This was a relaxing knit - a simple combination of knit and purl rounds along with a knitted hem. I used silk hankies, so there's a bit of thick and thin to add to the texture.
Apparently this cowl didn't satisfy my silk craving because I've already started prepping more hankies. Since there are plenty of good videos that show the process, I'm not going to document the steps. You can find details here.
There's a certain ebb and flow to working with silk hankies. Prep fiber, knit a bit, prep more fiber, knit a bit more. I draft several hankies at a time and wind them onto a cone for safekeeping. Then I knit the fiber right off the cone. The knitted fabric is lightweight, shimmery and warm.
Working with 100% silk is lovely in many ways, but it's also challenging in the winter. If your hands are anything like mine, they have more than a few dry, rough spots. I strongly recommend using lotion, hand cream, body butter or a combination of all of the above. My current favorites are Trader Joe's pumpkin body butter and anything from Long Island Livestock Co. I especially love their shepherdess salve. They also offer 100% lanolin and great lotion, but I don't see those listed on the website right now.
I soften my hands before I start. I work for a little bit until the silk starts snagging and then rub in more lotion. It doesn't take long to fall into a rhythm with the whole process. In the end I have smoother hands and beautiful handknit silk.
