Fiber Mixology

I enjoy mixing fibers.  No, not in a Noro spins thirty thousand things (well, usually three or four) into one yarn way of mixing.  I enjoy mixing in the way that uses totally different yarns in one fabric.  Toss in playing with gauge and you either win or loose.

This mixology project is looking like a winner.  Both yarns are lace weight.  There is a color theme between them.   That is where the commonality ends.

This mix is Habu Linen and Just Our Yarn Aziza.  Pure linen next to pure Tencel®.  You might know that linen is made from the fibers of the flax plant.   Tencel® is the registered trade name for Lyocell, which is a biodegradable fabric made from wood pulp cellulose. 

A quick feel of the two yarns tells you that they should be totally different.  The linen is stiff and when it comes off the needles it looks wonky.  I always feel like a failure when the last stitch is bound off.  The Tencel® is soft and has a beautiful drape immediately.  What I'm thinking - hoping and praying - is that the linen's ability to touch water and develop drape and softness will ultimately match it quite closely to the other pulp based yarn. 

There are hours and hours of Olympics to watch in these next days and that provides hours and hours of time to make miles and miles of garter stitch.  Results, whether good or bad, to follow!

I've Got A Dragon By The Tail

Looky here!  A dragon's tail made from linen and beads.  Yippie.   Each little point along the top spine has one bead at the tip.  And then the long straight edge has beads added in during the bind off.   

Now, I readily admit that taken from this overhead view it does not look like much.  And I could have taken more care and placed the lower curve just so.   Given my poor photo skills, perhaps this next view will be more pleasing.  Just look at the scarf and ignore the model.

Voila!  

A few notes for those who might score the pattern and consider grabbing this dragon by the tail.

I added two extra points to give more wrapping length.

The last four points were expanded to ten rows rather than the eight row repeat of the pattern directions

This linen went through the dryer in two separate fifteen minute cycles:  wet, dryer, lay out points, finish drying whilst flat.  Repeat.

And then it still was not wanting to begin to soften up. 

So. . . . 

Tossed it in the dryer with NO HEAT for 45 minutes and beat the softness into it.  

That did the trick as now it feels worn.  Not as comfortable as it will be with time, but soft enough to drape well.

Did I already say Yippie?