Welcome to a world of heathered colors, pure American wool, and you-can-almost-feel-it photography. Meet Jared Flood.
In an exclusive interview for KnitFreedom, the man behind the Brooklyn Tweed scarf, the Hemlock Ring blanket, and the Koolhaas hat, shares inspiration, design advice, and how he the developed unique color-palettes behind his new Shelter and Loft yarns.
Jared Flood is also giving away three free patterns to KnitFreedom readers! (See below to download the patterns.)
So: How did one of the industry’s most classic knitwear designers get started? How does he get inspired? Read on and get to know Jared Flood.
The Beginning of Brooklyn Tweed
KnitFreedom: How did you get involved in the knitting industry?
Jared Flood: My background is in photography, design and 2D media. I studied painting, illustration and photography in both undergrad and graduate schools.
I never had any formal knitting training, but did put myself through a rather immersive ‘self-training’ when my obsession with knitting began in 2003. My mother is an avid knitter and lover of wool, and I think I got a lot of my appreciation for knitting from her.
I was very interested in it as a child and did learn, though never stuck with any one discipline long enough to become specialized (I learned knitting, crochet, macrame, lanyard weaving, etc. before ever entering grade school – so ‘string’ art has always appealed to me).
In college I had a friend who began knitting simple chenille scarves for her friends over the holiday break.
She was from rural Oregon and had nothing to do when she went home for Christmas, so spent most of the time knitting with her mom.
When we returned to school and I saw her knitting, I was captivated. I hadn’t seen anyone knitting since my childhood and was overcome by the urge to learn right away.
I wanted to make a sweater first, which was not in my friend’s knitting vocabulary, so pretty much right away I started searching for good books that I could learn from. There was very little on the internet at that time in the way of tutorials, etc. If I had been trying to learn now, the internet would have been an incredibly useful (and efficient) resource!
Advice For Designers: Patience and Trial-and-Error
KnitFreedom: Many of your designs have become “classics” – instantly recognizable and always recommendable. What is your most recognizable original knitwear design?
Jared Flood: Probably the Koolhaas hat, which was my second-ever ‘official’ design.
It was published in Interweave Knits Holiday 2007. I was (and still am) really surprised and delighted at how well people took to the pattern.
I see them every so often when I’m wandering around New York City. That’s always a surreal feeling.
As a designer, it’s always a big guess as to which designs will resonate with people and which won’t. I’ve given up trying to predict that – or cater to it– since the results are usually unexpected! It’s really fun to watch the designs go out into the real world once the work is done.
KnitFreedom: Many of my male readers seem to be starving for knitwear patterns designed for men. Do you think it’s important to have men design patterns for men?
Jared Flood: Not necessarily. I’ve seen men’s designs from female designers that really hit the mark, and men’s designs from male designers that really miss it.
Because I think most designers create what they would like to wear, there is something to men designing for men, but I don’t think that it ever guarantees anything.
KnitFreedom: What advice would you give to someone who is considering designing a piece of knitwear for the first time?
Jared Flood: Be patient, and be prepared to make mistakes! Designing for handknitting is a lot about trial and error.
I have learned the most by trying things out, failing, and assessing why the situation didn’t work and how it could have been improved (though I guess this is a valid learning technique for most things in life!).
Because handknitting is more labor-intensive than machine knitting for example, the process can be more frustrating and more time-consuming than people who are learning knitwear design for ready-to-wear, etc.
I think the important thing is not to rush. When you make a mistake and think about how much more time it will take to fix it before you call a design ‘finished’, the temptation to compromise starts creeping in. That’s a dangerous temptation, and one that should be ignored as much as possible!
Photography: From Film to Digital
KnitFreedom: Your photography accentuates the beauty of the patterns on Brooklyn Tweed. Have you always been a photographer, or did the skill develop organically as your blog progressed?
Jared Flood: I was trained as a photographer prior to the advent of my knitting (or my blog), though I only shot with film cameras then. When I started my blog I didn’t have a digital camera that could function in the same way as my film cameras.
The early days of my blog were all on a point-and-shoot, which is definitely noticeable if you go through the archives.
Interestingly enough, my blog has sort of tracked my transition from film to digital. Over the span of 6 years, the work has improved slowly as I’ve become more comfortable developing pictures in photoshop vs. a physical darkroom, and invested in better cameras and lenses.
It seems funny now to think about shooting film, since digital technology is so advanced and accessible to everyone. I miss shooting film, but it doesn’t make sense for most people now, especially those living in small urban spaces!
The Story Behind “Shelter” and “Loft”
KnitFreedom: Over the past few years, you’ve added “yarn designer” to your resume. What yarns have you and the Brooklyn Tweed team created, and what makes them unique?
Jared Flood: We currently offer two yarns at Brooklyn Tweed – both are completely US-grown and produced products.
Shelter is a worsted weight 2-ply yarn with a woolen-spun construction, and Loft is the fingering weight ‘sibling’ yarn (constructed in the same way, with a slightly lighter twist and less fiber to create a thinner yarn).
I think the story of the yarn make them unique – it’s rare to find yarns that are completely US-made (the wool is grown, scoured, dyed, spun and distributed here).
It is so much easier and cheaper to make similar yarns by sourcing fiber and labor from Europe, China or South America.
The yarns are also woolen-spun (rather than the more commonly seen worsted-spun construction) and requires a different type of machinery than many mills have.
There are few remaining US mills that can spin true woolen yarns (you can count them on one hand), so the yarn project was also conceived as a small way of supporting and helping to preserve a dying American tradition.
Working with the historic mill in Harrisville, NH has been one of the most rewarding parts of this whole experience for me.
I’m very hopeful that the US-made yarn trend will catch on and increase, but it’s hard to tell what direction it will go. It’s certainly a much more difficult path from a yarn-producer’s standpoint to pull off!
KnitFreedom: The new colors you’ve added to your “Loft” yarn collection are stunning. What was your inspiration for the palette of colors, and how do you go from inspiration to reality?
Jared Flood: Developing the palette is my favorite part of the entire process.
All the colors in our yarn palette are blended heathers – meaning we take several colors of solid-dyed wool and mix them together before spinning the yarn.
This creates rich, sophisticated color blends that have a beautiful cross-range harmony.
This is a more difficult process than dip-dying solid yarns, but also much more rewarding when you nail the perfect shade you were after!
Learning how the colors behave when you start mixing is really interesting. The first thing that struck me was how similar creating heathers is to mixing oil paints.
I ended up drawing a lot on my Color Theory training from school, which I was very grateful to have had! It helped tremendously.
I work closely with the colorist at Harrisville to get the final blends.
In the beginning, I’ll begin collecting samples of colors that are headed in the direction of my final vision – it can be snippets of other yarns, woven fabrics, and even, in a few cases, photographs – and give them to the colorist.
I’ll often provide notes with the samples like “I love this red, can we add a little more black?” etc. From there we create sample pads of fiber (like miniature bats) with 7-10 variations of the target.
I handspin each pad and then assess the nuances of each color all together, once they are spun. The colors do change their behavior slightly from loose fiber to finished yarn, so spinning the pads is very important.
With Loft, we expanded the palette to 32 colors, which was so much fun but also incredibly difficult! The more colors you get, the more colors you want. Editing becomes very important, and thinking about the range of the palette as a whole.
