Noro Kochoran

Kochoran
Noro Yarns
50% Wool, 20% Silk, 30% Angora
100 g = 176 yds
Gauge: 3.5 per inch on US needle size: 10
My color: 57
My source: Knit Stop, Indianapolis, IN


Finally, a soft yarn from Noro! I stand corrected. They CAN make a soft yarn. Obviously, the colors are gorgeous. I am very bothered my angora when I'm knitted, but this did not bother me at all. I really love the colors in this particular hank. However, as usual with Noro, I found a knot right away, which throws off the color patterning.

Silk Strands
Kaalund Yarns
100% mulberry silk
50g = 108m/118yds
Gauge: 20sts x 22.5 rows to 4" on US size 8 needles
My color: Magnolia
My source: Knit Stop
Pattern Stitch: Japanese Feathers


The yarn is wonderful! One ball made this whole scarf. The colors are gorgeous and it is truly a pleasure to work with.

Noro Silk Garden Lite

Silk Garden Lite

Noro

45% Silk, 45% Mohair, 10% Lambswool

50 g = 122 yds

Gauge: 4.5sts/1" on 7-8 US needle

My Color: 2013

Noro does such beautiful colors. Why can't they just do it with soft, high quality yarns? This is a scratchy one. I wouldn't want it for a next-to-the-skin garment. And why is it scratchy? Kid mohair? Lambswool? Silk? What's to be scratchy? I don't get it. You'll love the colors, though. They are gorgeous.

Silk Stralis

Silk-stralis

Kaaland Yarns

50% cultivated silk 50% wool
50g =120m/131yds
Gauge: 25 sts x 27.5 rows to/4" on US size 6 needles
My Color: Coral Trout

Gorgeous yarn. Wonderful to work with. I will definitely use this one again.

Malabrigo Silky Merino

Silky Merino

Malabrigo Yarns
50% Silk, 50% Baby Merino wool
50 g = 150 yds.
My color: Nocturnal 472
My source: Knit Stop, Indianapolis, IN
Pattern: Palindrome Reversible Cable Scarf<

If you like Malabrigo and you like silk,then you'll love the mix of the two in this yarn. The colors are what you would expect from Malabrigo and a kettle dyed yarn. The silk gives the yarn a beautiful sheen. It's thick and sturdy enough to be a gorgeous hat, but thin enough to make a soft scarf.

Hi Ho Taiyo

Taiyo

Noro Yarns

40% Cotton, 30% Silk, 15% Wool, 15% Nylon

100 g=220 yds

Gauge: 4-4.5 on US Needle size: 7-8

My Color: 4

My Source: Knit Stop, Indianapolis, IN

My Pattern: Aria by Lynne Barr from her book, Knitting New Scarves

Another lovely blend of colors by Noro. The yarn is soft, but there were several little colorful stick-like things stuck in here and there. I just pulled them out as I came to them. This little scarf-ette swatch was fun to do. If you haven't seen Lynne Barr's book, I suggest you check it out. Very interesting.

Cruisin'

Cruise
Twinkle Yarns
70% Silk, 30% Cotton
50 gms = 120yds
My color: 39 Periwinkle


This yarn is a skinny, multi-ply yarn. In order to make this pattern, the Hamptons Halter (from Twinkle's Big City Knits), you have to hold 4 strands of the yarn together. That is, you must wind 4 hanks into 4 balls, then wind the 4 balls into one ball. That was a royal pain in the tush. If I was to do it again, I would probably just use a fatter yarn to begin with. But, I did what the pattern called for. There were only a few times when a ply got away from its friends and gave me trouble. The silk makes this a very nice yarn. Another warning abou the pattern, though: Something is wrong with the directions for the large size bra part. The bottom went along very quickly, but once I got to the bra part, I ended up taking it apart many times. I'm a pretty good knitter, but this one got the best of me. I was working on it while at Stitches Midwest, and Shelly, owner of Knitterly in Peta Luma, CA, said a customer of hers made it and had no problems, but she made one of the smaller sizes. Therefore, I think the problem is in the large size directions. I ended up just making the bra part in stockinette. The girls with me all thought it looked better that way for a bustier girl, anyway, to have less going on in the bra.

