We’re starting a new little series on the SweetGeorgia blog called Colourful, Playful Stitches. Swatching with new yarns and interesting colours has long been a personal project of mine, so I am tickled to give you all an inside peek at my process. Here’s how it works: I swatch a SweetGeorgia yarn (naturally), testing out the effects of a stitch pattern, and then I share the results and stitch pattern with you. We’ll experiment together, uncovering new delights in texture, hue, and drape. It’s the perfect opportunity to learn how different fibers work, as well as enhance your own knitting skills with small palettes of fabric to practice on.
This month, I pulled out the scrumptious Silk Crush in the Raspberry and Boheme colourways. Silk Crush is a 50/50 blend of superwash merino wool and silk. I find most silk tends to have a very loose feel to them, but with this firm twist, the results are delightfully springy. I’m enchanted with the gentle “crispness” in my hands — it feels strong without sacrificing softness or drape.
The colours are just what I need… this midwinter dreariness has been pulling on me. Here in Colorado, the snows from December just will not melt and the constant white glare is making me long for soft hues of spring’s growth again. I think we might all be in a similar place? Yearning for warmer days, for colours outside of the “winter blues” domain… Sometimes, though, we have to learn to lean into it. To open up to the meaning and lessons within those harder times. And, suddenly, I found a stitch pattern that evoked that same realization.
I wanted something light and simple, something that would let the yarn and colour simply speak for themselves. This diagonal lace hits that sweet spot, I think. For this swatch play, I used size US 3 / 3.25 mm needles (for a bit of drape) and I cast on 32 sts.
Lean Into It (mult of 6 sts + 8)
Set-up Row (WS): K1, purl to last st, k1.
Row 1 (RS): K1, k2, *yo, k2, ssk, k2; rep from * to last 5 sts, yo, k2, ssk, k1.
Rows 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 (WS): K1, purl to last st, k1.
Row 3: K3, *k1, yo, k2, ssk, k1; rep from * to last 5 sts, k1, yo, k2, ssk.
Row 5: K3, *k2, yo, k2, ssk; rep from * to last 5 sts, k5.
Row 7: K4, *k2, yo, k2, ssk; rep from * to last 4 sts, k4.
Row 9: K1, *yo, k2, ssk, k2; rep from * to last st, k1.
Row 11: K1, *k1, yo, k2, ssk, k1; rep from * to last st, k1.
Repeat Rows 1 – 12 for pattern.
In the Boheme colourway, the pattern results in a center column of pink, strong and visible even with the leaning stitches against it. I particularly like the pattern in the Raspberry (semi-solid) because it emphasizes the decrease lines, resulting in a firmer look to the fabric (even though it is just as drapey as the variegated).
Play with this stitch pattern on your favourite SweetGeorgia colourway and let me know how it works out. How do the colours move?
I love this pattern, thanks!! And the colors you’ve used are gorgeous!! Can’t wait to try it out!!
I’m so glad you like it – let me know what you think when you test it out yourself. :)