Sometimes I get stuck on a particular color family – like greens or oranges – and end up with 4 or 5 more shades of that color than is appropriate for the balance of the full palette. There are several colors that haven’t been seen yet by the public that I’m hoping to introduce in the future, as the palette expands.
Follow Jared Flood at Brooklyn Tweed
KnitFreedom: If a knitter is interested in learning more about your site, yarn, and patterns, where should he or she start?
Jared Flood: Our website – www.brooklyntweed.net – has the most information all in one place. If someone wanted to dig a little deeper, they could hit the blog archives (www.brooklyntweed.net/blog) and start working back chronologically. We can always be reached by e-mail at [email protected] as well!
Giveaway – Win Three New Patterns from Brooklyn Tweed
Jared is generously giving away three new patterns from Brooklyn Tweed, just for KnitFreedom readers!
They are: Juneberry Triangle, by Jared Flood, Arrowhead Mittens, by Alexis Winslow, and the Fuse cardigan, by Veronik Avery.
To enter the giveaway, head to Jared Flood’s blog, have a look around, and leave a comment for him.
Then, come back here and leave a comment for me! Next week I’ll randomly choose three winners from among the commenters here – each winner gets all three patterns!
So don’t wait – visit Brooklyn Tweed and let him know that Liat at KnitFreedom sent you. Good Luck!
Update: The contest is over and we’ve selected our three winners, but please feel free to leave a comment if you liked this interview with Jared Flood.
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317 thoughts on “Jared Flood Interview: Inside Brooklyn Tweed & Shelter”
I just finished reading your blog and I have to comment, it was an absolute fulfilment. Your writing practice is engaging and illustrative, making me feel like I was right there with you on your exploit. The picture you included were also incredible and really added to the overall experience. good-luck
dtcyuvi
You could certainly see your enthusiasm in the work you write.
The sector hopes for more passionate writers such as you who aren’t
afraid to mention how they believe. All the time follow your heart.
I purchased your knitting class for continental knitting. I can’t get it to work and also can’t get adobe to work. What should I do???
Hi Liat,
Another winner….The Jared Flood Interview. I have admired his work
for quite some time, and especially adored a delicate babies hat was such
a piece of art. I would have loved to put it in a lovely frame, and been able
to gift it to my daughter. I think he is remarkable.
And, while I m mentioning remarkable….I am sure I saw your picture next to
the word in the dictionary. So VERY happy you are well, and back with your
fabulous tutorials and your sweet self. Happy Days! xo
I just recently came upon your site and I love it. I liked the interview with Jared. One of the things that excite me the most is the yarns he creates and how it is ALL american made! That’s what we need to get back to–American made.
Welcome to KNITFreedom. I’m so glad that you found the site. :) Jared really is amazing, isn’t he? His yarns are beautiful. Thank you for checking out his interview. I hope you enjoy the rest of KNITFreedom!
Thank you for interviewing Jared! I have always loved his work and really appreciated reading your interview.
Thanks!
Crys, I’m glad you liked the interview! Jared is fascinating and I feel lucky that he sat down and shared so much with me.
Liat…I love your newsletter and ‘meeting’ Jared from Brooklyn Tweed..I look forward to more coming from you and Jared has a new follower!
Thank you!
Hi Julie,
Nice to meet you! I’m happy you came by and commented. What is your favorite thing about the newsletter?
Articles like this make me want to raise sheep, learn to card wool, spin it up myself and start knitting with “homemade” yarns. I love this local approach to natural fiber. I can’t wait to get my hands on some Brooklyn Tweed the next time I’m in the city!
Hi Hilary, I’m so happy the interview totally inspired you! I was really impressed when I did the interview and I’m so glad we’ve got artists like Jared Flood out there preserving natural yarn-making traditions, and willing to share with us about them.
Thanks for commenting!
I just found this website today, I am in love! Thanks for the chance for a giveaway and thinks for the great article about a crazy amazing designer!
You are so welcome! I’m so glad that you found KNITFreedom and that you love the content. :)
I love Jared Flood’s designs!
Great interview with one of my favorite designers! It was through Jared’s blog that I first heard about the wonderful Beaverslide yarns–merino wool raised in Montana, spun in Alberta, Canada. And now he has his own line of yarns! Lovely.
Thank you for featuring one of my favorite artists and thanks for posting all of your wonderful videos on YouTube.
Really enjoyed the interview and some background on JF.
I’ve been an admirer of Jared Flood’s (and Veronik Avery’s) patterns for some time. These are, once again, more beautiful patterns from the Brooklyn Tweed line.
Great interview. Love the patterns, especially the Juneberry Triangle. I didn’t see anywhere to comment at the Brooklyn Tweed site. However, would love to be in the running for the patterns.
thank you for sharing your story, appreciate the yarns being ‘made in the usa’!
I just want to thank everyone for your wonderful comments. I’m so happy you liked the interview and got to learn more about one of the most interesting and multi-faceted designers of our time.
Congratulations to Tamara, Carin, and Cammy, who each won three of Jared’s new patterns in the giveaway. Happy knitting!
Great interview!
Loved the interview and I love your patterns!!!!! Keep up the awesome job!!!!!
I would like to be entered in the contest. Jared Flood’s web site is just what a home spinner would be interested in. Of course I knit and crochet plus have Knitting machines. I love working with my hands. I am working on socks now. Actually making them for myself. 99% of the things I make, I give away. Thank you for your website. Sincerely, jb
Thanks for letting us know a little more about the person behind the yarn/patterns. Just regular people who allow their talent to be shared with the rest of us. Keep enabling. :^)
Thanks, it is always nice getting to know the people behind the yarn/patterns. Just regular people that allow their talents to shine for the rest of us. Keep enabling :^)
Thanks so much, Liat, for the wonderful interview with Jared! It was very interesting & I had a wonderful stroll through Brooklyn Tweed website & blog as well. Would love to try his patterns this year! Keep up all your awesome work. Love it!
Jared, loved roam through your site! You have love yarns and patterns. I would love to knit the koolhaas hat!
Love the different colors of yarn
Great interview! Thanks for the opportunity to win three beautiful Brooklyn Tweed patterns. I hope I get lucky.
Thanks for the interesting interview. It is so interesting to hear how someone becomes inspired.
Love Jared’s designs! Great interview.
Awesome interview with Jared! Thanks for sharing!!!
Jared Flood is one of my favorite designers. His photography is also incredible. Thanks for the interview. I appreciate knowing a little more about how a person becomes a designer.
I love Jared’s work. It can be so complex and beautiful. I have purchased one of his designs befor the Rock Island shawl. His last release shoot in that old train station was amazing. THanks for the opportuniy to win a prize!!
I’ve loved tweedy yarns forever and just treated myself to 2 hanks of Loft this past weekend. One hat already in progress (Norby). I’m looking forward to working with more of the Brooklyn Tweed yarns & patterns in the future. Thanks for the chance to win one!
As a man just learning to knit it’s great to see there are inspirational male knitters and designers out there! Thanks :)
Hi Liat,
Thanks for the fantastic interview, and sharing it with us. I wrote on his blog that I love his “eye for” and sense of color in his photos and yarn palette. Such creative spirits – both of you! Thanks for offering the pattern drawing too. Very generous of you. Cheers.