Rock Star & Cleopatra



Cleopatra up close


Cleopatra Ribbon
Tilli Tomas Yarn Co.
Nile threaded with large European Glass Beads
65% Dupioni Silk, 35% Bead
Gauge: 6.5 stitches = 4 " on recommended needle Size: #11
100 gr = 65 yds
My color: Burnt Orange

Rock Star
Tilli Tomas Yarn Co.
Spun silk studded with round glass beads
Pure and Simple studded with European Glass beads
70% Spun Silk, 30% Beads
Gauge: 5 stitches = 1 "on recommended needle Size: #7
100 grams = 100-150 yds
My color: Burnt Orange

To see this beautiful garment, click here . It is a shawl I made to test the pattern my friend, Nancy George, designed. It is called Simply Heaven Jacket/Shawl. The pattern can be purchased at http://www.knit-stop.com/ .

While I LOVE most Tilli Tomas yarns, I must say that this batch of Cleopatra was terrible. There are so many strings/ravelings hanging off, and the glue she uses to stick the ends together is awful! I couldn't believe a $47 skein of yarn could be such poor quality! I've seen other colors/hanks that weren't this bad. So check out your hank before you buy. I was glad when the Cleopatra part was over and I could move on to the Rock Star! That stuff is great!

Limari

Limari

Araucania
70% Wool, 20% Alpaka, 10% Silk
Gauge: 2.75 sts. per inch on US Needle Size: 11
100g = 73 yds
My Color: 569
Retail Price: $16.00


I walked into the yarn shop today and knew this had to come home with me. It is gorgeous. I quickly, and I mean quickly, knit up this swatch, thinking it was very much like Rowan Big Wool. Then when I searched for it at Araucania's own website, it wasn't even listed, it's so new. I finally found it at the distributor's site, Knitting Fever. There I found out it wasn't just wool, but also had my very favorite fiber, alpaca, along with silk! Who knew? I guess I could have read the ball band, but that would have been too easy. I enjoy a good sleuthing. So, if Rowan's colorways are a bit too bland for you, try this one on for size. It comes in a number of different hand-painted colors, which you can see at the Knitting Fever site linked to the Limari name.

Another Coco I Am Not

Arusha
Curious Creek Fibers
50% Silk ~ 50% Merino Wool 2-ply
Spun in Switzerland ~ Hand-painted in the USA
100 g. = 138 yds. ~ 125 m.
Gauge: 3-3.5 st. / inch on US #11-13
My Color: Anemone

Merinos Otto Shadow
Baruffa (distributed by Trendsetter)
100% EXTRA FINE MERINO WOOL 8 PLY
50gr. = 99 yds
Gauge: 5 sts=1" on US #8 needles
My Color: 1775 Rose Blossom


This swatch is a few different attempts at a Chanel-looking fabric. The bright colored yarn is the Arusha, while the more subtle color is the Otto Shadow. The light color of the Otto disappears in the bottom of the swatch, while the two-row slipped stitches of the middle part are a bit too long for my taste. I'm more partial to the top of the swatch, where I only slipped the stitches on one row. The Otto yarn is SO nice a soft, and very, very springy. I really loved it. The Arusha is so very beautiful. Their colors are amazing. I don't know why this yarn doesn't just walk right out of the store on a daily basis. People don't know what they're missing.

Homespun?

Homespun Silk

Great Adirondack Yarn Co.

50 % silk, 50 % wool

220 yards

Gauge: 4 stiches =1" on US size 9 needle

Retail price: $37.00

This yarn is as lovely to work with as it is to look at. The colors are amazing, and it shows no signs of being "homespun." It would make a gorgeous summer top or shawl.

No Swine Allowed

Silk Purse

Alchemy Yarns

100% silk

Gauge: 5 1/2 stitches = 1 on US needle size: 6

50 gr = 138 yds

My Color: 03c Lovely Good

My Source: The Knit Stop, Indianapolis, IN

Retail price: $29.40

Another winner from Alchemy. This stuff is so very nice to work with. If I had to wear a full body cast, I'd want it to be in this.

Where'd You Get Those Peepers?

Sanctuary

Alchemy Yarns
70% wool, 30% silk
Gauge: 6 stitches = 1" on US needle size:5
50 gr = 125 yds
My Color: 08c Sierra
My Source: The Knit Stop, Indianapolis, IN
Retail price: $29.40
Tilli Thomas Eyeglass Case

I guess I should have had some eyeglasses on while I was knitting this, because the yarn was a bit smaller than the recommended Tilli Thoms Simply Heaven, thus, my case looks a little puny. But at least you get to see what the pretty Alchemy yarn looks like. Like everything else Alchemy I've used, this stuff was great. It feels like heaven while you're knitting it, and continues to do so as a fabric. There are many, many colors to choose from, so don't let the brown get you down.

