In Welsh, braf means fine or delightful. I have been knitting with tasty bowmont braf recently, and can confirm that it is indeed a fine yarn for producing delightful garments. Above, you see my swede in a bowmont braf Selbu Modern that I started knitting while in Islay. I like all of Kate Gagnon’s designs, and this is a very nifty one. I thought the colours of the yarn were suggestive of spring, and of snowdrops, but the look of the finished hat turned out to be much more wintry than I expected. Wintry in a good way, though. I really like it. ( Ravelled here).
A few weeks ago, I also made a pair of two-colour fiddlehead mittens for my sister.
I love the edge that the i-cord cast-on produces, and you just can’t argue with those swirling scroll motifs. Being quite substantial, these mits are made without the suggested lining and are ravelled here.
These two projects have confirmed two things for me:
1) I heart stranded knitting
2) I heart bowmont braf
Its been a while since I knit anything using more than one colour, and I had forgotten how much I love it. I am also so enamoured of the bowmont braf 4 ply that I’ve just had to keep on knitting with it. It really is a very distinctive yarn. It is almost airy to work with, yet it produces a dense, matt fabric of incredible velvety softness. There is also no give in the yarn at all — knitted up, it is robust, solid, and inelastic — but still very light.
This was meant to be an edging, reverting to plain stockinette after 2 inches, but I am liking the effect of this rib so much I fear I may not be able to stop knitting it.
KDD & Co 
All of these projects are so very lovely! I really need to do another colorwork project, one of these days.
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I believe your use of the word nifty is thoroughly appropriate for these projects. I like the Fiddleheads in two colors only as well as the Selbu (I did one as well, such a pleasing project)!
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I love the hat and mittens – I think they might have to be added to the to-do list!
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I am so in love with that hat and mittens, lovely work and great colours.
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Your fiddlehead mittens are gorgeous!
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your selbu modern is beautiful! i have been meaning to re-knit one in more subtle colors, and i think i may just have to check out the bowmont braf for myself!
i downloaded your owls pattern today, too…can’t wait to cast on.
on a side note, after seeing your ties you made for christmas, i decided to design fabric and make ties for all of my groomsmen/ushers for my wedding. hopefully mine turn out as lovely as yours.
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Very braf indeed
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o goodness me more hero worship sorry but those really are lovely and inspired me to dig out the kilogram of bright red bowmont braf I bought earlier in the year- it’s wonderful stuff. They are really helpful as well about dyeing small amounts in the colour you need- I hope everyone is inspired to rush out and get some!
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This is the video I was commenting about the other day, when you posted about consumption! http://www.storyofstuff.com/
I hope you enjoy it!
I heart stranded knitting too! And your nice new mittens!
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I love Bowmont Braf too. The colours you’ve chosen are just perfect.
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I love your Selbu Modern! The colors are wintry, but definitely end-of-wintry (as opposed to beginning-of-wintry; I don’t know how there’s a difference, but there is). Very braf, indeed : )
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Gorgeous! I love the sebu modern pattern – I’m loving knitting it and am now addicted to colourwork! This stranded malarky is fantastic – I can’t believe I hadn’t tried it before! I love your use of Bowmont Braf – beautiful.
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I love your fiddleheads – so striking in the simple blue and white! Your other projects look beautiful too – a wonderful yarn always makes the project more enjoyable.
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Both of those are gorgeous! And the yarn sounds fabulous to.
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I have yet to try stranded knitting, but these might just tempt me into it. Those gloves are delicious!
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I saw your hat on Ysolda’s blog and had to order some bowmont braf at ONCE. It’s got everything going for it really – pure wool, rare breed, small scale production, gorgeous colours – what more could one want? I absolutely love your Selbu Modern, too.
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I really don’t need another yarn to add to my mental list of coveted yarns, but I’m sold! Your work looks beautiful, as usual, and the yarn sounds amazing. I especially love the colors of the Selbu hat…very beautiful.
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I love the colour changes and the motifs :)
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The colours are all lovely!!
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I love the results of stranded knitting, and your two projects are gorgeous! I have yet to learn to enjoy stranded knitting though.
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I too, love stranded knitting and I must say, both of these projects look lovely.
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Lara is knitting that hat and I queued it right after seeing how beautifully hers is turning out.
Yours is wonderful and your beautiful colourwork makes me think I must learn The Way of The Stranded Knitting.
I am in love with Bowmont Braf!
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I have also recently rediscovered my love for stranded knitting. So addictive, and the results are striking! I love those fiddlehead mittens…. I had some selbu mittens in the works that I don’t think are going to work out, but I might try those instead!
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