Great interview – what a talented young man!!:):) Thanks for letting us get to know him!:)
What a terrific interview! I have been awed by his patterns, his blog, and then his yarns, but I’m dumbstruck to learn he’s self-taught and started getting serious about this in 2003. HOLY MOLY!
I discovered KnitFreedom recently and really enjoy it. I’d love to knit like a superstar. :)
Thank you for this interview. It was very interesting and informative. I loved looking at Jared’s blog and left a comment there. The yarn and patterns look beautiful and I definitely plan to try them out.
Thanks for the interview. I have admired Jared’s work for years.
Beautiful stuff! I’ve admired him for years.
Great interview – thanks for sharing it! I admire how fast and far Jared has gone in less than a decade. His patterns always are on my to do list and I look forward to knitting with his yarn one day.
Hi Tamara,
Guess what?! You won! Thanks so much for commenting and entering this giveaway. You’ll be getting an email from me shortly with your free patterns!
I’ve eyed and admired so much of Jared’s work and the Brooklyn Tweed designs. I hadn’t known how special the yarns were though. Bravo.
Great interview, thanks for sharing!
Wonderful interview! Jared’s site was lovely. I had seen his patterns at the yarn shop but never visited the blog. Reading about Loft makes me want to start learning colorwork techniques. Thank you for being a great resource.
Beautiful aesthetics. Really classy and hip. Interview was valuable to find out the path Jared has traveled to arrive where he is now. Great job!
What a great interview, AWESOME job Liat!
What a great interview! It’s always nice to learn more about popular designers. Jared sounds very down-to-earth and hands-on about his yarn line. I left a comment on his blog, too. Thanks to both of you for the awesome giveaway!
I’m sure this is a great and interesting website, but why would anybody go to such lengths to create a website and then make it so difficult to read? That red background is a real turn-off, and that’s just what I do: turn it off, because in order to be able to see the text I have to highlight it, which is a pain in the patoot and still unsatisfactory. So–goodbye. Let me know if you fix this soon because I would love to read what you’ve posted here.
Hi there,
Thanks for your feedback! I actually was not aware that the website was showing up like this for you. I think it may have to do with the Internet browser you are using. I will do what I can to fix the readability issue so that everyone can read the site easily.
Hi there,
I’ve tried to email you about this issue, however, your email address won’t accept my email. Can you please contact me to follow up about this? Thanks.
I visited Jared’s Flood’s blog! It was very interesting! Loved his Photography and designs. Hope I win the patterns as I love them! My current knitting project is my first pair of socks from your Beginner Socks for Magic Loop, Toe-Up or Top-Down! I first tried with the DPN’s and hated them; needles fell out, lost the stitches, decided there had to be a better way! Thanks for your pattern and instructions!
Thank you for leading me to such great sites and for all of your help and inspiration.
I wen to Jareds site from you link but found no place to leave a comment even though I joined and subscribed… disappointed.
Looking at the train station pictures I though back to when I was a little girl and road the E train with my mother We would go to dads office I loved to stand on the street and look up as the trains went by. Loved all your pictures Great web site.
Loved the interview and his blog. Have heard other knitters rav about Jarrod patterns and photography now I know why.
Yay! I love Jared Flood’s patterns. I hope he shares more =D
I just visited Jared Flood’s website. Such wonderful patterns and yarns!
I left a comment on the Wool People 2 thread. So many awesome designs! Thanks for the interview and for hosting this giveaway from Jared :)
I enjoyed reading the interview with Jared Flood. I haven’t knitted any of his patterns but would love to win a pattern. His yarn colors are fabulous.
Olá Liat! Amei a entrevista com Jared (admiro muito o trabalho dele) sigo você a pouco tempo e estou adorando, muito obrigada por disponibilizar o seu tempo para auxiliar pessoas como eu, você tem agora uma tricoteira brasileira sua seguidora e fã do seu trabalho, mais uma vez muito obrigada!!
I enjoyed Jared’s interview and blog. Can’t wait to try some of his yarn and patterns!
Thanks for sharing the Brooklyn Tweed Blog. I love it. Koolhaus has been one of my favorite designs since I first saw it. Now looking at his blog I may have some new favorites.
Thanks Liat for the great interview
I loved the interview! I would love to have those patterns, I was eying them already. So gorgeous!
Wonderful stuff from both KNITFreedom and Jared Flood (new-to-me). I have looked into designing before. The sites are interesting and useful. I really liked Shelter colors. They look like pretty, soft hair. Thanks for the interview!!
I loved the photos on Jared’s website and could get lost in them for hours. The only two I commented on were the cones of color from Habu yarns and the railway station.
When I joined Raverly, his project page was one of the first I viewed. It was nice to read interview. Very interesting.
Love, love this guy! Thanks for the great interview! Can’t wait to pull out my Koolhaas pattern and get busy!
I am a long time follower of Jared. Love his patterns, photography, and now his yarn!
Wow! Great photography and such great yarn colors! I love the idea of the all USA yarn. I’ll definately check back and see what damage I can do to my finances!
I visited Brooklyn Tweed and dropped a little over 30 dollars. What a beautiful website. Thank-you for the lead. Added that one to my favs. Unfortunately I could not figure out how to leave a comment there.
What a nice interview, Liat. Back when I owned a little knit shop, I taught a class on Jared Flood’s Cobblestone Pullover, and I loved how clear the directions were. I see two of those sweaters from that class being worn around town every winter. I wish we could have gotten his yarns then, in those seductive Brooklyn Tweed colors. What an artist.
Love your website as well.
I think it is so wonderful that you have grown so much that now you can do interviews with people like Jared Flood! I find his work very inspirational, and what beautiful photography! I’d love to have a pattern. Keep up the good work Knit Freedom!
I love all of Jared Floods designs, but I never had the occasion to knit one, perhaps this time…. The interview was very interesting to read
Thank you Liat
Hello KnitFreedom,
I went into Jareds blog and was absolutely thrilled to read the entry on EZ sweater. It turned my head on end when i saw the way she placed her shaping increases on the sleeve. I could go on …and on about it Just wish I had been there to get close to the shaping in the neck. OH the passion and admiration for the skill and creativity has been awakened . Where can I get jareds patterns and wool in the UK Yours Linda
Hi Linda,
I’m glad you were so inspired by Jared’s blog! I know I learn something new every time I go there. I would contact Brooklyn Tweed’s customer service to ask where you can buy his Shelter and Loft yarns.
I know that many of his patterns are available as digital downloads on his website, which should make it easy for you to get them for personal use.
Hi Liat,
Thank you so much for sharing this amazingly beautiful site and great man!
Love his photography from Alaska and commented Jared on those!
With love,
Esther
I’m a Brooklyn Tweed fan so I enjoyed your interview with Jared Flood. But it never occurred to me that he had a blog. Duh!! Thanks for linking to it…I checked it out and was bowled over by the metal yarn and the colors. Great possibilities there.
Please enter me in the drawing. I would LOVE to win some of Jared’s patterns.
Hi Ruthie,
I’m so glad I could hook you up with Jared’s blog so that you could keep up with all his new ventures!
Great interview. I think it’s sad that we don’t have many mills in the US, and hope that changes in the future. Thanks for your wonderful designs. I hope to make one very soon. I have my eye on several of your patterns!
Thank you for the opportunity to win three of Jared’s patterns! I currently have Girasole on the needles and purchased the yarn for Rock Island Shawl.
