I love Carol Sunday's patterns and have had The Secret Life of Trees on my list for a while. I really wanted to knit it in Elliebelly Chemise, my silk linen blend. Fortunately, a Ravelry friend also had this pattern in her queue, and was nice enough to knit it up for me.
It's a lovely pattern and Gail is the kind of marvelous knitter who pays lots of attention to detail, adding in a crochet edging where she carried the yarn while alternating skeins, with meticulous attention to matching gauge so that it looks like a professionally finished piece. I'm in love, and couldn't resist these fresh out of the package photos — it looks fantastic, despite it's long road trip from Canada to Alabama. I'm sure it will be even crisper after a gentle steaming, but I had to show it off right away.
This sweater confirms Chemise's place in my heart. I adore linen. I really do. And I'm always happy to knit with a yarn spun from 100% linen. But somehow, the addition of silk to the mix turns linen into my favorite. It looks and feels perfect and it gets softer every time you wash it. The sheen is amazing. So, enough. But I see more of this yarn in my future.
Thanks so much for the lovely comments, Joyce!! It was a delight to knit this for you, and the yarn was exquisite!