Size DOES Matter
Jun 10th, 2008 by turtlegirl76
Today, I turn my blog over to the skilled hands of Carol Sulcoski as she discusses her new book, Knits So Fine (co-authored with Laura Grutzeck and Lisa R. Meyers) with us. We also learn that contrary to popular belief, bigger isn’t always better.
If you’re not into the book tour thing, I understand. But please, before you leave me for the day, please do me a favor and please pop on over to the Little Knits blog and put a vote in for Rosi G’s awesome New York City Stole she designed for the Shaeffer Trenna Contest.
First of all, thanks to TurtleGirl for hosting today’s blog tour stop. Our skinny yarn of the day is Koigu (or to be more formal, Koigu Painter’s Palette Premium Merino).
Carol’s got some pr0nography skills too, eh?
Koigu is a legendary yarn for many of us. Each skein is handpainted on a farm in Ontario; the dyelots are kept small so that the yarn retains its artisanal qualities. And Koigu is really synonymous with color: gorgeous shades and combinations of shades, inspired by nature. The base yarn used for Koigu is scrumptious – soft merino with a nice twist. The colors seem to jump out at you. And Koigu is of the handdyes least likely to pool or create odd splotches of color.
Mmm…more koigu from Carol
I originally considered another yarn for the Anemone Beret, but I had a great deal of trouble getting a consistent gauge measurement with it. So I opted for Koigu, which never disappoints me. Koigu ended up being perfect for the beret: it is lightweight yet warm, super-soft (since the hat will hug your head), and shows good stitch definition. I chose one of Koigu’s semi-solid colorways so that color changes wouldn’t overwhelm the textured stitch pattern.
copyright 2008 Joe Coca
Laura also used Koigu to create her Lattice Lace Pullover (in a gorgeous sage-y green color). Again, the incomparable springiness of Koigu and its excellent stitch definition make the stitch pattern pop – in fact, even though the pattern is made of simply yarnovers and decreases, the yarn’s spring gives the illusion of twisted cables.
copyright 2008 Joe Coca
I sent TurtleGirl some mini-skeins of Koigu to play with. What did you think of them?
Long time readers of my blog know my love and lust for all things Koigu. I love the stuff. The sproing, the colors, the softness. But not the felting. So many people think of KPPPM as sock yarn but really, it’s better suited to garments and lace. Something that won’t see a lot of friction. I have a nice stash of koigu, all originally earmarked for socks, but I have since come to realize that there is so much more I can and should do with it. In playing with it on size 4 needles, I was still able to acheive a gauge of 7 spi (perfect for the hat) but it’s amazing what a difference the row gauge does for the drape and the softness of the project. I look forward to making the beret.
If you are lucky enough to get to a fiber festival like Maryland Sheep & Wool, where you can sometimes purchase these mini-skeins of Koigu that are mill ends and thus come in very small quantities, it’s worth standing in a long line to purchase some! It gives you a chance to play with multiple colorways of Koigu, like I’m going with my Log Cabin throw.
Carol’s Log Lag Cabin Koigu Blanket
Before you go, I had one question for you, inspired by Magatha. What would you say to those knitters that see skinny yarns and tiny needles and freak out? By that I would refer to several knitters I know that say something along the lines of “anything under a US 6 and that’s too small. It would take forever for me to finish!” The intimidation factor that the fingering weight or smaller size needles brings. What say you to them?
Well, first of all, I understand having concerns that projects will take longer to finish. I won’t lie to you: they will. But there’s a very big trade-off for the extra time you’ll put in: you’ll wear the garment so much more. You may knit a sweater out of a bulky-weight wool in a weekend, but where I live, it would be too hot to wear that sweater except for 1 or 2 blizzard days each winter. On the other hand, it might take me a couple of weeks to knit a dk-weight cardigan or a fingering weight shell, but I could wear those lighter weights on all but the hottest summer days (and if I made the shell out of cotton or silk, I could wear it then, too!).
A related factor is that items knit in finer yarns are much more flattering. My favorite part of the book is the photos of the Barbie-like fashion doll wearing a tube top out of a thick yarn and a thin yarn. Even a doll with a freakishly perfect figure looks way less trim and attractive in the thicker yarn. For me, taking a little longer to knit a sweater is worth it if I’m going to love that sweater and the way it makes me feel and look when I wear it.