Judi, Judi, Judi

1/2" Rayon Ribbon

Judi and Co. Yarns and Ribbons

100% Rayon

Yardage: 100 yds (91 m)

Suggested Needle Size: US 17 (12.75 mm)

My Color: Black Orchid

My Source: The Knit Stop, Indianapolis, IN

Retail price: $42.00

This ribbon is so gorgeous! The color variation is beautiful, and I had a great time crocheting this pretty little scarf I found in The New Granny Square. To me, this stuff is as pretty as some of the silk ribbons I've seen, but at a much friendlier price point.

Elen Cashmere

Elen Cashmere

Filatura di Crosa

25% Cashmere, 35% Extra Fine Wool, 5% Silk, 35% Viscose

Gauge: 5.5 sts per inch on 5-6 US needles

50g = 146 yds

My color: 6

My source: The Knit-Stop, Indianapolis, IN

Retail price: $19.75

Stitch pattern: Moorish Lattice, from Barbara Walker's Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns, p. 232

This yarn looks lovely when knitted, and has a drape that would be wonderful in a shawl. This pattern is reversible, so it would make a great scarf, too. The cashmere would give it nice warmth, along with the wool. I think the silk could just as well have been left out of this one, as it didn't add much to the yarn, in my opinion. You don't get the usual sheen of silk with it, and though this effect virtually disappears from view once knitted, while unknitted, the tiny thread of silk running through it makes the yarn look a bit scraggly up close. Mind you, this is unnoticable once you knit it, but I like my yarn to look pretty just sitting there waiting to be knitted, too, since most of it is (waiting, that is!).

Silke-Tweed

Silke-Tweed
Garnstudio
52% Silk, 48% Lambswool
50 g = 200 m./218 yards
My Color: 15
My source: The Knit-Stop, Indianapolis, IN
Retail price: $13.50
Stitch pattern: From Garnstudio's Drops pattern, Short-sleeved Lace Cardigan in Silke-Tweed

Personally, I don't care for this one. It was as rough as a cob to knit with, though I should be happy that I got a free exfoliation treatment for my hands while using it. I'm not into knitting with Brillo pads, so I don't think I'll be using this one. I will withhold further judgement till I see how it looks after blocking.

Update: Well it is prettier and softer after blocking, I must say. It would probably make a nice, lightweight top or shawl.

Simply Irresistible

Simply Heaven

Tilli Thomas Yarn Co.

Color: Hot Pink

100% Spun Silk

From their website: "Our same luxurious Spun silk double ply."

Gauge: 4 stitches = 1

Recommended Needle Size: #8

Approx. yardage = 120yds

Approx. Weight = 100 grams

My source: Knit Stop, Indianapolis, IN

Retail Price: $28.00

They definitely got the name right. This stuff is simply Heaven to knit with. It is a nice, soft silk with a beautiful sheen, and ever so subtle color changes. There will be lots more of this in my future! (This is the Tilli Thomas Evening Bag, where you pick up stitches through grommets of an already finished silk bag lining, and knit the outside of the bag from there down. A quick, simple, beautiful project.)

Terra Firma

Here is an unblocked swatch of Terra by the Fibre Company in the Lichens colorway.
The yarn is 60% Merino, 20% Baby Alpaca, & 20% Silk.
100 yards per 50 grams
Gauge: 15 sts/4 inches
My source: Knit Stop, Indianapolis, IN
Retail Price: $16.80

The pattern is Harris Tweed from Barbara Walker's 1st Treasury of Knitting patterns. The yarn has little flecks of what appears to be the silk portion of the fibers, which have absorbed the dye in richer tones than the other two, and this makes it very lovely and nicely varied. The differences in colors give the yarn a nice depth, and the silk and merino give the alpaca some body. That said, it is certainly not as soft as a 100% alpaca yarn, but it is still quite nice. The added body might make it nicer for some sweaters than would a limper full alpaca yarn.

Now here is the blocked swatch. It's nice and soft with good drape. I think it would be really pretty in a modular project as well, to take advantage of the beautiful color variations.