I rememberwhen i started knitting about three years. Ago and I laid my eyes on Girasole I just wanted to knit everything BT/Jared Flood related.
The patterns are a delight to knit, and the photography is always amazing and inspiring. Thanks tor the lovely patterns and photograph.
Loved the interview and although I went to his site to look at his wooly creations, his recent NY shots grabbed my attention!
Thanks for giving newbie knitters like me a chance to experience KnitFreedom and Jared Flood.
outstanding interview!
I have been following Jared for several years. I have enjoyed knitting his wonderful patterns. I was delighted to read on his blog about EZ and the new book. I loved her and her work, and through her show, books and videos I welcomed her into my life as a member of my family.. I know, kinda creepy but true. Thank you for the opportunity to read the interview. Jared is amazing!
I have followed Jared’s blog for years. He is a true artist. So very talented. May he keep doing what he loves so that we may all be inspired! Thank you for the interview and the giveaway.
I fell for Jared Flood and Brooklyn Tweed way back when – when I first found his hemlock ring blanket. I keep gravitating to his designs on Ravelry. It’s clear that an artist is an artist be it photography or knitting design. Such an interesting person and beautiful blog! Good interview!
Thank you for this interview with Jared, I am SUCH a fan.
I just spent the evening at Brooklyn Tweed. Wow. I forgot all about dinner. Thank you for suggesting his site and making the giveaway possible.
thank you Liat. I have not seen Jared’s blog before, so the interview was great and his blog was very cool. I’m gonna go back and read some more!. thanx for the chance to win some beautious patterns.
Koolhaas FTW!!!!!!
I bought this pattern a short while before Christmas and made 8 hats for the men in my family. They all love them. Such a great pattern to work with. I rushed over here (KF site) to read the interview once I received the notice in my email, because I figured if I loved the pattern so much it would be great to get to know the designer a little better.
I really enjoyed the interview with Jared. I do have a question for him, about the best ways to photograph (with digital camera) finished objects. Any tips would be greatly appreciated. It seems everytime I try to take a photo of my finished project it doesn’t seem as ‘pretty’ in photo as it does in person. I’m not great with a camera, I’m more a point and shoot kind of gal..lol.
I adore the Juneberry Triangle scarf. I have been heavily into knitting the latest trend for all of my friends. I have used all types of yarn for them. Lorna’s Lace, right up to Cascade 220. They’re so versatile and can go from something that keeps you warm to a beautiful accessory for an evening out’s outfit. I would love a copy of this Juneberry pattern for sure.
Your yarn looks beautiful. I love the look of Heathers. Hopefully I can find some up here in chilly Canada at our local yarn shop.
Hi Sandra,
I’m so glad you liked the interview! I know, I’d like more tips from him too on photographing finished objects. I’m actually planning on doing some research and putting together a video e-book just on that subject!
I know that when Jared teaches live classes he often teaches about photographing finished objects. I read comments here from a few knitters who had taken a class like that from him in the past.
Keep an eye out on the schedules for Vogue Knitting Live and other knitting events, like different sheep and wool festivals around East Coast. I bet you will find him teaching there!
Thanks for the great interview and introducing me to Jared….I am a new knitter and have become obessessed with learning. Love Jared’s pattern and can’t wait to try one. Thanks for the chance to win.
Thanks for the great interview and introducing me to Jared…what a great blog…I am a new knitter and have become obsessed with knitting and learning all about it! :):) Love the patterns. Thanks for the chance to win!
I love the play of rich colours in the heather yarns.
They look absolutely amazing and I bet they feel super soft and warm.
Dreamy yarn for sure!
Thank you for hosting this giveaway :)
Angel
I love how your yarns are blended heathers. It makes colors more wearable and sophisticated. Fair isle would look fantastic!
I’m sort of in love with Jared Flood. His designs and his wool are really wonderful. i’m knitting the Rock island shawl right now. Yummy!
Thank you KnitFreedom for introducing me to Jared Flood (oh yea, I knew his designs but I’m talking about the REAL Jared Flood). His designs are fantastic…we all know that but his photography is, in a word, AMAZING.
Loved the detailed answers Jared gave. The inquisitive mind is as much an inspiration for finding new designs as designing from demand. Much of what was shared was inspirational and let me know to keep tweaking and designing from bits and pieces of aspired finds uof gifted artists such as Jared. Thank you for sharing Jared.
What a great interview!! And I love the hat–I’ve made about 4 of them!
Jared Flood/Brooklyn Tweed designs are smashing. Even his adaptions of other designs are enhancements, ie: his version of Urban Aran. A truly skilled designer!
Love Jared’s patterns, having made some already! It’s great to hear more about this great designer and his inpirations!
What a great thorough interview and super talented subject! Thanks!
Great interview! I love his designs and yarn! Thanks for sharing :)
Thank you for such a great interview. Jared is so talented, it is wonderful to hear in his words a bit of his story.
Great interview! I met him at a Fiber Space workshop where he taught the photography segment. I learned some great tips.
Great interview. I met him at a Fiber Space workshop. He taught the photography segment. I learned a lot from him. I also appreciated his advice to new designers. I’m trying to not rush the process.
Thanks for the interview, Liat! I’ve been checking out Jared’s designs for a while now. Love the Fuse cardi!
Thanks for this interview! I had seen some of his patterns here and there and thought they were lovely, but never realized where they were from. Thanks for this great information, and the chance to win such lovely patterns!
Such a pleasure to see unique and interesting patterns-especially Winnowing and fuse. Hope to see some using Habu products.
Could not figure out how to leave a comment on Jared’s blog
Hi Liat, thanks for the interview. It was great to meet the designer behind such beautiful yarns and patterns.
What a great inteview! Thanks for thinking (once again) of just what your followers are looking for…lovely yarns and Jared’s blog has some wonderful photos…hoping you’ll continue on with more interviews….also terrific work on updating your own site Liat. Wishing you (both!) continued success.
I discovered KnitFreedom a couple of months ago via Ravelry. I love having such well done videos to refer to and just gifted a newer-to-knitting friend with your Knitting Superstar e-book. SHE LOVES IT! Thanks for the great interview with Jared Flood; his designs are wonderful, and I admire even more his commitment to making a totally US-produced yarn. And thanks for doing the pattern giveaway! Have a great weekend!
Hi Sue,
I’m so thrilled that you love KNITFreedom and my knitting videos. It means so much to me that you gifted the Knitting Superstar e-book to a friend – that means you really believe in it!
Thank you for sharing this with me!
I truly enjoyed visiting this site. Great pictures, colors, patterns………… I left a comment at the only place I could find for comments……..not sure whether that was on Jared Flood’s site…….I had clicked to read more about Elizabeth Zimmerman.
Virginia
Thank you so very much for bringing Jared’s story to us all! It has been fun following him these past years and now the mystery has been unshrouded. You Rock!
Enjoyed the interview!
Such an interesting interview. (Keep ’em coming, Liat!) Also love Jared’s gorgeous photography on the Brooklyn Tweed site. Add to that the opportunity to win the patterns – priceless!
Thanks for the interview and the opportunity! I just commented on Jared’s post for the latest pattern collection. I keep looking at the Brooklyn Tweed yarns and one of these days I’ll scrape together the scratch to buy some. :)
Thanks Liat. Love Jared Flood!
