Playing with Silk: Rock Island.

Last December Hiro sent me a package full of delicious things... among those things there was a skein of 100% lace silk from Greta and the fibers (along with another skein of undyed alpaca).

The yarn is BEAUTIFUL and it is hand dyed! The color she sent me was a very bright red/pink almost fucsia (uff, it is so difficult to describe colors!!).

I had been so busy that I hadn't had the chance to put my hands on it and start a project until a few weeks ago when I decided that it was time to try to knit a shawl with silk.

Before I start knitting a shawl I usually have the inspiration coming from someone, usually a friend, to knit for. This time was different. I just wanted to try this wonderful yarn and I was also very curious to try the Rock Island pattern which seemed so different from all the triangular shawls that I had knitted so far. So, I made this without having someone who will get it as a present...

So, no more words for now...

Just blocked.

Details:

* Pattern: Rock Island by Jared Flood

* Yarn: 100% lace silk by Greta and the fibers (100g)

* Needles: 4.0mm

* Weight: 60g

Detail of all the sections.

Notes:

* This shawl was a challenge to my patience in many ways: trying a new yarn, some boring sections, some mistakes, some unravelling, etc.

* This was my first time knitting with 100% pure silk. It was a whole new experience. I must admit that it was a bit frustrating at first. The yarn is so slippery that it was very difficult to catch the stitches to knit them, especially if I had to make a K2Tog. I had to start the whole thing 5 times until I got the hang of it! So, there was a lot unravelling at the beginning.

* Then, when I was already done with several repeats of the first chart  I couldn't believe how ugly this was looking! It was HIDEOUS! While knitting most of the shawls I have done I could have more or less an idea of how it was looking... but with this one I was even getting a bit worried. I had to ask around to make sure that this would change later on with blocking (I must thank Franklin Habit and Marga from Greta and the fibers for the good advice and encouragement!)

The join where the stitches are picked up to begin the body of the shawl looks pretty neat.

* The pattern, oh the pattern: I have mixed feeling about it. It was very interesting to knit from the border and not from top down as all the triangles I have knitted and also for the fact that there is NO PURLING!! BUT it was terribly boring to knit that long, almost endless 71 repeats band of 12 stitches wide. I was really going nuts!

* I got a huge relieve when I finally picked up the stitches and began with the lace section (the Rock Island pattern). In general, I would say that the pattern is pretty simple and easy to memorize even though it is patterned on both sides. The lace section was knitted pretty quickly.

* Then, another tedious part! The garter stitch section was ENDLESS!! Very simple but extremely boring!

* Blocking was rather easy and YES! Silk blocks WONDERFULLY! It holds the shape so well! It is very light but at the same time it has a beautiful drape.

The shape is so nice and it drapes wonderfully.

* After I removed the pins I thought that the patience and perseverance did pay off: The shawl is really pretty but I think I should have made maybe 2 more repeats of the lace section so the garter stitch triangle would have been smaller.

* I am not sure I would knit this again... but if I do I will add those repeats I mentioned above to make it more "lacy".

A bit closer.

For now I will keep it for myself... too bad I can't wear it! hehe.

Folded and ready to be given :)