I’m doing another test knit. Don’t ask me why since I’m supposed to be doing the Gift-a-Long but it’s a project I really wanted to make. It’s a beautiful shawl. The pattern calls for fingering weight yarn and the gauge is 21 stitches per 4″. I knew right off which yarn I wanted to use:
Handmaiden Casbah Fingering Weight Yarn
The gauge was pretty close to perfect but the fabric was terribly loose and I wasn’t thrilled with it. It was late Monday night when I got to this point and decided this wasn’t going to work.
Test #1
I could have used a smaller needle but I was afraid that would result in a shawl that was too small so a new yarn was needed. I was determined to use something I have here and not order new yarn.
Test #2
It was dark so I used something that was in the house and the only thing I could find was this Sanguine Gryphon Bugga. I suspected the variation in the color was going to mask the stitch pattern and it did.
Tuesday morning I began stash diving and came up with new options. Back left is a Cascade Heritage Sock. It’s way more lavender than in the picture. Back right is Madelinetosh BFL/Silk Sock. Front left is another Sanguine Gryphon Bugga (lime green) and the front right is Miss Babs Woodbury.
Yarn Possibilties
The first yarn I tried was the Miss Babs Woodbury. This yarn is 65% Merino Wool and 35% Tussah Silk and it feels so good. I’m not sure if the stitch definition is lost in the color variation and I may go a bit farther with it to see how it looks.
Test #3
The second I tried is Madelinetosh BFL/Silk Sock which is 50% Blue Faced Leicester Wool/50% Silk. I’m in love with this yarn and, probably should be thankful that I don’t see any more of it for sale at my usual yarn shops.
Test #4
Both #3 and #4 will be finished but I’m not sure which I will work on first. One thing I’ve discovered .. I’m in love with yarn with silk content!