I, too, love everything Jared Flood. In addition to his patterns and lovely yarn, he is a fantastic instructor. I took a class with him last year at VKLive… in a tiny, tiny room; but, he made the best of it!
Great interview, Liat!
Hi Carin,
Guess what?! You won! Thanks so much for commenting and entering this giveaway. You’ll be getting an email from me shortly with your free patterns!
I just finished my first Brooklyn Tweed pattern, the Guernsey Wrap, and these are my notes which I shared on Ravelry:
I was initially intimidated by the charts for this project … but after hyperventilating into a brown paper bag and regaining my composure, I realized that I CAN DO THIS! Note: I enlarged the charts to accommodate my 63-year-old eyes and drew arrows indicating which direction to read the charts (something about short-term memory perhaps).
But I digress … I love this pattern, especially once I was past chart A. Next hurdle … blocking rods. After a little on-line shopping, I was down to the finish line … soaked, rinsed, stomped out the excess water … and discovered I needed to put the leaf in my dining room table. Finally, time for the rods. As I was carefully threading these fine rods through the very long wrap, I felt like a cardiac physician performing an angioplasty without any risk of patient mortality.
And I now proudly say, “Jared Flood, I am no longer afraid of you and your magnificent patterns!” I DID IT!
I have only been knitting for three years and one of my friends, after seeing my finished wrap said “you are the Di Vinci of knitting.” Thanks Jared!
Wow I am so proud of you for taking on that super-challenging pattern! I love that you did what you needed to to to make the pattern legible and easy-to-follow for you.
Thank you for sharing your success story!
Fantastic information. Thanks. I love Jared’s designs, and it’s interesting to learn more about him.
My grandma used to write patterns for people who would come into the shop where she worked with a picture from a fashion magazine. She would have loved Jared (and you too!)
awesome site
thank you for sending me to Jarreds site, I love his site and all the cool info about wool people and all. I however could not leave a comment on his site. I love the koolhaas hat and want to make it soon.
Thanks for introducing me to the new yarns and website. Jared is one of my favorite designers. As a sheath/stick knitter with some 60+ years of experience, it is a delight to find some woolen spun yarns on the market. Worsted spun is wonderful for suitable projects, but is frankly a little flat for a truly nice sweater or scarf.
How interesting! Jared’s interview has certainly made me more curious about using woolen-spun vs. worsted-spun yarns. I’ll have to test out two yarns on the same pattern and see what I think!
Liat you picked a legend in our time. Jared is so incredibly talented and remains true to his dreams. I love his American Made yarns and his mesmerizing patterns. I’m an avid blog follower of his. His latest Wool Book II is delicious. Anticipating his next!
Thanks for the great interview with Jared. His work is inspirational.
Thanks for a great interview! Really enjoyed learning more about Jared. Both of you have made a difference in my knitting life, thank you! :) Just commented on the LOFT post on the BT blog, I need to knit up some of that lovely fiber!!
Thanks for letting us get to know Jared and his work! I love the wool people collections, and his Brownstone sweater is in my knitting queue for my husband. :)
I’ve always admired his designs — they have such a clean and easy feel about them, but I know he has painstakingly worked out all the details. Those yarns are in the most wonderful colours! I’m glad to see that some of those old mills are still able to produce the yarns that WE want, and which are so hard to find. Thanks for the great interview!
Thanks for a great interview! Really enjoyed learning more about Jared. Both of you have made a difference in my knitting life, thank you! :)
I love Jared Flood’s designs! I’ve been reading both your blogs for a while now and really enjoyed the interview. It would be great to win these new patterns.
Wonderful interview! I LOVE KnitFreedom & Jared Flood! :)
Beautiful patterns & very interesting interview. Thanks
Nice interview. And he has some really nice yarn and patterns.
Thanks for the giveaway.
Rock it up Liat! Loved that interview… inspirational designer and now wool producer and artist! Let the revolution begin… ‘Wool People!’ Thanks Liat for holding the banner and leading the charge.. ‘Knitting is Easy!’
I’m so glad you’re excited about Jared and his yarns! I know I am.
I’m happy you enjoyed the interview, and you’re right – knitting IS easy! Thanks so much for commenting.
Great interview! Jared is one of my favourite designers, so it was great to learn more about him and his process.
Oh I would love to win, I’m a big fan!
(goodstuff on Rav)
I found this really great!
Thanks for a fantastic and informative interview!
Hi Cammy,
Guess what?! You won! Thanks so much for commenting and entering this giveaway. You’ll be getting an email from me shortly with your free patterns!
Dear Liat: Great Interview! Thanks for doing the interview with Jared. I have followed his career for a very long time and was gifted with his first book, “It Itches”. I laughed until I cried. Keep on interviewing the great designers of knitting.
P.S. Jared: I have a great friend who knits, he does beaded Barbie doll dresses with US 000000 size needles, patterns are of his own design. He generally designs on whatever scrap of paper is nearest when he gets the idea. Carl is a dear sweet guy and I really enjoy having him as a friend!
Inspiring! Thank you Jared and Liat for the chance to win some great patterns and for sharing with us all that you do! (I commented on the Communipow Railroad Station blog post)
Liat, what a great interview! Connecting us with Jared at Brooklyn Tweed, coupled with a chance to win one of his patterns, was a brilliant idea. (I just wish Jared had put a link on his website back to KNITfreedom.com.) Your videos and e-books are so well done and inspiring and you teach with such patience. You are my SUPERSTAR!
Thank you Ima!!! :) I’m so glad you thought this was a good idea! I was very lucky to connect with Jared and hopefully will get to work with him in the future as well. :)
Your yarn colors are lovely. Please enter me in the contest!
I loved the interview and was very interested in his techniques and yarns. Good job.
Great article! I’ve been impressed the Jareds designs since I first found his Hemlock Rinh blanket years ago. Happy Knitting and Designing.
Thanks for a great interview. Keep e
m coming!
I always love seeing men involved in knitting!
Just visited Mr. Flood’s site..,he really is a gifted designer. Hope I’m lucky enough to win the patterns!
I’m not sure my comment made it through, so I’m submitting it again. Great interview.
His patterns are amazing. Loved reading the interview!
Great interview. I’m a fan of Jared’s. I even made a pilgrimage to Harrisville to see his yarn.
Wonderful interview with my favorite designer. I love Jared’s patterns, his new books, and his 2 yarn lines. I left a comment on Jared’s website.
Really great interview! Thank you Liat and Jared!
I love Jared’s patterns–always so classic and never out of style. I would love to try these new patterns. The interview was great–thanks!
What a great interview Liat. I truly enjoyed learning about Brooklyn Tweed. His blog was great to visit also. I ended up putting him in my favorites. I hope to be half that good someday. Thanks again for everything. I’m so glad we have you and your site to learn from.
Dennis
I’m sure you will be that good! Like he says, it’s just lots of patience and practice. That’s something anyone can do!
I’m so glad you like learning from KNITFreedom and that you came and commented here. Thanks for reading!
What a great interview! Love his designs. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Liat for the interview with Jared…..you may be interested in what I shared with him…….
Hey, Jared…Liat sent me!
I feel connected today. Harrisville is special to me since I owned two of their looms and have visited their picturesque mill in N.H. Their fibers are fabulous so now I can be confident in your yarns!
Coincidentally , I’m just finishing up my second Koolhaas hat!. I love your pattern, it looks good on everyone! Keep more like that coming!
