Sticks and Silkystones Won't Break My Bones, Oh No!

Silky what?!  Ok I know, "Silkystones" is an odd name for a yarn, but let us discuss. This yarn was released back in the Spring of 2014, and I was intrigued because it resembled nothing I had ever seen before...

Worsted weight, 52% tussah silk and 48% linen.

Crazy texture, looking like it was put in a crimping iron and slathered with pomade, am I right? Well maybe it did resemble something:

Well I'll be, the yarn isn't so far away from pebbles on the shore! Naming yarns must be hard, so I'm going to put this one in the WIN category for creativity. (Sadly, the trend for Rowan these days is to name yarns by fiber content and weight, like "Pure Wool Worsted" and "Alpaca Cotton").

I wanted an edgy modern pattern to showcase this interesting yarn (the Silkystones Collection is lovely, but didn't have any long sleeve pullovers). It's not variegated in the sense that it changes colors, but it's definitely 'marled' -- so it wasn't easy. I decided on something risky with a lot of eyelets and a very up-to-the-moment ribbing from a Bergere de France book.

I loved it to death once I started knitting it. I didn't realize that the diamonds had so much texture going on. Look at how beautiful this yarn is, seriously.

Let's just put it right out there: I don’t think I’ve EVER had more pleasure physically knitting with a yarn than Rowan Silkystones. It’s so smooth and silky… I don’t mean slippery. It’s like a well-oiled drawer, the yarn just glides across my Addi Turbos in the. most. satisfying. way.

If you haven’t played with it, it’s worth experiencing how totally unique it is. The colors are mixed like a marble cake and make a fascinating fabric.

However -- it is a very “organic” yarn, you will find slubs and thick/thin sections. Just accept them as part of the Silkystones landscape if you will. Knit those suckers right in.

I NEED TO GIVE YOU A REAL WARNING THOUGH: not all Silkystones are made the same. I ran out of yarn to finish this sweater and ended up buying skeins from 3 different stores to try and match the coloring. All of them were totally different. One had tons of what looked like straw coming out, one was dry as if it needed oiling! The original batch was a dream, so I really recommend that you try and go to a store with Silkystones to make sure it has the shine and feel it is really capable of.

The pattern was great, easy to follow (in French for me, but the book is available in English online) and with a nice fit: close to the body on top and loose at the bottom. Well, maybe it wasn't supposed to be that loose. Truthfully, it must have stretched, as it is longer than it originally was, I swear! Not surprised as silk is a heavy fiber. Knit a little shorter, you won't be disappointed.

You may have noticed that I screwed up changed the ribbing at the bottom! I don't know WHAT came over me, I just was picking up stitches and knitting along and the thing was TOTALLY WRONG!!  I didn't even notice until someone mentioned my "mod" on Ravelry, lol!

I decided to keep it, but it's really too loose. I'm going to tighten it up with this "Latvian braid" technique from TECHknitting:

This is just slip-stitch crochet, but I would use only one color.

This is my first real photo shoot at the house in full greenery.  Here's a spruce we trimmed all of the bottom branches off of to secure our view.

I found this in the yard, and when I hold it I am Maine Pioneer Woman.  For a second anyway -- until I check my e-mail.

The garden has revealed many of her secrets, but there are definitely more coming still.  Thank you, oh previous owners!

The first fuschia peony.

The white one has almost no petals, but is raging inside!

The Siberian irises came out.  Or are they Japanese?  I never got that straight.

I still don't know if they are anemones, but they are amazing and open and close every day faithfully.

The things I thought were weeds are some kind of foxglove?

And the scary hollyhock doth bud.

We have tons of the cat mint plants with bajillions of long-lasting blue-purple flowers.  I discovered a nectar insect that I have never seen, which I can only describe as a SHRIMP WITH WINGS.

Amirite?  It's totally a fuzzy flying shrimp.

Also, we finally had a couple of people come to see about building a rather simple screened porch that we want under this deck.  Well I thought it was simple.

The first quote was ridiculous, so now I am wondering... I mean, if I pay $25,000 to make it, it won't add $25,000 to the value of my house, I can assure you.  We don't even want those screens to switch out to windows!  Not to mention we want to build a real structure for a mud room and this was supposed to be the smaller project.

Just to dream though and end on a happy note, here's a Houzz find (that would never work in our space but this is a DREAM... dreaming dreaming lalaalalalala).

http://www.houzz.com/photos/7592065/Woodstock-Retreat-contemporary-porch

I'll tell you a secret though, I finished this sweater in mid-November, that's how long it's taken me to tell you about it!  Luckily it's Summer and it's the perfect yarn for you to knit with RIGHT NOW.  I hear it's on sale everywhere too, hint hint.

See my Silkystones Rocks on Ravelry

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