The Rainforest Canopy shawl and Dreamy Merino silk

by Hanna Westmore October 13, 2020

Rose Hip Island was one of the lucky dyers to collaborate with Helen Stewart on the Rainforest Canopy shawl, designed for the Yarn Retreat 2020. For the shawl design I created a small collection of colourways inspired by the Lamington National Park, where the Yarn Retreat was located. I decided to look at what you can find under the canopy and pick up colours from flora and fauna in the rainforest. All the time with the beautiful shawl design in mind. The pattern is now available to purchase on Ravelry here.

The Rose Hip Island sample in the pattern is knitted in the Rock Orchid colourway. The other colourways in the collection are Regent Bowerbird, Lamington Crayfish and Richmond birdwing.

I dyed these colourways on two yarn bases that I think are wonderful to use for shawls- merino linen and my new merino silk yarn. You already know that I love the merino linen yarn so let me tell you about the merino silk, a new favourite.

Dreamy merino silk is a 75% super wash Australian merino and 25% mulberry silk yarn. It is a fingering weight yarn with 400 metres per 100g. It is worsted spun and is plied. The silk gives it a beautiful sheen and drape. It also makes it suitable for warm season garments.

There is currently a total of eight colourways on this new yarn base.

The silk content in the yarn gives it added strength which makes it a suitable alternative to sock yarn with nylon. These are the Mint Tea socks by Debbie Ford that I knit in the Spring green colourway.

I am very happy to add this yarn to the bases Rose Hip Island offers. After a shawl and a pair of socks I now plan to make a tee from this yarn. I just have to decide on a colour....