I have all these wonderful ideas for yarn choices for <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/olgas-vest">Olga's Vest</a> and I thought to whom better to share these ideas than with my KAL participants... I hope these swatches inspire you as much as they did me.  I had a ton of fun experimenting with different yarns, colors, and textures for this project.  Here is what I have to share:

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In the pictures below I swatched up the new <a href="http://www.shibuiknits.com/Yarn/Colorways.php?Yarn=Linen">ShiBui Linen</a> - a wonderful 100% Linen yarn with a clean and crisp finish.  This yarn will definitely hold up well to the structure and shape of <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/olgas-vest">Olga's Vest</a>.
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>- It's about time someone else come up with a beautiful linen yarn!!!</strong></p>
<a href="http://graceakhrem.com/2012/07/olgas-vest-swatches/dsc_0068-2/" rel="attachment wp-att-1770"><img class="alignleft  wp-image-1770" title="DSC_0068" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/DSC_0068-250x250.jpg" alt="" width="256" height="256" /></a> <a href="http://graceakhrem.com/2012/07/olgas-vest-swatches/dsc_0069-2/" rel="attachment wp-att-1771"><img class="alignright  wp-image-1771" title="DSC_0069" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/DSC_0069-250x250.jpg" alt="" width="254" height="254" /></a>

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Next is one of my all time favorite yarn companies, <a href="http://www.pagewoodfarm.com/">Pagewood Farm</a>.  I love everything about their hand-dyed yarns.  Today I have swatched up for you the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/pagewood-farm-alyeska-hand-dyed-sock-yarn">Alyeska </a>- this is a gorgeous blend of 80% merino, 10% cashmere, 10% nylon.  The drape and color selection of this yarn will work well for <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/olgas-vest">Olga's Vest</a>.

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<a href="http://graceakhrem.com/2012/07/olgas-vest-swatches/dsc_0073-2/" rel="attachment wp-att-1772"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1772" title="DSC_0073" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/DSC_0073-334x500.jpg" alt="" width="334" height="500" /></a>

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I have been curious to see if this stitch pattern can hold up to a variegated yarn.  Here I have swatched up another one of my favorite yarns <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/koigu-painters-palette-premium-merino-kpppm">Koigu KPPPM</a> (<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/koigu-premium-merino-kpm">KPM</a> will work too).  This is a very classic yarn with a classic fiber content, 100% merino wool, that's it!  Love this stuff!!!

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<a href="http://graceakhrem.com/2012/07/olgas-vest-swatches/dsc_0075-4/" rel="attachment wp-att-1773"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1773" title="DSC_0075" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/DSC_0075-500x334.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="334" /></a>

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<a href="http://graceakhrem.com/2012/04/another-olgas-vest/">Last time</a> I made an <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/olgas-vest">Olga's Vest</a> I used <a href="http://www.habutextiles.com/A-174">Habu Cotton Gima</a> doubled up.... it came out so beautiful.  I'll be sharing photos of the finished garment later in the KAL.  Here is what the <a href="http://www.habutextiles.com/A-174">Gima</a> looks like knitted up in pattern- its very special.

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<a href="http://graceakhrem.com/2012/07/olgas-vest-swatches/dsc_0068-3/" rel="attachment wp-att-1780"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1780" title="DSC_0068" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/DSC_00681-500x334.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="334" /></a>

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After swatching all these great yarns I wanted to to have one more swatch suggestion.... but it couldn't be just another yarn.  It had to be something special.... I wanted Oooooos and Aaaaaaas!  So I searched far and wide (within my stash) and came up with <a href="http://shop.sweetgeorgiayarns.com/collections/dyed-to-order/products/silk-crush-sock">SweetGeorgia Silk Crush</a> (50% silk, 50% merino wool) and <a href="http://www.habutextiles.com/A-32">Habu Silk Mohair</a> (60% mohair, 40% silk) in my favorite color combo- Grellow!.  Wow what a combo! I think it is gorgeous, but I'll let you decide for yourself.

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<a href="http://graceakhrem.com/2012/07/olgas-vest-swatches/sweet-georgia-silk-mohair-2/" rel="attachment wp-att-1799"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1799" title="Sweet-Georgia-Silk-Mohair-2" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Sweet-Georgia-Silk-Mohair-2-334x500.jpg" alt="" width="334" height="500" /></a>

<a href="http://graceakhrem.com/2012/07/olgas-vest-swatches/sweet-geaorgia-silk-mohair1/" rel="attachment wp-att-1800"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1800" title="Sweet-Geaorgia-Silk-Mohair1" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Sweet-Geaorgia-Silk-Mohair1-500x334.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="334" /></a>

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Another Fun combination of yarn is the <a href="http://www.habutextiles.com/A-165">Habu Tokken Silk</a> (100% silk) held with the <a href="http://www.habutextiles.com/A-15">Habu Kakishibu Tokkenshi</a> (100% silk).  Even though these are both 100% silk yarns their textures are very different and compliment each other well.  I would love to see an <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/olgas-vest">Olga's Vest</a> knit up in this combo!

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<a href="http://graceakhrem.com/2012/07/olgas-vest-swatches/dsc_0084-4/" rel="attachment wp-att-1774"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1774" title="DSC_0084" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/DSC_0084-334x500.jpg" alt="" width="334" height="500" /></a>

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I have already chosen my yarn for the KAL, have you? If you need help choosing yarns just let me know.  You can email me your questions to Me@GraceAkhrem.com or you can post it on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/GraceAkhrem">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/GraceAkhrem">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/groups/grace-akhrem-fans">Ravelry</a>, or on the blog.  Have fun choosing yarn- we start next week!