When Jared Flood asks you if you’re a Wool Person, you say YES!
Kidding and Ghostbusters references aside, I am over the moon to share a little project I came up with using Loft, the gorgeous fingering weight wool from Jared’s line Brooklyn Tweed. I’ve long been a fan of Jared’s and I’m honored to be a sometimes collaborator. I styled the first Wool People collection last summer in the Pacific Northwest. This summer, I knit up a lightweight cowl for Wool People 3 and shipped it off to New York. Bicoastal, transcontinental, it doesn’t matter, wool works for me wherever, whenever.
I submitted several ideas, each playing on a theme of lightness and utilitarianism. Since this collection was set to debut in summer, I wanted to promote the idea that wool is a part of daily life throughout the year, not just in blustery winter. Jared picked up on a simple ticking stripe, coaxing me through fears about its plainness. He reminded be that good stripes are shockingly difficult to design, and the swatching process verified that…
Traditional ticking fabric was used for mattresses and for upholstering furniture. The densely woven striped fabric contained feathers or straw and prevented painful pokes. The clean lines and simple palettes have kept this a decorators favorite. The versatile look is practical and pleasing, with a reassuring homey feel.
While the Ticking Cowl imitates these traditional fabrics, the light, airy hand of Loft knit at a loose gauge has nothing in common with upholstery. Worn doubled or even tripled, it is a floaty layer of warmth that adds interest and a bit of textile history to whatever you’re wearing.
XO
CR
ticking cowl photo used with permission, © jared flood / brooklyn tweed
