I started writing this blog post when we relaunched the shop last year as Noro Silk Garden Lite was one of the yarns we reintroduced. But the yarn didn’t last long enough for me to finish it, as they were all snapped up by eager knitters. Silk Garden Lite is back so this is a perfect time to take a look at this beautiful yarn as well as some inspiring projects.

Noro Silk Garden Lite is a DK weight blend of 45% Silk, 45% Mohair and 10% Wool. A single ply yarn that has a handspun quality to it. With a slightly irregular thickness giving the yarn a characterful texture and all animal fibres used in their production come from certified organic farms. By keeping the processing to a minimum and avoiding harsh chemical treatments reduces the damage done to the yarn as well as the environment.

Noro have the motto ‘The World of Nature’ and Noro Yarn’s founder, the late Eisaku Noro chose those words to capture his vision.

“I was born and grew up in a place where more great unspoiled nature is left than anywhere else in Japan, so the world of nature is always close. Whether I am aware of it or not, I am inspired by it in many ways,” – Eisaku Toro (noroyarns.com)

The real joy in Silk Garden Lite is Noro’s fantastic ability to combine stunning colours to create a yarn that self stripes in bands that merge and blend between each other. Pinks flow into greens, browns into greys, blues into purples in pleasing and interesting ways making them fun to knit. Their distinct dyeing process is slow and meticulous with the upmost integrity and concern for our surroundings.

Silk Garden Light is ideal for all sorts of knitted and crochet projects. Soft but with a bit of texture to it, blooming slightly with the touch of mohair. I would knit it very simply, purely to enjoy the colours but it would look equally great paired with a solid colour. Simply striped or going more elaborate with a colour work design. Take a look below for some pattern inspiration.

Noro Striped Scarf (link to Ravelry) by Jared Flood. As I was laying out the Noro to take a photo of it I got chatting to a customer and she recommended this simple to knit striped scarf. Ideal for beginner knitters but engaging enough to keep you interested. You can really enjoy the colours of Silk Garden Lite as you stripe between them.

Welsh blanket – cowl (link to Ravelry) by Susan Ashcroft. This simple two colour cowl makes a dramatic statement in an easy to knit slipped stitch repeat. Idea for the self striping colours of Noro. Pair it with a dark or light solid for different results.

#7 Directional Pillow Cover (link to Ravelry) by Irina Poludnenko. I love the clever use of the way that Silk Garden light transitions between different colours. Having the lines of knitting in these squares go in different direction really works with this yarn. The modular squares are worked separately and then joined together with a three needle bind off.

Snowflakes on Mulberries Hat (DK Weight) (link to Ravelry) by Amy Klimt. It’s always handy to have a simple hat pattern you know is going to work in a particular yarn and this one is written for Silk Garden Lite. I always find the geometry of hat decreases in rib to be very pleasing. This little hat can be knit up in one ball.

Robinia Light (link to Ravelry) by Anne Ventzel. I was looking through lots of DK colourwork jumpers and thinking that substituting one of the colourwork sections for Silk Garden Lite would look really cool in lots of them. Then this lighter version of Anne Ventzel’s Robinia Sweater popped up, how cute would it be if the contrast colour was done in Silk Garden Lite giving you multicoloured waves across a neutral background.