What great timing! Thank you for sharing what you posted on Jared’s site. How neat that you have a special connection to Harrisville. Makes me want to go visit someday!
I would love the three patterns.
I love all of Jared Floods designs. I am a knitter and a owner of a sheep farm. The inspiration that is so generously shared by Jared has been key to expanding my own abilities and thought process in all things I do fiber. Jared Flood is a true gem.
Thanks, Liat, for interviewing Jared. I love his work and have been following him for a few years. I love Jared’s blog. I especially loved looking at his Wool books with all the classic patterns. These patterns have such a classic feel to them that they would stand the test of time, so making them would be a good investment of my time. So obviously I hope to win. I live in snow country so I would start with the arrowhead mittens.
What a great interview to have. Thanks so much for sharing this with you readers.
Thanks for the interview. Nice to know real people exist in the design world. Thanks for sharing.
Great Interview! And those colors are gorgeous! I’d love to knit a purse for felting with it.
I am so happy that you are joining forces with other websites to promote knitting! I have been a member of Brooklyn Tweeds for some time now and I love the artistic quality of their “work”.
It is nice to see my two favorite sites come together for the greater good! :)
Have a glorious day and thanks for all you bring to my life! :)
Liat- thank you for publishing this interview! I have heard of Jared but this gave me a newer appreciation for his talent! I did stop and comment on his blog.
thanks again!
Thanks for a great interview, Liat! I’m especially happy to see another all-American-made product. I can’t wait to actually pet some :) BTW, woolen-spun vs. worsted-spun? I never knew there was a difference, but now I’m really curious to see the difference.
Hi Brian! I didn’t understand the difference between worsted-spun and woolen-spun either, so I looked it up:
Woolen-spun yarns are made from short wool fibers, and are not combed and drawn before they are spun. They are spun from larger-diameter fibers, and don’t have as much twist.
That means they have a soft, fuzzy appearance, instead of the smooth, even appearance of, say, Baby Cashmerino. They’re not as strong or durable as worsted-spun yarns. I assume they’re more “natural” and “authentic,” though.
I think the character and texture of the wool comes through more in a woolen-spun yarn than a worsten-spun yarn.
I’m a “wool person” and completely obsessed with Brooklyn Tweed. There’s simply no other yarn like it. Thank you so much for sharing this interview with Jared, I treasure any advice from him like gold!
Liat, you and Jared really got me started in knitting. I fell in love with his patterns and you really helped me to stop worrying about making mistakes and enjoy the process. Great interview!
I love the website and the patterns. Jared’s yarn is beautiful. I would love to win! Thanks for the contest.
I love the website and the patterns. Jared’s yarn is beautiful. I would love to win!
Hmmm I added a comment here and on Jared Floods Facebook page…I don’t see it…oh well thank you both for the opportunity for this giveaway…love the colors and especially all the designs :) rose
Wow, this is a great giveaway, I love the patterns from Jared Flood, thanks Liat KnitFreedom for allowing me to enter this giveaway. PS-I also liked Jared Flood on Facebook and commented there :) hugs, rose
Love that Jared is so hands-on with the process and focusing on a quality product that is both delightful and American made.
Thanks so much for this very insightful and informative interview. Truly enjoyed it.
Thank you for introducing me to Jared Flood! What an amazing artist he is. I’m totally in love with the cover image on “Wool People” volume 2. Today, I’ll be searching for the pattern for the Koolhaas hat. Just awesome!
Great interview! Love that he learned to knit, etc at such a young age.
This was a very informative article.
great giveaway. we did his Guernsey Wrap for a knit class I’m currently taking!
I love Jared’s patterns – great interview
Wow! I’ve toured the factories and spinning mill in Lowell, Mass but loved hearing about your beautiful place in New Hampshire. Awesome!
I believe the mark of a good design is how well it resonates with the viewer. Jared, you are such a person. Thank you both for your work.
Fab interview! His work is inspirational!
Dear Liat,
I’m Linda from Milan (Italy!) and I really would like to thank you for sharing with us Jared’ work. Forget free patterns! What you gave us is a MUCH bigger gift. I really love what you do, the way you share – and your care in chosing what should be shared.
Being a knitter in Italy can be quite boring and uninteresting… luckily enough there is a worldwide Internet KNIT community and… devoted knitters like you! Thank you for everyhting! Linda
Just left a comment over at Jared’s blog… Great interview! I love his Shelter and Loft yarns. The colors are gorgeous! I love finding new yarns to play with :)
Melissa
Thanks for the interesting interview with Jared Flood.
I really appreciate reading Jared’s advice about designing – be patient!!! – because I am in the process of designing my first piece. It’s just a small and very simple project – a cowl for a friend – and that’s what I keep telling myself: Be patient, and expect to make mistakes!!! So it’s really helpful to hear an accomplished designer reinforce that! Thanks Jared. I’ve long been a fan of your designs.
I’ve been knitting less than a year and it was great for me to “get to know” more about Jared Flood. I really enjoyed looking around his site. Thanks, Liat! You did a fabulous job with the interview!!
A very nice read of Jared’s interview, Liat. I am so glad you were able to get into your office and shared it with us all! I love his pattern and (after visiting his blog) his photography as well. His success and work is very inspiring to me. There are a lot of business and individual who knit, have a knitting business but Jared is the first that I know of that also is partnered with a company to also grown, design and sell their own brand of yarn too!
“That is incredible!” Keep up the great work Liat & Jared. I would like to thank you both personally for all that you contribute to world of craft.
Thank you Anita! I’m so glad you are enjoying the blog, and that you liked getting to know Jared. Thanks for commenting!
I have followed Jared since I discovered his blog several years ago. His patterns are always very well written & fun to knit!
Great interview Liat! Loved it I’ve never heard of Jared Flood before Thank you!
I have visited Jared’s blog and I love his designs. I also have a son named Jared. My Jared is currently serving in the US Navy. No one could ever predict that I would teach myself to knit but I did and I love to make Jared’s designs.
This such a wonderful interview. I loved reading it and learning abit more about Jared and how he got started.
I absolutely adore the colors!!!! I come from a cotton mill town (Kannapolis, NC) and all my family (3 generations) worked for Cannon Mills. Unfortunately, that is all gone now, but I am proud to know that there are still mills in the U.S. that run USA products. Thank you for helping keep the tradition alive.
the hat is my go to pattern for Christmas gifts, and the yarn is to die for
I only just knit my first Jared Flood pattern for the Christmas giving season, and of course it was Koolhaas. I knit a total of 5 of them, and still have to make myself one!
Thank you for your wonderful patterns. I look forward to using your yarns.
Great interview, fabulous designer! I am impressed by the use of historic mills.
I can’t agree more. The info about the historic mills was so interesting. I had seen patterns by Jared Flood on Ravelry and even knit a couple but to get a better understanding of what makes the difference in yarns and their construction was fascinating.
I love Jared’s blog and feel that Oregonian kinship with him, though he’s far more worldly than me! I’m glad to see him posting more frequently and always love when new patterns come from him and the Wool People!
Jared is number one on my short list of favorite designers. The pattern that caught my eye first was his Cobblestone sweater on Interweave knits. I was looking for a pattern that my adult son would like, that was not too fussy and this was perfect. He loved it.
