In my last blog post, I shared how double-stranding with mohair can add warmth and softness to a project (using my simple pattern, The Downbeat). In this post, I’m building on that idea by looking at another side of double-stranding — how it can also be used to create fabric that feels lighter and more drapey, even when you’re knitting at a bulky-weight gauge.
Here, I’m taking a closer look at the Brooklin Vest and how its beginner-friendly, bulky-gauge design makes it a great canvas for yarn experimentation. I’ll share how double-stranding lighter yarns with mohair can change the character of the fabric while still keeping the project quick, approachable and true to the original gauge.
My Brooklin Vest was originally published in 2016 (wow – a decade ago now!), and it’s still one of my favorite projects to recommend to newer knitters. The construction is simple: it’s knit flat like a scarf, but with armholes added so it wears like a true garment. There’s no complex shaping to manage, which makes it a confidence-building project that still results in something practical and wearable. And since it’s designed for bulky-weight yarn (the original sample was knit in Berroco Vintage Chunky), it’s also a quick, satisfying knit.
Brooklin’s simplicity also allows for some fun yarn experimentation. If you love the idea of this piece but prefer a lighter-feeling, more drapey fabric, you can achieve the same gauge by double-stranding a sport- or DK-weight yarn with a lace-weight mohair.
To demonstrate this, I created this swatch using Berroco Ultra Alpaca Light (a sport/DK merino-alpaca blend) held together with Berroco Aerial (a lace-weight mohair), knit on a US 10 needle (the same needle I used in the pattern with the bulky yarn):
The fabric has beautiful stitch definition, a soft halo, and still hits the intended gauge — a great example of how double-stranding isn’t just about adding weight or warmth, but about shaping the feel of the finished fabric. Although a sport/DK yarn knit on a US 10 needle would typically create a super loose fabric, when you add the fuzzy mohair to it, that helps to fill in the gaps a bit and provide some substance (without the weight). Here’s an up-close look at the fabric – so pretty!
In case you’re curious about the exact colors here, the Ultra Alpaca Light is Winter White and the Aerial is Wheat. Below is a side-by-side comparison of the original Vintage Chunky fabric and the double-stranded fabric:
A quick note about yardage when double-stranding:
If you plan to double-strand in any design, you’ll want to purchase the full suggested yardage for both yarns. For example, if a pattern calls for 700 yards of bulky-weight yarn, you’ll need 700 yards of the sport/DK yarn and 700 yards of the lace-weight mohair.
Interested in trying this for your own Brooklin Vest? Click here for the pattern info on my website or here for Ravelry.
Will this work for other bulky-gauge designs?
Unless a particular design relies on thick, dense fabric (such as mittens or a hat), you can definitely give this a try for other designs! Look for patterns where adding lightness/drape/flow will be an enhancement – simple sweaters (with simple construction), layering tops, or shawls.
Other heavy worsted/aran or bulky-gauge designs of mine you could consider experimenting with sport/dk + mohair are:
I also created a design specifically for triple-stranding mohair on a large needle, to create an open and airy fabric – check out Triple Time below!
