| Creative Fibre Magazine |
September 2003, vol 6 no2 |
September 2003, vol. 6 no. 2
Highlights:
2004 Creative Fibre Festival
-
Monica McConnell - Winner of the Young Contemporary Fashion Award 2003
The Challenges so far - from past festivals.
A Lot of Yarn Has Gone Though My Hook - Jeanne Taylor achieves a Diploma in Crochet.
Possessed by Oriental Carpets - An Oriental Rug Repairer's "Refresher"in Egypt, Turkey and Russia.
Knitting with Silk
Silk is a wonderful, rich, lustrous fibre but needs to be used carefully to make into stunning items. Knitting with silk is different from knitting with wool as silk does not have the elasticity of wool.
100% Silk
Always knit a sample - lay the sample flat, measure it, wash and block it and when dry remeasure it. You MUST take the difference in the two sizes into account when planning your finished article. When making your sample check the tension, silk needs to be knitted with a tighter tension that wool. Using a smaller needle will also help prevent loss of shape.
If possible knit a garment from the top down, then if it drops more than anticipated, it is easier to shorten it back to the required length. If the garment is knitted in the conventional method, wash and block the individual sections before sewing together and make any necessary alterations at this stage.
Never hang a knitted silk garment - store by rolling it into a loose bundle. If it becomes creased or crumpled looking then a very light steam iron will restore shape. Blocking your silk garment after each wash will also help retain the shape.
Very fine silk when used in doilies, lace scarves, shawls, etc will not drop to the same extent that a heavier weight yarn used in clothing will.
Silk/Wool Blends
For a wool/silk blend I use merino with silk, preferring to ply one strand of wool with one strand of silk. If the silk is blended in with the wool it tends to get lost but plying together highlights the best of both fibers. The wool holds the silk and gives it elasticity thus making the knitting and caring of the garment easier. The silk retains its sheen and becomes a feature of the garment.
Silk/Other Fibre Blends
Silk can also be blended/plyed with other fibers e.g. cashmere, alpaca but be aware that the same problems that can occur with 100% silk will also occur with these blends. Handled correctly these blends will make up into exquisite lace knits.
New Yarns
There are now available on the market wonderful designer yarns using silk - chenille's, ribbons, noils, bouclé's, eyelash. These will give a real lift to garments when used as highlighter threads amidst other yarns. They often have a binder thread in them, which will help prevent dropping.
Remember silk is a luxury fibre and can make your work very special - just make sure you sample first to get the best from this fibre and produce something really wonderful.
by Kathy McLauchlan