones Lights. Photography by Brooklyn Tweed.
Culm knit in Tones Lights. Photography by Brooklyn Tweed.
I love this brighter version of Culm. I still feel that Tones Light adds enough stitch definition, all that work won’t be lost. Yet, it adds a softer quality to the finish look of the sweater. I wasn’t kidding when I mentioned earlier that I wear my own version on a daily bases. It took me a few minutes to realize but I’m wearing Culm as I type up this post. It rarely gets put away since I reach for it so often. I’ll share a photo of it below. I picked Peerie in colour Humpback but am now considering a second version in Tones Light. Maybe when I decide I need a bit more colour in my wardrobe. I’m finding myself drawn to the undertone version of Lychee, Nimbus and Wallflower.
Photo of Fiona wearing her version of Culm in Peerie.