A brief introspection on our Omicron contraction, and my experience with silk linen blended yarn from Yarnkart, Bengaluru.
Covid-19 Omicron Update
So, three of us in my family contracted Omicron, and what a rough ride that was. We all showed different symptoms, and it took us a day and a test to realise we had Covid-19, and not food poisoning nor acidity nor flu nor migraine. It was particularly hard watching kids suffer, and as parents we really felt helpless. The pediatrician asked us not to panic, since we would recover in a week and home quarantine was good enough. Easier said than done, of course.
What really bothered us was the headache. It was relentless and nauseating, and we just couldn’t focus on anything. Though meals were easily available, eating food was scary since we didn’t know when it would be out of our system from the wrong pipe. Resting was key, but how to rest with a throbbing head, blocked nose and itchy throat? And when kids are sick, it is very easy to forget one’s own health and ensure they heal better and sooner. This is not fair as an adult, but it is what it is.
All in all, it took a week. Did the vaccines help? Maybe, I mean, it surely kept me out of the hospital. But then, my kids are not vaccinated, so that logic doesn’t work. How did we get it? No clue. Any medications? The doctor and the pediatrician both said whether its flu or Omicron, the treatment is the same – symptom management. Its all very confusing to me, honestly.
One thing I know is that what we went through is probably very miniscule as compared to others who have faced devastation in their lives due to this pandemic. I just pray we get through these times safely, and without further heart-breaking losses.
Silk Linen Yarn Review
Today, I will be reviewing Yarnkart’s silk linen blended yarn. This is a 50% silk and 50% linen yarn, in worsted weight. The silk as I recall from a conversation with Mr. Imaad at Yarnkart, is a mulberry variety, and the linen is from the flax plant.
Sold in a 100gms hank, there are about 230 yards/210m in each hank, and can be worked with a 4-5mm hook or needles. For tops, I use 4mm needles, and for scarves I choose 5mm ones. For the current Twist Top that I am making, designed by Nina Ruth, the stockinette knitting gauge I get is 27 rows and 19 stitches in 10cmx10cm square, using 4mm needles.
What I love
What I absolutely love about this yarn is that it is extremely soft and squishy. This is honestly a very good option to knit scarves with, because the finished fabric is very comfortable to drape and wear. Also, the stitch definition is immaculate, each stitch looks distinct and clean.
I also love the idea of blending silk and linen in a hank. Silk brings a lustre to it, which is missing in linen yarns, making this yarn look super luxurious. Linen, by nature, is stiff, inelastic and creates crisp stitches, and so the silk balances it out with its softness and delicacy. Linen, and even silk to some extent, keeps the fabric very comfortable to wear even in Indian summers.
What I don’t love
So, this yarn is splitty, and I am assuming it’s because of the silk. It is fragile, and for tight knitters and crocheters I am sure this yarn is going to be annoying to work with. A more-than-gentle-tug gets this yarn to break, which is very frustrating when one is in ‘the zone’. I did imagine that linen being stronger, would make this blended yarn stronger, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. Gentle hands work best with this one.
The second thing I don’t like is the thickness of the yarn varies. Which can be a good thing for a bohemian look, but can be a terrible thing when one is aiming for a neat, defined look. It messes with the gauge, and has caused scarves to go narrower and wider. This to me looks odd…beautiful…but odd.
Products I have made
I have made a couple of scarves, and am currently working on a twist top. The colours are fabulous, and the folks at Yarnkart dyed the colours perfectly.
Tips and Tricks:
- Once a ball or a cake is made from the hank, its best to avoid pulling yarn from the centre. I found it got chaotic to use, with the entire cake collapsing on itself at one point. And since this yarn is splitty, it drove me nuts to pull delicately at all times.
- Because the yarn thickness varies, make a gauge swatch with this one. Don’t skip on this at all.
- Typically for linen yarn, its best to use bamboo or wooden needles, and for silk, its best to use metal or aluminium ones. For this blended one, I tried bamboo and metal both, and I found working with metal was easier. I quite like the way the silk content caused the stitches to slip easily.
- Knit with a regular or loose tension, tight tension really wouldn’t work well at all.
- It is best to weave in new yarn as you go, because if it splits while weaving ends, there is still a chance of tinking and fixing. As opposed to weaving in the ends after the project is made, when there really is no scope for re-attaching and fixing. I realised this after completing most of the body, so now I am delicately weaving in the ends.
Miss A’s comments
I asked my 7 year old daughter what she thinks about this yarn, as part of her creative writing practice, and this is what I got:
“This yarn is soft for you. This yarn is nicely knitted for warmth. I can make T-shirts and scarves with it. This yarn is colourful with grey, pink, blue, purple and white in it. I don’t like it breaking while knitting.”
Fair enough, little one! All valid points!
So, that’s my experience with silk linen blended yarn. Have you ever worked with it? Do share your thoughts in the comment box below, so we can have a chat if you like 🙂
Disclaimer – I have bought these yarns, they are not a gift from anyone. All opinions about the yarn are my personal ones. This post is not an ad, and nothing has been sponsored in any way.