Show Time!
Friday 24th June 2011
This is Glow, knitted by a star of the needles, Sue. The darker shade is Kidsilk Aura, with soft Kidsilk Haze forming the lacy circles in between. Sue has chosen lovely colours, as you see again on this image of her version of Sunday Night Mitts:
I just think these look gorgeous. And also, I can’t believe I designed them, because knitted in completely different colourways, they are transformed. Sue also did this with a lovely piece she has recently completed, Shimmer Stole, in which she chose the lovely teal shade Trance in KSH and teamed it with Silver Shimmer. It’s so beautiful.
I do not think Sue would have imagined herself knitting such fine yarns – and enjoying it – a few months ago. But, as is almost always the case, Kidsilk Haze works its magic. You think: hmmm, OK, I’ll give it a go, if only to shut the tutor up (that’s me). Then, you think: oh no! far too fine for me, needles feel like tree-trunks, pesky beads – I’ll humour her (that’s me) and keep on with the sample but after that, I’m back to the aran…
Time passes. Cake is eaten.
The Kidsilk Haze behaves itself, mainly. The beads gleam. Frills emerge…
Kidsilk Haze – the cocaine of the yarn world – is an utter tart. It knows it’s gorgeous, it knows how to make you love it. It’s naughty, it’s a bit of a challenge (but really, not that much) and it’s addictive. I like to see my role as converting the world to its many, varied and often surprising charms, one knitter at a time. The more I use it, the further I find I can push its boundaries. Because it has this amazing capacity to form teams with other yarns and other things, such as beads, ribbons, sequins (yes, Sue the day will come. Ali adopts evil dictator style laugh).
If ever you, or anyone else, Heaven help them if they say this to me, infers that maybe you have
enough Kidsilk Haze, that it’s an expensive habit…remind them that you get 210m for about 8 quid. That’s 210m of knitting joy. For 20 fags, you have to part with (I’m unsure so guessing) at least 6 quid –
and your health. At least with Kidsilk Haze you only have to part with your soul… (Reprise evil dictator style laugh).
Yes! Yes! Yes! And you have omitted to mention the magical play between the soft halo and the sheen of the silk and how many colours KSH comes in! Every time I look at the shadecard, I find a new favourite. KSH has even convinced me that blue isn’t a horrid colour. I played around with Heavenly the other day and found myself absolutely loving the colour (I think I have convinced myself that Heavenly isn’t blue – it’s more of a soft lavenderish hue). That’s the magic of KSH.
And the yardage! And the versatility! And the feel!
I love KSH. I really do.
Ah, Karie, a girl after my own heart! I also mingle the blues on the KSH chart with some other shades for further colour-washing joy…we can literally quadruple the palette!