Swatching: Navia Deluxe and Brushed Tradition

Fall is here and I am very eager to cast on a new sweater using one of our favorite wooly yarns from Navia. Two of their newer lines, Brushed and Deluxe Tradition, are cousins to Tradition, their wooly, rustic 100% Faroese Wool yarn, but both offer a unique twist on the original!

Navia Deluxe Tradition

Navia Deluxe is single ply aran weight yarn. Spun from 100% Faroese wool, the wool is sorted and the softer fibers are set aside to spin the Deluxe. The end result is yarn with a lovely hand that still retains the rustic nature we love about Tradition. I swatched the Deluxe on Size US 7 (4.5 mm), US 8 (5 mm), and US 9 (5.5 mm) needles. In the ball, the Deluxe looks a little thinner than an aran weight, and the yarn is still “in the grease”, meaning it has natural lanolin from the sheep. As a result, the swatches are slightly ropey, but after washing - in the machine! - the fibers bloom and create a fabric with a gorgeous hand and drape. Gauges: US 7 (4.5 mm): 15.5 sts and 22 rows = 4” (10 cm) US 8 (5 mm): 14 sts and 20 rows = 4” (10 cm) US 9 (5.5 mm): 13 sts and 19 rows = 4” (10 cm)

Navia Brushed Tradition

Navia Brushed Tradition is an amazing, light as air, 100% Faroese wool yarn that comes in a generous 328 yard, 100 gram skein. The long staple length of the Faroese sheep fleece is brushed and then spun into a lightly twisted wooly yarn. I also knit the Brushed Tradition on Size US 7 (4.5 mm), US 8 (5 mm), and US 9 (5.5 mm) needles. Due to the nature of the yarn being fuzzier and more airy than the Deluxe and original Tradition yarns, prior to blocking, the swatches were not as defined as the Deluxe. After blocking they still bloomed and the finished fabric is airy and lovely. Gauges: US 7 (4.5 mm): 16 sts and 23 rows = 4” (10 cm) US 8 (5 mm): 15 sts and 22 rows = 4” (10 cm) US 9 (5.5 mm): 14 sts and 20 rows = 4” (10 cm) I’m really loving the fabric of the swatches on US 8 needles, and the gauge in the Brushed Tradition matches perfectly with one of Navia’s newest sweater designs, Dandelion. Now I just need to get a copy of the pattern and cast on!