While I’m waiting for my Silk Garden to arrive, I’ve been playing with various stitch patterns to see what might make a nice stole - always assuming the yarn is amenable to being made into a stole. Initially I had thought “Feather and Fan”, that lovely, easy old standby, would be just the thing. This weekend, leafing through a book of shawl patterns, I ran into “Ostrich Plumes”. It’s a variation of F & F done with a half-drop - no more difficult to execute, enough different from the parent pattern to be interesting to work and absolutely gorgeous!
I really like the way this looks - even in my so-so practice yarn which I worked on US 9 needles.
The stitch pattern in the book was presented this way:
Rows 1,5,9,13 Blah, blah, blah. 2 and all WS rows Blah. 3, 7, 11, 15, 19, 23, 27, 31 Blah. 17, 21, 25, 29 Blah, blah, blah.
It might have helped if each set had been given its own line, but they were all strung together. There was a chart, but wrong side rows weren’t represented which, to someone who finds charts challenging to begin with, is disastrous.
I wound up writing (well, typing) up the pattern in a more standard format before I could even begin to decipher how to follow it. After that, though, it was easy. You do have to pay a bit of attention, but only every 4th row - then it’s purl a row, knit a row, purl a row.
It goes like this:
Ostrich Plumes - multiple of 16 + 7
^|1.|K3, [k2tog] 3 times, [yo,k1] 5 times, yo, [ssk] twice], *SK2P, [k2tog] twice, [yo, k1] 5 times, yo, [ssk] twice; repeat from *, end ssk, k3.|
|2.|Purl|
|3.|Knit|
|4.|Purl|
Repeat this set 4 times (16 rows). This is the first half of the pattern.
^|17.|K4, [yo, k1] twice, yo, [ssk] twice, SK2P, [k2tog] twice, [yo, k1] twice, yo, *[k1, yo] three times, [ssk] twice, SK2P, [k2tog] twice, [yo, k1] twice, yo; repeat from *, end k4.|
|18.|Purl|
|19.|Knit|
|20.|Purl|
Repeat this set 4 times (16 rows). This is the second half of the pattern.
Repeat all 32 rows for pattern.
I have a question for those of you who have used Silk Garden before. What’s the weight like? I had thought it was a worsted weight, but I have seen it listed as an aran too. How would you describe it and what size needles did you use to work it with?
Anyway…onwards :)
I’ve also been playing with another fingerless mitt attempt.
This is Woolease worked on US 6 needles in a variety of cable patterns. I wasn’t sure, when I started, that I would be able to keep all those cable patterns straight. That’s also why I decided to do this on straight needles rather than fight with DPNs. As it turned out, the cables weren’t a problem. None of them are complicated and keeping track of them wasn’t hard. Now it’s just a matter of building up some more length and doing a thumb gusset. I’ll keep you posted.
The Fluff monster is enjoying the morning sunshine. I’d tell you that he hopes you all got to sleep in this morning but the fact is he doesn’t give a rat’s behind. I do though :) Hope everyone is enjoying their long weekend!
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I’d describe Silk Garden as nearer to Aran rate personally.
Pam - This is useful, thanks :) Because this is lace (sort of) I want to use big enough neddles for the pattern to look…erm…lacy! The 9s in the sample weren’t quite big enough for the worsted I was using. 10s might have been better.
Silk Garden is more a light Aran weight. I used 4.5mm needles and had about five stitches to an inch in stockinette. The pattern I was using called for 5mm needles but I tend to be a loose knitter.
Anne - Thanks for mentioning specific needle sizes. I also tend to be a loose knitter, so this is something I need to bear in mind.
I love the stuff you post—i especially enjoyed the last entry on cabling with a cable needle. I made a vest out of Silk Garden, and I tend to go down a needle size or two—I think I used an 8. For comparison’s sake, I use a 6 on worsted.
::blush:: Thank you Rob, I’m glad you’re enjoying the blog. Thanks too for the info on the Silk Garden - every little bit helps. I wihs it would get here already!
