Over in our Colorsong Yarn Ravelry Group, we recently held a Silk-A-Long. It’s much like a Knit-A-Long or Crochet-A-Long, except that we were focusing on a particular fiber (silk) rather than a specific yarn/pattern. We let everyone choose their favorite Fleece Artist or Handmaiden yarn that had any silk content, their favorite pattern, and away we went.
I chose to do two projects, which is sort of insane because I already have way too much on my plate! I picked out some Silken in the Raven colorway because it simply sang to me. Something about this colorway truly pleases my eye. I wanted a quick and easy project that would use up most of a single skein of the yarn. I couldn’t find a pattern I really liked, so of course I designed my own.
I started with the pennant border and did enough repeats to wrap around the shoulders with just enough left over to drape in front. Then, I picked up stitches and worked short rows in stockinette stitch for the main body. It’s absolutely perfect (if you ask me)! I am currently putting the finishing touches on the written pattern; it should be available very soon.
I also chose to spin my own yarn out of two different rovings – Handmaiden Lady Godiva Sliver (50% Silk, 50% Wool) in Hemlock and Fleece Artist Kid Sliver (100% Kid Mohair) in Cedar. I spun them as thinly as I could, and was very pleased with the results. I plied them together, and was so happy with the result, I carried the skein around for a few days and made everyone pet it.
As I was taking it on tour, I thought long and hard about what it wanted to be. Finally, like so many other skeins of yarn, it told me it wanted to be a small shawl. I complied, and set to work improvising a design to show off the color and texture of the yarn, rather than a complex stitch pattern. The resulting shawl is one of my favorites I’ve ever made. It’s soft and luxurious, drapes just beautifully, and shows off the subtle changes in color. This pattern will also be coming out sometime this summer.
