Aren't these pictures gorgeous?  My model looked beautiful in every picture, so I'm sharing all of them as it was impossible to edit any out!  I made this Kim Hargreaves skirt for my granddaughter, Annie, who started high school this year.  (I know, time flies, right?)  Before I mailed it off I asked my across-the-street neighbor, Jessica, if she would pop over and model it for me.  Jessica was such a natural in front of the camera, I asked if she would mind modeling a few more, then a few more, and then before I knew it, an hour had passed and she had modeled ten of my knits that were finished but in need of blogging! 

Did Jessica like this skirt?  YES, she did!  She fell in love with it!  I wasn't going to mail it until Tuesday and I told her she could wear it to school on Monday.  She said she got so many compliments and people could not believe it was hand knit.  You and I know that the most beautiful knits are hand knitted, but not everyone knows that little fact!

The yarn is new this summer: Rowan Cotton Lustre, a tape yarn with a content of cotton, modal and linen.  It has beautiful drape and a wonderfully soft hand while knitting and I fell in love with it.  It's very well-behaved, easy to knit and creates an even fabric.  I don't remember it being needle fussy and I used my Clover round-tipped bamboo straights and they were perfect for the job.  The fabric care is hand wash and dry flat, and that is what I'll recommend to Annie. I do think Cotton Lustre would be lightweight and cool against the skin for a summer sweater.  I'm sorry I discovered it so close to the end of the season as I'm already planning my winter knitting, but Cotton Lustre will be a yarn I use again next year to knit a summer something for me.  However, I did notice in Kim's new winter book, Embrace, she uses Cotton Lustre in a few of the designs, so I guess Kim likes it for year-round.  As far as subbing yarn for this project, I'm not so sure that is a good idea.  I'm for subbing yarn when it works, but I'm not familiar with another yarn with the appropriate characteristics to pull off this skirt as well as the Cotton Lustre.

This skirt pattern, Reed, is from Kim Hargreaves' Echoes book. This skirt is the first pattern that caught my eye.  Annie was visiting and when I showed it to her she said, "Yes!  Please knit if for me, it's so cute!"  She says this olive green is very hip right now.  The texture is created with some purl rows and eyelet rows on a stockinette background, very easy.  To give the fringe stability, it's knitted in, then unraveled at the end.  It's true this is a very young looking knit, but I wondered, if with tights and boots, could this 64 year old pull it off?  So, hmmm, my answer is, I'm not really sure.  I tried it on and liked it, but I think it depends on how adventurous you are, and certainly you could add length.  If you have a young woman in your life, knit this, she will love you for it.

The book Echoes is at your Rowan stockist, or you can buy it here.

My Ravelry project page for Reed

Rowan Cotton Lustre