The next project is going to be the Silk and Pearls Cami (http://marniemaclean.com/words/image/kls/silkpearlcami.jpg) from Knitting Lingerie Style (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Knitting-Lingerie-Style-Lingerie-inspired-Designs/dp/1584795778/ref=pd_sim_b_4/203-8033146-1397546). It calls for four skeins (110 yards/100g skein) of the 100% silk Classic Elite Temptation (http://www.yarndex.com/yarn.cfm?yarn_id=2968), a 'heavy worsted' yarn with a 13 stitch gauge on 5.5 mm needles.

I haven't seen this yarn available over here (and it's a bit on the expensive side too - $40 per skein). Does anyone have any recommendations for a suitable alternative? I'd like to retain the drape, feel and sheen of the 100% silk, but a fibre mix might work too.

EDIT: And apparently the Temptation yarn has been discontinued too :roll: .

The designer's other recommendation is for Lorna's Laces Lion and Lamb held double which is going to be no good from a cost point of view (£32/205 yards). The Lion and Lamb is 50% wool and 50% silk so that leads then to something of THAT composition. I'd go for Jaggerspun Zephyr wool silk, I'd have to do some number crunching to work out whether the double knit is the same weight as the Lion and Lamb. I've not used the DK, only the lace weight but it is lovely yarn to work with.

I'll give it more thought later (school run beckons) but if you want to work out the sub yourself this (http://www.sarahsyarns.com/JSZephyr.html)is where I get my laceweight from. (I have the Zepyhr shade card if you go down that route). The postage was reasonable last time I ordered.

The Lion and Lamb is 205 yards/100g, the Jaggerspun Zephyr dk is a bit thinner at 246 yards/100g. The problem of course is that I have no idea at all whether you'd hit gauge with that or whether it would come out significantly smaller. You could get a knittable sample and give it a go, if it works out it would be a big saving and it would have the silky sheen that you're after.

I've not worked with Hipknits aran silk, it's in the same ballpark (180m 100g but all silk rather than wool silk), you could try that doubled. Maybe someone has a bit spare they could give you?

That's me done for ideas.

(PS I have several miles of the Zephyr laceweight if you want a bit to see the shine)

Thank you very much, Wool4brains, for all that information. I'm going to go away and digest it all overnight.

EDIT: Just spotted the offer of a bit of the Zephyr laceweight. Yes, that would be great - thanks very much. I'll PM you my address.