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| Jul 20, 2000 |
| Quality |
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Suitability |
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Budget |
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Luxury |
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Needle size
3 US std |
Stitch gauge
6 stitches=1 inches |
Row gauge
9 rows=1 inches |
Stockinette
No |
Color
#3793 - a deep cranberry red |
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Quality comments:
So far one ball out of 10 has had a couple of loosely spun bits I've had to snip out. This yarn is smooth and easy to split, especially when using US #1s (which I used for the ribbing). There is a very noticable difference in color among dye lots. This yarn did have a strange stretch problem. It contracted a lot after it was knit. Although I carefully measured lengths as I was working, when I went back a couple of weeks later to reconfirm measurements I found it had shortened about three inches. Enough to make finishing my project impossible.
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Other comments:
This is the smoothest, softest, most luxuriously decadent stuff I've ever knit. I wish I had more. 14 balls is just barely enough for a womens' size 16 vest (Knitters #48, Fall 1997 - "Refined Aran"). Even given the small gauge and the complexity of the Aran style stitches I'm using, it's going rather quickly. My bargain purchase was the end of three separate dye lots. I'm alternating rows of the dye lots so that the very noticeable differences blend If you buy this stuff on remainder and a uniform look is important to you make very, very sure you get enough of one dye lot to finish your project.
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| Jul 20, 2000 |
| Quality |
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Suitability |
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Budget |
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Luxury |
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Needle size
4 US std |
Stitch gauge
7 stitches=1 inches |
Row gauge
9 rows=1 inches |
Stockinette
No |
Color
Forest green, medium brown, pale pink |
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Quality comments:
I don't recall any problems with knots in the skeins, nor any splitting. The colors are pretty swell, and this was my favorite yarn that season. Dye lots were very even, no crocking at all. There is a sheen to this yarn that is quite rich. The z-twist gives a st st cloth a corded look that is interesting. I have not noticed any biasing of the fabric due to the twist. It did require a fair amount of yarn to make a sweater though (I seem to remember 14 balls of the green).
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Other comments:
The green I used as back ground for a converted Nicky Epstein afghan pattern into a sweater. Knit from the back hem to the front hem I did have to rip out the plain front once but the yarn did not seem to suffer. The brown and pink is a vest with vertical color work bands 4" in from the button band edge.As a garment this stuff is very warm, very drapey, a little on the limp side. There is a tendency to fuzz on the surface, so it may not age well. I guess this would be good yarn for a special occasion garment. The color work holds up well in spite of the slight fuzzing.And I would certainly use this yarn again as it feels so very elegant.
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| Jul 20, 2000 |
| Quality |
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Suitability |
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Budget |
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Luxury |
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Needle size
- ??? - |
Stitch gauge
- ??? - |
Row gauge
- ??? - |
Stockinette
No |
Color
Black |
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Quality comments:
For such an expensive yarn, it had some alarmingly tattered lengths in one or two skeins. It also tended to tangle in the most frustrating ways near the end of a skein--I don't think it's wound very well.
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Other comments:
I made a shawl (from the fall 1998 IK) from this yarn and am aking a scarf from the same issue with the leftovers. After blocking, it was light and soft and warm and marvelously drapy. It's not blatantly sumptuous the way a pure cashmere yarn would be, but it is still extremely pleasant to work with. I also made a scarf from this yarn a few years ago, and though it struck me then as likely to be fragile, the scarf has held up reasonably well to everyday use.
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