Evidently, the Silk Garden was quite amenable to the stole idea and it and I are making good progress - nearly a third of the way through. I pored over books and patterns this weekend, searching for something appropriate - something a little interesting but not busy. I came up with bupkis, of course :) However, something apparently lodged in the caverns of my thick little skull when I was leafing through the lace and bobble section of The New Knitting Stitch Library. Eventually, after playing around for a while, I came up with a pattern I really like (and which I will post when the stole is complete).
The Zen Garden Stole
Overall, I’m very happy with how this is working out. The bobble/eyelet thingy isn’t terribly apparent when you look at the fabric. But it is there and can be discerned upon closer inspection. I like this. I like that it’s not obvious - seems to fit in well with the yarn.
Bobble Lace Motif
What I Like About Silk Garden
I love the way the colors drift quietly from one shade to the next with no hard line of demarcation. Not a subtle person under most circumstances, I find myself enormously enjoying the subtlety of the way this yarn is painted. It is so carefully handled that even when I’m working on it, I have to hold it up and away a bit before I can see the change-over.
I love the luster (also quiet - nothing bold about it) that the silk contributes to the fabric. Even this colorway - mostly muted earth tones - is something extraordinary when presented in this fashion.
It’s easy enough to work with though the thick and thin aspect of it took a bit of getting used to. Oddly, while a single strand in the fingers feels somewhat rough and unyielding (almost hempen), the knitted fabric is soft and comfortable against my skin (I could never use Shetland wool - I’d scratch off my entire epidermis!).
What I Don’t Like About Silk Garden
The !@#$%^&* plants embedded in the yarn! I knew about this going in, many people have mentioned it. It’s not like it ruins the yarn or anything and you can pick it out easily enough. But it’s a right pain in the arse and not what I want from a luxury yarn.
I can’t say that Silk Garden is going to become a staple of my stash - but it’s one of those yarns that will be perfect for some things. I expect it will suggest itself when appropriate and, in the meantime, I will continue to do my knitting with more standard yarn types.
All in all, this has been an interesting experience and is the first time I’ve consciously tried to come up with a pattern that compliments the material (rather than picking any old stitch pattern that happens to trip my trigger). I’m pleased with the results. I’m going to love this stole and it’s going to get lots of use :)
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