Meet the Yarn: Luster, part 2
I love yarns that are luxurious without being so precious I'm too nervous to work with them. I find blends a wonderful way to have the best of both words and Luster is one of my favourites. It checks all the boxes for me: Luster is a 3-ply fingering weight yarn and a blend of 50% Tussah Silk and 50% Merino. If that weren't enough, each generous 114g skein is 405 yards (370 meters). It’s the fingering weight sibling to It Could Be Worsted.
I find pure silk beautiful, but often challenging to work with as it doesn't have the elastic fiber qualities of wool. Blending it with the merino creates a yarn that holds shape and still offers the amazing drape of silk. The subtle shine of the silk helps all the gorgeous colors that make Anzula special to glow.
Luster is versatile and works well with many different stitches. I knew from Jill's post and from browsing Ravelry, that there were many possible options from plain stitches, to colorwork, lace, twisted stitches and more. I love how Luster looks in what I call the simple stitches, plain knitting and the basic crochet stitches. I feel the silk lifts your projects to the next level simply by being there. I love when simple is sensational.
While I focus on crochet for these posts I love how Luster makes all these different stitch examples shine. The granny square motif is definitely a luxurious upgrade from those of my childhood. I was surprised by the definition in my textured swatch, I now plan to try some post stitches and cables. When I do I’ll make sure to share them to instagram. The drape of the lace swatch has me wanting to work up an open-work wrap.
Pattern Ideas
Purless | Stonelace Cowl | Kiona
I found three pattern ideas that I think showcase Luster’s versatility:
Purless by Rosemary (Romi) Hill
Stonelace Cowl by Stephannie Tallent
crochet — Kiona by Ambur Hsiao
Have your own design idea? A reminder that you can send a Yarn Support Request to Anzula here.
—Charlie interrupting this post to let designers know that we are accepting requests for crochet, knitting, and weaving in a variety of bases. Email me your ideas! I love all of you!—
Luster is a yarn that I think is uniquely suited for a variety of projects. What might you make?
All swatches in this post are shown in the Saffron colourway with 3.75mm needles and hooks, any perceived differences in shade are due to the photographer.
Penny Shima Glanz spends her days spinning yarn and code into memorable projects. Small businesses rely on her for smart technology decisions. Designers rely on her to sample, test, and edit their hand-knit and crochet patterns. She loves muddy trail runs, fosters kittens, and lives in Westchester, NY with her husband and cat (or two). www.pennyshima.com
