Black Is the New Black

What’s your favorite color? Whether it is the color we love to wear or just a color that we find appealing, most folks immediately know the answer to the question.

The color found in wardrobes again and again is black. The reason is simple: black truly goes with everything. And in fact, it actually makes other colors even more vibrant. Even so, it is not a color we knit with very often.

The first project that actually kindled my love of knitting was a black scarf for my best buddy. He was 6’4″ and wanted a black scarf that would reach down to his knees. So for Christmas I made him the scarf of his dreams. It was a ton of knitting.

But in the decades since, I have not ever knit a project that was all black.

Lots of my projects utilize elements of black. Some are even mostly black. But putting all that time and knitting into a completely black project seemed like wasted effort. That is, until recently.

I have shared my love of working with leftover yarn many times over the years, and I also have an impressive collection of black leftovers. So what would be the perfect black project? A skirt of  course!

I love knitting skirts and usually have at least 2 – 4 purchased black skirts in my closet at any given time. So if I was to spend time knitting black, it might as be for something I am bound to use. In addition, all the slight color variations combined with the wide range of textures makes the fabric rather rich. To ensure that the knitting effort did not go to waste, I decided on a deeply textured fabric.

In a few weeks I will be teaching a weekend retreat on making the most of leftover yarns. Saturday evening always includes a wonderful dinner out at a local fine dining establishment. My goal is to have the skirt done to wear to dinner that evening (hopefully I won’t spill).

Although my eyesight is nowhere near as good as it was when I knit the scarf, the simple stitch pattern makes the knitting easier than it might have been if I had to focus on every stitch. I am also using a thread row counter which I describe as part of the knitting hacks series you receive when you sign up for our newsletter. With age also comes experience, which can sometimes counter-balance the lack of young eyes.

I won’t promise you a picture, because black – big solid waves of black – is particularly difficult to photograph. But if you see me wearing it at an event, make sure you stop me and ask to take a closer look. I think you will like what you see. And it just might make you think about knitting a black skirt for yourself too!