I’m on a linen stitch kick and this combo of Bamboo Bloom & Classic Shades really pops! The super saturated color in the Classic Shades plays really well with the cool elegance of the Bamboo Bloom; both have a lovely texture that drapes well on size 11s.

Note that this is NOT the Hanasaku Cowl, which is available on Rav. It is the Hanasaku Stole, which is only available on the Universal Yarn website at this time (10/29/17). I’m hoping that Universal will move the Stole pattern onto Rav soon. :)

Tricks you need to know:

1. Beginner Basics: cast on, knit, purl, bind off.
2. Slipping stitches: the linen stitch is made by slipping a stitch while holding the yarn to the RS of the fabric. I.e., when on the RS, you’ll k1, then slip the next stitch knitwise while holding the yarn in front - often noted as WYIF. On the WS, you’ll p1, slip next stitch pull wise while holding yarn in back (WYIB). The linen stitch fabric is made by stacking knit stitches over slipped and vice versa.
3. Fringing as you go: Creating fringe while you knit is both simple and fussy. When you come to the end of a row, you normally just turn and work the other side. However, if you want to create fringe, then you’ll need to leave a loop of yarn for it. But how to make it even? And how to keep your end stitches snug? I did it this way: First, I found an object that had the right size for my fringe. In my case, it was a stitch gauge/ruler that was about 3” deep. For 6” fringe, I wound my yarn around the gauge 2x before working the next row (see pics). Second, I worked a few stitches before letting the fringe yarn off the gauge. Once I pulled the gauge out, I knotted the end yarn to provide a snug stop for the end stitches. When the piece was finished, I then cut the loops, which were all about 6” - close enough to not require a major trim.
4. Linen stitch fabric resembles a stretchy woven fabric. If your slipped stitches/yarn floats are too tight, the fabric will lose some of its drapiness.
5. I followed the cast on instructions exactly. If you’re of average height and weight, the resulting project will be long enough. However, if you’re taller or bigger than the average, you’ll want to add 10-30 more stitches to the cast on, especially if you like to drape an end of your stole over your shoulder. (In the pics, I’ve draped my version on a mannequin that can only be described as petite, so the stole seems generous enough.) BtW, I had plenty of yarn left over for adding the additional stitches without needing 3rd balls of either yarn.
6. The pattern also calls for some sparkle, using a 3rd yarn and double stranding it with the Bloom, Classic Shades or both. I voted for less bling on my version.
7. Bamboo Bloom is a thick/thin yarn and absolutely lovely in your hands. If you look closely at my pics, you’ll see where the thick parts of the yarn puff out a little. When seen up close (e.g., when you’re knitting….), this can seem awkward. However, once blocked, the thick parts resemble slubs and look natural in the fabric.