Unfortunately, as is all too common, the yarn that he used in designing the sweater was discontinued. I am really grateful for his interview here and will definitely head over to ask him if he has a recommendation for one of his yarns that will work with that pattern (I am not too good with adapting yarn types and gauges and prefer sticking with the yarn used in the original design).
Once again, kudos for the top notch quality in your choice of topics. I love receiving your newsletters.
This was a great, informative interview! Thank you so much for sharing this with us. I’m really looking forward to trying his yarn line.
I enjoyed Jared’s blog and left a comment on his Loft post.
What a generous pattern giveaway too!
Loved the interview with Jared. I really like his designs.
I have only been subscribed to your site for a month, but I really enjoyed it. Had found Jared’s site before yours, but still loved your write up about him. Look forward to future celebrity interviews, and must search your archive too!
Great Photos; love hearing about the USA made yarns and the development process….makes one appreciate the process. Thanks.
How cool is he!! Love it!
Doesn’t he take the best photos? Love his work!
I loved seeing the transformation of wool to yarn on Jared’s website/blog, but there’s no way I want to win this drawing. I have too many patterns and too much yarn already! If my name should come up, drop it and let another, less stash enhanced knitter have them.
Thanks for pointing the way to his site/blog.
Hi Liat,
I’ve been a fan of Jared Flood ever since I discovered his “Cobblestone” pattern, and I’ve gone on to buy a number of his wonderful designs. I often visit his website for, as I told him in my comment to him “the simple pleasure of looking at a combination of excellence and beauty.” He’s a talented guy!
Your interview with Jared was a good read – I’m always delighted to know more about Brooklyn Tweed.
And we knitters are so lucky to have you out there on the Internet; I’ve learned everything I know about knitting from books – and now, your amazing and helpful videos are teaching me new things, better and faster. Thank you so much!
Cheers,
Susannah
Love his stuff. I would love to win! Debbie H
I loved the interview, Liat! All I knew (and I admit I don’t know much, lol!) of Jared Flood was that he designed the Kookhaas pattern, but anytime I’ve heard his name mentioned about on knitting websites, or Ravelry, it was almost with a hushed reverence. I was thrilled to learn more. Your questions were well thought out, and I enjoyed reading his answers; especially about the process of developing Shelter & Loft. Thanks for sharing this with your readers! :-)
This is very exciting and motivating! Love that wool!
What amazing colors and patterns!
Fascinating insight into the process. I’m looking forward to a class with Jared at Madrona next month. Nice to meet him here first!
Wow! Thank you so much for introducing me to Jared’s work and website! I think I’ve become a new fan of his designs! Love the designs, his photography, the yarn colors – warm and woodsy to me, as well as the fact that his yarns are made in America. How great that is, which we need more American products made IN America by far! Anyway, thanks so much! (I asked him if he might put his mitten patternwork into an Ivy style hat for men. I think that would be fabulous! What do you think?)
What a fabulous interview. What fabulous patterns.
great stuff! so happy I found this site.
Thank you so much for sharing the intriguing interview. I love finding fresh designers and producers….
Thank you for a fantastic interview and for sending me over to check out Jared Flood’s blog. I commented on his post about some fascinating and lovely Habu textiles yarns in luscious, soft springy colors. I’ve always loved his designs but had no idea how interesting he is himself. I also really appreciate that he designs wool that’s all-US made and that’s preserving a traditional form of yarnmaking. I would love to be picked to win those three patterns!
Love the interview. Thank you! I love Jared’s hat patterns. I did visit Jared’s website and commented on the lovely hat patterns! I love them all! : )
Very neat insights!
I went to Jared blog and enjoyed information and pictures, especially his knitted items. I love the patterns. The biggest thing I liked is all his yarn in made in America.
I know yarn made oversea is cheaper, but cheaper doesn’t mean better. I will buy made in America always first, in fact that is the label I look for.
CAN’T WAIT to see what he does with the habu.
I especially love the sweater featured in this message – so unique & flattering. I would LOVE to be the winner of the giveaway! Thanks for sharing in the interview.
Wonderful. His designs are incredible. Very talented young man. Keep soaring<3
I enjoyed the interview and Jared’s website. Commented on his designs and photography. Very talented guy!!!!
Thanks for the interesting interview and link.
New to knitting at the age of 63. Learning so much and really enjoyed the knowledge he shares with us. Oh to have started this at a young age.
Thanks for introducing me to Jared and his knitting and most especially his yarn! And I’m jumping up and down and waving >can you see me?< saying "pick me, pick me!!"
:D
Awesome! The colors are incredible, very earthy and soothing. Beautiful patterns on the site. There are several I’ll put on my todo list!
As I indicated in my comment on Brooklyn Tweed, this is an excellent blog post — somehow you’ve managed to be both comprehensive and concise at the same time. Well done. I’ve been a fan of Jared’s photography for a long time but you’ve increased my interest in his latest work in the yarn biz. Gotta get me some of that LOFT. Thanks for your work.
Thanks, again, for your continuing news and inspiration! I’d like to live a day in your life, but I’m too busy trying to find time to knit…
Wow. I’ve seen Jared’s name here and there, but didn’t really know anything about him other than that he is a designer. Learned a lot of very cool stuff here — especially about his company’s yarns! Thanks for the chance to win his patterns!
Thank you for sharing this, glad I discovered new yarns and color to explore !
I thought Jared’s name looked familiar. When he started talking about Harrisville, I remembered! They mentioned him on Facebook when Loft made its debut last year. What gorgeous yarns! His palette manages to be both very natural and incredibly vibrant simultaneously. I hope to knit with either Loft or Shelter on a future project. His designs look beautiful, and I would love to win the pattern giveaways! I’m always looking for another project to put in the pipeline!
Great interview with Jared — thank you for setting up the interview and the giveaway on the patterns!
New to knitting – loved Jared’s patterns. AND I’ve learned so much from your website – Thank you.
Loved the interview and also his patterns. The new mitten patterns are wonderful and I would be thrilled to win either pattern.
Thanks for a fascinating interview. It’s really tough to see “Made in the USA” any more. Best of luck for continued success. Keep on designing!!
Great interview – always nice to learn more about the design process – patterns, yarns, and colors! Jared rocks!
Jarod I have been watching your growth as an artist and you are quite inspirational! I can’t wait to see what masterpieces you create with the beautifully photographed Habu yarns. Your collaborative books are stunning! Liat, thanks so much for all you do to teach and inspire knitters. Your instructional videos are golden!
I am very new to electronic access to knitting. Still learning about that as I hone knitting skills. I have learned enough to click through Ravelry when feeling the need for inspiration. That is how I discovered Jared Flood and Brooklyn Tweed. So much to do; so little time. Thank you Liat for this lovely interview. More inspiration!
I just started knitting a few weeks ago and have made severally errors in choosing the right yarns. I am trying to learn more, and this interview was both informative and inspiring. I love that this beautiful yarn is 100% made-in-the-USA!
Hi Liat. That was a great interview with Jared Flood (I commented on his site) I just learned how to spin last year so I really appreciate the process. Thanks for your site. It’s wonderful! We miss you at Blazing Needles.
Keep on knitting!
great interview – thanks so much! It is always fun (and interesting) to be able to “get into the brains” of some of the industry’s designers!
