Yarns to Love
Gossamer Dreams
Dear Kay,
A lot going on around here, as we near the launch of the MDK Holiday Shop (yes!), the imminent arrival of Norwegians (Arne & Carlos), and the installation of three gigantic garage doors that will make MDK HQ ever more northerly lit.
As for me, I’m mostly dreaming about mohair and silk.
The Joji knitalong is in full swing, yet I am way behind on my efforts, due to an incapacitating combination of finishing Rhinebeck sweaters (success rate: 50%) and indecision about which Joji project from Field Guide No. 22: Grace I’m going to make.
My decision suddenly became very easy once I wandered down the aisle where we keep the Kidsilk Haze. At the moment, Rowan is celebrating the 200th anniversary of Kidsilk Haze. (OK, it’s only the 20th, but it feels like it’s been around since the Hittites.) We love a party too, so we brought in a batch of colors.
How festive is this? I’ve knit beautiful things with this beautiful yarn, and now I have a whole new reason to work with it.
Kay, I have fallen hard for Gossamer. Gossamer is one of the more unusual patterns we’ve ever published, so unusual in fact that we could not in good conscience call it a vest, or a shawl, or a scarf, or a ruana. Fact is, it’s all of the above. Choose your journey.
I like its basic structure, a rectangle with a slice up the middle to make two wide flaps. The buttons are something I never would have thought of, so hats off to you, Joji Locatelli.
This Turquoise shifts in color depending on the light.
Gossamer calls for Kidsilk Haze held double. New ground for me! Who else is making a Gossamer? How’s it going?
Love,
Ann
I am! But I chose a very dark wine color (trying to be practical) and can’t see the stitches even in daylight or with ott light. So it got set aside. But now remotivated to pick it back up. It immediately captivated me as something so wearable and finishable. I may have to ditch the color. I used silk hair haze melange super kid mohair by Lana gossa from my stash. Looked pretty close with all the same words…. Anyway turquoise is looking pretty enticing.
I chose navy Rowan Kid Silk Haze and my neck light was my very best friend!
I have swatched for mine, but then got side-tracked by things with more immediate deadlines. I should have a look at that swatch soon…
I am Loving this pattern. I’m not surprised, as I’ve been a Joji fan for years. (Even got one of her dreamy leather bags for my birthday!) I’m up to the shoulder division for the two front panels, and have buttons at the ready. It’s such a quick, beautiful knit! Thank you MDK and Joji, for this wonderful Field Guide!
I am too but I have to put it off until after Christmas as my to-do gift list is keeping me hopping . I can’t wait to get it started which I’m planning on doing on Boxing Day as it’s sitting in my stash with a burning desire to start. I chose Kidsilk Haze Teal.
I have one on my needles (in light grey).I am up to the second buttonhole on the back and all is going well. It is such a fun little piece of fluff!
I just cast this on the other day (in grey). Love love love it!!! Very wearable!!!
Two strands of Kidsilk = Chance to marl! It would look lovely with shifting colors.
Wonderful for marling, a fav for doing this (Churchmouse’s colorblock scarf & shawl a fav pattern). Doubling this yarn makes a luscious fabric that wears incredibly well (a little haze rubs off in “rubbed” areas).
Lynn, what is the name of the Church mouse pattern?
I think this is it. https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/color-play-mohair-scarf–wrap
I also thought “Two strands! Marling!”
I just finished and it is being blocked. I used 2 different shades of gray and the blend produced a beautiful silver gray.
I am working on Gossamer in Rose 20 rows of ribbing in so far. I have fallen in love with this yarn. 🙂
I just swatched last night! Going to soak & block in a few. I tried to stop my drooling last night as I knit the royal blue color. I can’t wait to work some more on this.
Thinking about it. Know I have to pull out all my mohair and see what I could do with stash. Since I think there is red and turquoise, I may buy a second color. Will the red and turquoise marl to brown????
I just finished the first buttonhole row! Hopefully, the body of the sweater will work up faster. I chose a dark color that’s making it hard to see the stitches without bright light.
I’m in with the grey in the pattern. Its so amazing to work with. I’m almost finished with the back. Its such a fun and easy pattern.
I just swatched last night and excited to make this versatile pattern. Combining a deep navy kidsilk haze with a greenish-teal lace weight merino I found on the swap table at Shakerag last summer! It makes a beautiful marl.
I knew when I saw this pattern that I would have to knit it. I love Kidsilk Haze and actually had 5 skeins of it, but decided to order the 6 I would need for the vest, or whatever it is, in a dark blue. I’m still working on Christmas gifts, so haven’t started it. I ‘m writing to see if anyone can tell me a good place to get buttons. Our only fabric store any more is a Joann’s, and they have lots of craft stuff, but almost no decent buttons. I prefer natural buttons (shell, wood, etc.). I have tried ordering online before, but not had good luck.
I second this question – looking for grayish shell buttons. Thank you!
I’ve had luck finding great buttons on garments at the thrift store.
I am!!! I LOVE it. Sadly it languishes periodically as I frantically try to finish a wedding gift, some Xmas gifts….just life getting in the way a little. But I’ll get there. I love it!! My color is Bill I think, #703. It’s going to get used A LOT!
I have purchased the yarn in blackcurrant and am eager to start when I finish the Grace Notes pullover. Maybe I should put that aside and begin Gossamer now?!
I’m up to the last buttonhole on the back now, and making ground fast! I’m loving the color, Mist, which is a lovely light blue-gray that I live with the silk reflecting some light for stitch definition. It was a good balance when I was first starting the Grace Note sweater simultaneously to rest my brain, too!
I am knitting mine in Mist as well. As I sit and knit, I am noticing the color is a great match to the medium blue denim of my jeans, so I’ll have many opportunities to wear it!
I finished mine, in medium blue. I love it. I found the perfect buttons on Etsy, and I’m waiting for cold weather to wear it.
I’m making the Gossamer using Berroco Dunce, which is cotton, nylon, alpaca and wool. It’s thick enough by itself so I don’t have to hold it double. It’ll be a little heavier than one made with Kidsilk Haze, but I think it’ll work fine. The color is 2031 which is sort of a heathered plum.
This design is so versatile I can see it working for many different yarns.
It would be interesting to dress it up with a metallic for some holiday shine….
It looks like a vest to me.
the Hittites were much earlier than 200 years ago, just saying…
I am trying to place an order and the site “says the provided address does not match the billing address does for cardholder. Please verify the address and try again.” I have checked with my banking app and it matches what I have provided. Can someone help me place this order? Thank you.
I made mine with two locally produced mohair/wool/silk lace weight yarns, one natural white and the other dyed with indigo. I got lots of compliments at SAFF. I will start another with fingering yarn of two contrasting colors, one for each side. The colors are lime and an interesting combination of lime, purple, and black-and-white marl. I got fabulous lime/purple buttons at SAFF.
I sure hope you all post pictures, the colors you have chosen are gorgeous and I’d love to see them all. Happy knitting
I cast on this lovely project in Eve Green shortly before leaving for a textile tour of Scorland. It was the perfect travel knit and easily squished into a tiny project bag. Am ready to start the fronts and cant wait to wear it,
I never even looked at the pattern or the yarn. Now I have to have both! What you do to me!
wowwww….this has serious possibilities, and useful for travel, too….
I’m thinking of casting on for this as a travel project over the holidays. I saw Joji recently mention that mohair makes for a good travel project because it doesn’t take up much room. I have a bunch of kidsilk haze in deep stash and have the field guide, so I think it was meant to be!