If you’re really nervous about fine yarns, then start with some small steps. We’ve included a few projects that are quicker to make, to entice you to give skinny yarns a try. The Koigu beret that we’ve been talking about uses a fun stitch pattern and won’t take long to knit; the ribbed vest is made with two strands of yarn and doesn’t require you to do sleeves; or try the mohair t-neck, in which the yarn is knit at a wider gauge in some places for a translucent effect (it’ll speed up the knitting too!) and double-stranded in others.
Remember, you don’t have to go from knitting all your sweaters in aran weight on size 9 needles, to knitting things in laceweight or using 00s – make a more gradual transition by trying a project with dk- or sport-weight yarns first. I can honestly say that I’ve heard many, many knitters say that once they starting knitting with fine yarns, they won’t go back to really bulky ones, and I’ve never run into anyone who has said the reverse!
Well, I have but they weren’t talking about yarn or needles. Heh.
Join my co-author Lisa Myers tomorrow as she visits Rob of Threadbear Fiber Arts (http://blackdog.threadbearfiberarts.com/). Thanks, Turtlegirl!
No, no, Carol. Thank YOU! And readers, I’m gonna say it again, before you go, please pop on over to the Little Knits blog and put a vote in for Rosi G’s awesome New York City Stole.
I like the way she hit on Koigu. Makes me feel better about that Tulip Baby sweater I should really get cracking on that I’m making with my mill ends. And thanks for the swatch. Maybe I can get away with knitting it on size 4s! Less maths to work out
I love Koigu, although I couldn’t justify the mill ends at MSWF. Laceweight and needles smaller than a 1 are most likely not in my future, but then again, I never thought I’d become a sock knitter. Summer of Socks, here I come!
Being the owner of a whopping Koigu stash, I can vouch for it’s loveability. So much so that I often dream of the things I will make, and then don’t - because I don’t want to use up the pretties when I know there are no more. Himself knows nothing from yarn, but he knows enough from handknit socks to identify the ones he loves best - all made with Koigu.
I am just a *leetle* less in love than I used to be, because I perceive changes in the colourways, and I care for fewer of the new ones. I find more recent mixes to be more within a section of the colourwheel - more, say, *tonal* - and less crazed circus accident than they were 4-5 years ago. The semi-solids, though, have gotten much more saturated, and so I own more of them now.
And I’m all for whatever will bring more love of itsy yarns to the masses. Yay! And thanks for the interview.
What ectgirl said. There are changes in Koigu that don’t agree with me either. There is a distinct difference in the dyeing of the new Koigu that sits alongside of the old great Koigu in my “Koigu” box. (Yes, I have a box of it!)
It does not matter, anything you can make with Koigu you can make with your thicker ‘fine’ weight socks yarns, like Louet Gems Pearl etc. I am getting the book soon and I think I have just the perfect yarn for the beret. Lotus Yarns supermerino.
An aside: I think Lisa Myers is the author of “the Joy of Knitting”. That is the book that brought me back to knitting in this century. I love that little book.
Excellent interview and post.
Mmmm…I love the idea of a sweater made from Koigu. Not sure my wallet agrees! Although, I’d probably get a lot more wear out of it, given where I live. So, if you allocate the cost per wear, it’s actually quite a bargain…
Oooh a Koigu cardigan. Man do I wish I had the $$ for that!!
Yes, Lisa wrote “The Joy of Knitting” and the sequel. Amazing books.
By the way, I almost sent you a JPEG of a pair of socks I knit in Koigu years ago (6 yrs? maybe 8?) that have been worn and washed (cold, gentle cycle, but not dried) and have minimal felting. I’m amazed whenever I look at them how unfelty they are.
Koigu has incorporated a new dyer in the past few years; I wonder if the new dyer has a personal style that is noticeable to you?
I have not experienced any felting with Koigu either, just extreme fading.
Yes, there is a distinct difference in the way the ‘new Koigu’ knits up as well. Pooling and intense spiraling where once that was virtually unheard of in Koigu. No matter. Since 90% of my stash is DK weight or smaller, I’m really looking forward to working with the new book.
I feel the Koigu love most days but thanks to Pam - I have definitely seen the Claudia light. Great blogging today - really enjoyed it
:) :^)
One peek at my Ravelry stash and you will see how much I love skinny yarns and Koigu in particular!!!! Great topic today. I like the book review.