Thank you for the interview! I love his patterns and the new yarns. I actually got to meet him at YarnOver last year in MN….such a nice guy. I would be excited to win one of the patterns. (I did leave a comment on his blog as well)
I enjoyed the interview as well as Jarod’s blog. His patterns have always intrigued me, and I could use some new patterns for stash-busting in 2012!
Cool, I love american yarns and real fibers, I happy to find yet another source for yarns
I love Jared Flood’s photography as much as I love the patterns! Thanks not only for the giveaway offer but for linking to the blog. I love the photos people post on their blogs and those are outstanding. The abandoned station pics are so hauntingly beautiful.
What a great interview.
Have you seen the his fiber/copper combo?
Thanks for the great interview. I left a comment at Jared’s site. It was interesting
to read about his beginnings here on your site. I just love his designs!
Thanks for the wonderful interview :)
I love Jared’s patterns!
I left a comment on Jared’s blog.
I’ve been watching Jared since he began….we’re lucky to have him designing patterns for us to make!
Thanks for the great interview. I’ve been following Jared’s blog for years and especially loved his version of EZ’s Tomten jacket for adults. I always wished he could publish a pattern for this. It’s wonderful to see how his company has developed. Hope to see better and better things in the future.
With all the chatter out there on knitting/knitters/yarn/etc…it is nice to have a constant-a touchstone-a steady hand on the wheel that can guide a restless knitter to information and people that are of real value.
The return to old traditions and seeking out slow growth, American based designers and suppliers is the current path I’m on, and this interview with Jared helped lead me to another source, Thank You! I cannot wait to cast on with some of his Loft…
And BTW keep of the great work Liat, it always puts a smile on my face when I see “KnitFreedom in my inbox, cause I just know it’s going to be something good!
Thank you so much, Melissa! I am trying more and more to make this site a solid resource for knitters, only offering useful, well-thought-out and well-written articles.
I really appreciate your support!! :)
Thank you Liat for this delightful interview. What a nice way to begin my day. Thanks for sharing and keeping us educated and always striving to “learn more”. Have a great weekend.
Thanks so much for the Jared Flood interview. I’ve forwarded it to my husband who has just started knitting and spinning. It will be wonderful for him to read about another male fiber enthusiast and an accomplished designer. Winning one of his patterns would be icing on the cake!
As a long-time, fanatical amateur photographer (film and digital) I fell in love with the photography at Brooklyn Tweed long before I learned to knit. Now that I’m a few-months-old extremely fanatical knitter (with the all-consuming passion of a new convert), I love the entire package. One of the things I absolutely adore, both about the patterns and the photography – and now about the yarn palate at Brooklyn Tweed – is the composition. While that word is usually used to describe a painting or photograph, Jared’s knitwear patterns exemplify the benefits of careful, strikingly beautiful composition… even when we see a badly-photographed, wrong-colored Brooklyn Tweed piece, we know it’s Jared’s because the *pattern* is so distinctive. They’re so wonderfully classy, rich and simple that there isn’t a shred of doubt who devised it. Thank you very much for this interview – I thoroughly enjoyed it!
love your site and jareds too!
I love Jared’s work and designs. Thank you for the interview.
Yeah! J. Flood designs are so wonderful! Creative and with a heart–Love his Wool People Series that gives back to the designers for the life of the pattern. I love to win his knit ware patterns.
Thanks for sharing the interview with Jared, love the colors of the yarns and love thephotography on his blog. Definitely count me in to win the patterns. Will look for his yarn.
Loved the interview…thanks Liat and Jared!
Hoping I am a winner of pattern package.
Liat, thanks so much for the interview with Jared–I was delighted to get acquainted with his site–and his work. I left a comment over there as well. Thanks again and best wishes to both of you.
I love all your patterns and one day I one day purchase some of your yarn. Just waiting for our personal economy to improve.
Loved the pictures from the Alaskan cruise. We lived there for two years and it is an amazing state
Such an interesting interview, well done, great read. Already a fan of both of you so all the more fun seeing the connection be made.
(posted on Jared’s blog as well)
Jared has impressed me from early on in his career, with his classic, but modern, designs, the photography, and the yarns he so carefully chooses. I wish him continued success and happiness in his work, and thank you for the interview.
I love Jareds patterns. His new group Wool has lovely work by different designers.
Enjoyed the interview and love thr yarn colors!
The new yarns are really beautiful – I would love to knit a Moebius scarf with some of them! I would love to win the mitten patterns too – I love knitting mittens!
Liat, thank you for sharing that interview with Jared with us! I’m a new knitter (within the last year), and reading great stuff like this–coupled with all the help I get from your videos and e-books–makes me want to go deep and learn as much as I can! (I especially loved hearing how Jared is working to preserve the dying American tradition of spinning true woolen yarns.) Thank you for enriching my day!
What an inspiring interview! If I don’t win the patterns I think I’ll have to purchase them! Thank you!
Two of my favorites – a dream combo!
Great interview!! His patterns and yarns are so well suited to each other – actually perfect. Thank you!
you are a most interesting individual, thank you for sharing all this knowledge.
His blog is very interesting. I espically enjoyed the Communipaw Station passage with the photos looking steampunk in decline.
Thanks for the interview and the bonus chance to win the patterns.
Beautiful yarn. I love heathered yarns and these are truly beautiful. Thanks for sticking with “made in USA” as we certainly need that dedication here. Beautiful work and lovely patterns. Keep up the great work!! I can see these yarns becoming very popular. Thanks.
Great interview! Thanks to both of you for sharing your love of knitting & fiber!
I have long admired Jared and have knitted his “Turn a Square” and Noro striped scarf. Would love to win these patterns!
Excellent interview. I’ve been following Jared’s blog for a while. Did you just see the yarn made from copper? Lovely
I went and looked at the copper yarn after reading your comment. How neat! I can’t wait to see what he designs with it…
Very Interesting interview. Jared has such a wonderful eye for organic design. Was blessed to hear him speak in Rochester, NY last year.
Great interview. Loved Jared’s progression to designer yarns. Inspirational to a quasi-newbie like me. Thank you for sharing. I would love to win his patterns.
Happy knitting 2012!
Thanks for the awesome interview with Jared ( one of my knitting heroes). I hereby humbly enter the pattern giveaway.
Very nice interview. You both rock :)
Jared Flood is a “natural” when it comes to designing knitwear. His yarn collection is beautiful!
Jared is an inspiration!
Love the interview – thanks for sharing it. I can hardly wait to see what he makes with the Habu – love the yarn!
I enjoyed this article. I am sharing it with my friend who has seven grandsons and two of them are starting to knit….
Thanks
Always enjoy your emails and page. This one was no exception. Beautiful yarn and interesting patterns I look forward to knitting.
Great interview. I love Jared’s stuff to bits.
Just commented on the Habu post….and now here!!!
Rav: Mickerr
Thanks for this great chance to win!!!!
Really enjoyed reading the interview! Love the idea of the giveaway and the chance to get one of Jared’s fabulous patterns.
I love everything in both Wool People look books and can’t wait to get my hand on some of this yarn. Great interview. I left a comment for Jared on his Communipaw Station post.
Thanks for sharing! I love everything about Jared Flood. He is my inspiration to being the best knitter that I can be.
Thank you for the interview!
Left a comment on the Wool People 2 post on his blog!
LOVE this man’s patterns, and love Knitfreedom, wonderful combo :)
Great interview; thanks for sharing (both of you!) Just commented on Jared’s Communipaw Station post.