It’s here! For what seems like a very long time now, Emily and I have been living and breathing colourwork. This new book, Strange Brew, is the culmination of many knitting adventures, and we hope it is an inspiration for you to step outside your comfort zone and embark on a colourwork journey!
To photograph this special collection, we took our two families on an epic journey to Iceland. We packed up 2 designers, 2 amateur-knitwear-model-husbands, a bushel of kids, and a mountain of yarn, and explored all the way around Iceland, photographing knits along the way. Our friend Nina and her partner Ross joined in the fun too!

Strange Brew is all about colourwork and adventure. From the simple Mountain Mist sweater with just a wee bit of colourwork to the all-over patterning of Cartography, there is something for every level. If you are looking to create a unique sweater, hat, or cowl design of your own, you can do that too! Following our Anthology and Strange Brew recipe patterns. Let the colourwork play begin!
How can I get my Strange Brew?
The Ebook: You can order the Strange Brew ebook now for just $22 USD.
Note: If you’ve previously purchased the Strange Brew pattern, you will automatically get $7 off the purchase price of the Strange Brew ebook, so that’s just $15 for the 13 more designs! Make sure to sign into Ravelry.com before purchase to get this discount.In Print: You can order a print books from your local yarn shops, or an online shop in your region check for Tin Can Knits at your LYS here.
Single Patterns: Just want one? All of the patterns are available as single patterns as well, you can find the complete collection here.
the recipes:
We’ve gone crazy for colourwork yokes! After falling hard for this versatile sweater type, last year we developed the Strange Brew recipe pattern, to share the fun by encouraging knitters to design their own unique colourwork yokes. Guessing that some might think the process daunting, we crafted simple step-by-step instructions so the project would be enjoyable from the first stitch through the FABULOUS yoke.
Well, knitters took up Strange Brew in force (check out all of the awesome unique designs here), so we decided push the recipe even further.
The Strange Brew recipe pattern now includes:
- 3 gauges: so you can knit from your stash of sock, DK, or worsted / aran weight yarns.
- 25 sizes: 0-6 months up through both adult woman and men’s size ranges.
- bottom-up and top-down construction methods: so you can knit it your way!
anthology – a new free recipe pattern:
In order to swatch for all of our colourwork, we love to make hats and cowls. These smaller projects are a great way to play with different yarns, colour combinations, and motifs. With that in mind we created the Anthology hat and cowl recipe pattern for swatching, and we made it free so everyone can cast on!
This is our newest free pattern, perfect for personal experimentation, or for use by knitting teachers in colourwork knitting workshops!
the patterns:
All of the designs in this collection got their start as a Strange Brew recipe sweater. We took the recipe as a starting point and let our imaginations run wild! Some of the sweaters keep the colourwork to the yoke, some have all-over patterning, and they are all a ton of fun to knit. If you are new to colourwork get started with a Fleet hat, or be bold and try your hand at the Trek or Mountain Mist sweaters.
KAL and tutorials:
There will be a Strange Brew KAL running from October 9th, 2018 to December 6th, 2018. For all the details check out our Rav group here.
Tutorials galore! We know you all love a good tutorial so over the next month we will be releasing a step-by-step tutorial series to guide you as you design your own Strange Brew sweater. If you are knitting up one of the patterns from the book you might be interested in the upcoming tutorials on yarn choice, choosing your sweater size, and swatching for colourwork. Keep your eyes on the blog!
More Strange Brew designs:
January 11, 2019 @ 11:08 am
Hello! I’ve just bought the yarn and the pattern to make a strange brew sweather… Also I’ve never knitted a sweather before …. Should I knit the sleeves with circular needles or with the double pointed needles?
Thank you :)
January 11, 2019 @ 1:38 pm
Hi – Whatever your preference! If you are knitting bottom up you probably need to start the sleeves on either double points or a long circular for magic loop. Top down it depends what size you are knitting but you would want to use either DPNs, a long circular for magic loop, or if there are enough stitches a 16″ circular.
September 28, 2018 @ 6:11 am
This is such a beautiful collection! It’s almost knitting season for me as I don’t cycle in the winter.
This is going to be the year I try some colour work! Let’s see how much I end up struggling. 😓
September 28, 2018 @ 1:47 am
Wonderful new collection. Love seeing your children grow with the books!
September 27, 2018 @ 6:39 pm
Recipes for Strange Brews in sock yarn! This southerner rejoices! Y’all are great!
September 27, 2018 @ 6:36 pm
Beautiful! I’m very tempted by the KAL. Lovely work again, ladies. Is the KLA only for patterns in this new publication, or could one of your older colour work pattens like Tenderheart be knit as part of it? Thanks!
September 27, 2018 @ 11:51 am
I’m not clear if the new book is a stand alone book or you will need the Strange brew book from last year.
September 27, 2018 @ 1:21 pm
The new Strange Brew book contains the title track Strange Brew recipe pattern. Does that help?
September 27, 2018 @ 11:27 am
how do i order for shop?
September 27, 2018 @ 11:33 am
Hi Dotty! It will be available from Deep South early next week!