Hannah Thiessen

Posted on: IvoryNovember 10, 2021

Which Knitting Stitches are Best for Ivory?

It’s always amazing to me when I meet a knitter who doesn’t like to swatch–swatching is sometimes my favorite part of the entire knitting process! Setting aside time to swatch gives you a moment to get to know your new yarn intimately. For dyers, swatching is one of the many ways to determine how a yarn will behave and whether it’s right for your customers.

I know swatching takes a little time, so I’ve done some of the work for you! I’m spending some time with a different Knomad yarn each month to swatch stitches (simple and complex), get a feel for the spin on each base, and help you decipher what to choose for your next project.

First Impressions

At first glance, you might mistake this ultra-smooth, multi-plied yarn for a singles yarn–it’s just that delicate looking–but don’t be fooled! Ivory is an ultra round, 4-ply that blends 70% extrafine Merino Wool with Royal Alpaca (20%) and 10% Mulberry Silk.  Royal alpaca refers to the fineness of the alpaca fibre, and this designation indicates that the fibres are as soft or softer than 19 microns–as soft as cashmere, and you can feel it with every stitch! The addition of bright white silk gives this yarn a little extra sheen and drape, plus durability, and of course, extrafine Merino means epic softness, too.

Combined together, Ivory is a luxury yarn for luxury yarn lovers, and if you’re a brand that prefers to err on the side of soft, this might be a great one to bring into your line–especially if your knitters love lace. To celebrate this delicate, exquisite yarn, only lace stitches seemed appropriate, so I chose three and worked them up to see how well this yarn swatched and blocked.

Little Diamonds Lace Stitch

I actually saw this stitch called everything from “Easy Lace” to “Diamond Lace” but really, I think it looks more like diamonds than anything else. It’s deceptively simple, so don’t get cocky and try and zoom through it–work in repeats of 4 so you don’t lose track!

This stitch swatch is worked flat.

CO a multiple of 6 sts + 2.

Row 1 (RS): K1 *K3, yo, sl2, k1, pass both slipped stitches over, yo* repeat from * to *, k1.

Rows 2 & 4 (WS): Purl

Row 3: K1, *yo, sl2, k1, pass both slipped stitches over, yo, k3* repeat from * to *, k1.

Repeat Rows 1-4.

How to Knit Feathered Lace Stitch

Columns of lace are a great choice for scarves and simple wraps, and this stitch really lets the yarn shine! It can also do a good job of breaking up a hand painted or variegated yarn and really showing your artistry off.

This stitch swatch is worked flat.

CO a multiple of 4.

Row 1 (RS): *K2tog, 2yo, ssk* repeat from * to *.

Row 2 (WS): *p1 (p1, k1), p1* repeat from * to *.

Repeat Rows 1 & 2 for pattern.

Lace Ribbon Stitch

This pattern is a little trickier and evaded me for awhile, but it’s become one of my favorites as I’ve gotten more confident with lace! Introduced through Veronik Avery’s Lace Ribbon Scarf pattern for Knitty (also listed below), this is an excellent scarf stitch and brings that shine from the silk inclusion, and halo from alpaca, to the forefront, giving this piece longevity for a long time.

This stitch swatch is worked flat.

CO a multiple of 9 + 8.

Odd Numbered Rows 1 – 9 (RS): K2, *ssk, 2yo, k2tog, k2tog, k3, yo* to last 6 sts, ssk, 2yo, k2tog, k2.

Even Numbered Rows 2-24 (WS): K2, p2, k1, *p8, k1* to last 3 sts, p1, k2.

Row 11: K2, *ssk, 2yo, k2tog, k5* to last 6 sts, ssk.

Odd Numbered Rows 13-21: K2, *ssk, 2yo, k2tog, yo, k3, ssk* to last 6 sts, ssk, 2yo, k2tog, k2.

Row 23: as Row 11

Repeat Rows 1-24 for pattern. You can also see this stitch charted here.

Here’s a list of great patterns to try for this yarn:

Lace Ribbon Scarf by Veronik Avery – Knit

Cashmere Cowl No. 2 by Purl Soho – Knit

Outline Tee by Jessie Maed – Knit

Constellate by Hunter Hammersen – Knit

Dunes by Katya Novikova – Crochet

Shell Seeker Shawl by Tracy Pipinich – Crochet

Graceful by Kristina Smiley – Crochet

Seiche by Elena Fedotova – Crochet