Apparently I have been holding out on a project that I thought I had documented back in July. Oops!
I have wanted to do a Kusha Kusha scarf for several years - basically since I realized I had access to Habu yarn at Woven Art (before I even worked there!). I didn't want to buy a kit mostly because I wanted to replace the Habu Fine Merino Wool with something a little thicker. Above were the three color choices I came up with. The three balls are Classic Elite Silky Alpaca Lace, paired with the Habu Silk & Stainless Steel cones. After much hemming and hawing (and a Facebook consultation) I decided on the middle color combination.
The pattern is very easy - and is a great introduction to the Japanese style of pattern writing. Not entirely intuitive, but once you get the hang of it, it is no big thing.
Pattern: Kusha Kusha Scarf, kindly available on the Purl Bee website
Yarn: 1 skein Classic Elite Silky Alpaca Lace, 460 yards, 2 small cones Habu Silk and Stainless steel in grey
Needles: US 3, 4, 6, & 8.
Mods: I lengthened my scarf a little bit through the area of the scarf where you hold yarns A & B together. Before felting the scarf measured 60 inches long, with a 43 inch section of yarns A + B. After felting the scarf measured 50 inches long with a 38 inch section of yarns A+B. I wish I had bound off with the size 8 needle, but I think I used the 4.
The last section is quite challenging - knitting with just the tiny Silk & Stainless steel yarn on size US 3 needles? Yeesh. It is hard to maintain tension. I found I had a much easier time just giving up on tension and just knitting. This also could have been just project fatigue - I was really ready to be done with it.
I lightly hand felted the Silky Alpaca in my kitchen sink. I may felt it a little bit more, but I enjoy seeing some stitch definition.
This was NOT a stashbusting project - I bought both yarns and I have a good portion of my second cone of the silk & stainless steel left, plus a nice bit of Silky Alpaca remaining as well. Maybe I will swatch with these to come up with another project. Although I REALLY want to knit another Kusha Kusha scarf with Elemental Affects lace and Habu Copper Bamboo. Sigh. But I am back into working on my stash for the winter, so no new yarns for me for a while.
I just wheeled the metaphorical car around once I realized that Copper Bamboo was a yarn type, not a color. That is CRAZY and now I wish I'd seen that...ok, I probably did, but didn't register that I saw it, if that makes sense. I can see how you'd be tempted by it!
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I love your Kusha Kusha and I can see why you'd want a second one :)
@Kristina Yes, the Copper Bamboo blew my mind when I saw it at TNNA in June. The lighter color bamboo threads get a pinkish hue to them, the darker colors really allow the copper color to shine through.
ReplyDeletesigh.
An obsessed knitter's work is never done.
I was just browsing that Habu Stainless Steel yesterday. I would love to make something with it.
ReplyDeleteI was also surprised at how there's only one or two places in the US to purchase it.
@Monique Totally recommend the Stainless Steel - so lovely! If possible, go to the main store in NYC. Most shops don't have Habu, but it is more widely available now than it was a few years ago.
ReplyDelete