I do love the 4x4 checks (aka Shepherds Plaid or Northumbrian tartan or Border tartan when in black/white). Here is my red version for my daughter for Pascha gifts. The basket cover was my original idea, its all cotton 8/2 at 18epi. Then I saw kits with tea towel + shawl and decided to do that. I exchanged the red cotton weft with dragon fruit bombyx silk and left it at 18epi. It came out a little firm for my tastes, so I had some silk left and did the check scarf at 16epi. The silk with the red (named Cherry color) is just fantastic. Pink and red - who knew.
https://ibb.co/zrPtPGs
https://ibb.co/txbJhSv
https://ibb.co/VtJmLZF
https://ibb.co/Q6JgF0q
Now that I have ‘lived with ‘ the shawl a couple of weeks it feels less stiff, maybe it has had some time to relax a bit.
Beautifully done, Nancy! It will get softer with use - a nice spring weight.