Felted Tweed Aran

Felted Tweed Aran is the heavier sibling of Rowan's Felted Tweed. It's the same blend of 50% lightly felted wool, 25% alpaca and 25% viscose, spun to an aran weight with 95 yards per 50 g ball.

It keeps the soft-focus tweed texture and flecked color of the original, in a traditional palette of stones, greys, greens and warm earth tones. The heavier weight gives cables more depth and makes a warmer fabric.

It's for knitters who love the look of Felted Tweed but want a quicker knit, or who are making outerwear, a cabled pullover or a textured hat. Rowan also suggests it for stripes and Fair Isle.

Best for

• Cabled pullovers and jackets
• Textured hats and scarves
• Heavier Fair Isle and striped pieces
• Outdoor layers and cardigans
• Chunky mittens and fingerless gloves

Working with it

Rowan recommends US 8 needles at 16 stitches and 23 rows to 4 inches. Like the DK, it has some grip, so colorwork floats stay put and stitches stay even. Yardage per ball is short, so count balls carefully; the yarn estimator can help when adapting a pattern. Because the wool is lightly felted, it is also a good candidate for steeked cardigans, where cut edges need to stay put.

Care

Rowan's label says machine wash cold on a gentle cycle, dry flat in the shade, and no tumble drying. Hand washing is still the gentlest choice for heavily cabled or stranded pieces.