Quince & Co Kestrel

I’m kind of sweet on Quince & Co Kestrel – I’m working on our 4th project in it and my mind is already spinning, thinking ahead to the next. It’s a flexible aran to bulky weight, machine washable, and made from organic Belgian linen. It knits up quickly and the drape is divine!  Like all things linen, woven or knitted, Kestrel only gets better as you wash and wear it.

• 100% organic linen
• 50g/70m (76yds)
• heavy worsted weight
• 20 sts = 4″ on 5mm/US8 needles
• 14 sts = 4″ on 6.5mm needles
• machine wash in a delicate bag, lay flat to dry (or machine dry on cool)
• Patterns for this yarn from Quince & Co
• Pattern ideas on Ravelry

Kestrel Knit Hacks

Size

Linen has LOTS of drape, especially when knit loosely. Consider making a size smaller than normal, your finished garment will grow after blocking and with wear.

Joining

Tape or ribbon yarn like Kestrel yarn aren’t joined in the same way as other, regular plied yarns. When changing balls, you’ll need to sew the ends together with matching sewing thread – see this tutorial. You can alternately try this other method for joining hollow core yarns.

Winding

Linen balls are slickery and like confinement. After winding your skein, house it in a sock or the leg of some old pantyhose to keep it from becoming an unruly pain in the bum (I’ve been known to pick up cool coloured hose & socks if they cross my path at the dollar store).

Washing

What they say about linen is true – it washes extremely well, and gets softer and nicer after each wash. It is, however, not made from the cape of the man of steel. Like everything else, it’s vulnerable to abrasion, which will ruin the surface of the textile and make it mungy-looking (I learned this the hard way, curse words were uttered). Wash your linen in the machine, but always put it in a delicate bag. If you want to put it in the dryer I’d be safe and put it on cool and maybe keep it in the bag. The fibres will not shrink in the dryer, but they’ll contract a little, and again, my concern is abrasion.

Daicey

I’m currently working on Daicey, it’s going extremely smoothly. It is a very simple top-down raglan with a smidge of A-line shaping and a pocket for a cute little detail. Mine looks great so far, but it won’t gel until it;s been washed and the fibres settle. I’m using a muted colour, Turtle, but I also have a client who’s working on it in Rosehip, and I can’t wait to see how the vibrant colour affects the design. I think her’s is going look a bit better, I think the brighter colour will make the details and the lines *pop*.  Who knows, maybe I’ll like it so much I’ll make another!  I’m also making a size smaller than normal because I expect the fabric will be stretch-city.

• Quince & Co Kestrel: 8 (8, 9, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13) skeins
• 6.5mm/US10.5 24″ circular needles
• 6.5mm/US10.5 – 16″ circular or double pointed needles
• matching sewing thread & needle
• Pattern