Like buttah!

Thanks for the response on the series, everyone! It's particularly satisfying to know that people do it in so many different ways. I learned by intuition, and through reading books and sites; I never attended a demo or learned from someone, so your affirmation is appreciated! I've got a couple more lined up on colored fiber, so stay tuned.

I finally got my act together and posted an entry on our colorwork knitalong. Andrea, Mary-Heather and I have decided to host Stranded: the Colorwork Challenge together. It's an all-types colorwork knitalong, so if you've been itching to try some colorwork, here's the knitalong for you. It starts December 1, 2006 and runs for a while (we haven't decided on an end date yet). If you're interested, email your info and project specifics to strandedcolorwork at yahoo dot com.

I love merino. Love it. I love its fineness, its silkiness, its sheen. Look at that brown buttery color too. *sigh* This is the third time I've spun with 100% merino, and it's only gotten better with each time. Granted, my softness/speed project isn't ideal for the fiber--downy fiber is optimal, says Miss Paula Simmons--but merino and I, we work well together.

Fiber: Merino, camel-colored. I haven't a clue on how many ounces, since I gave away samples to various people.
Vendor: Blue Goose Glen
Yield: 202 yards
Weight: Roughly worsted

Did I mention the fantastic color? Camel. This is such a classic color, it goes with practically anything. At first, I envisioned a scarf. But I have lots of scarves. And wraps. I think I may knit this with the pewter-colored singles into a vest. Or a sweater for the niece.

Here's the ugly side of this particular merino batch: I think I felted it. The yarn sticks to itself. The surface of the yarn is slightly sealed, but still soft. I did felt it, didn't I? Gah.

I let it soak in a bucket of lukewarm water, then went away to eat. Fifteen minutes later I went into the bathroom and washed my hands. Then, without stopping to think about it, I pulled out the now-cold merino, drained the bucket, and filled it with hot water from the same tap. I put the merino in it and left the bathroom. Five minutes later when I realized what I did, I ran in, took out the merino, drained the bucket and filled it with cold water. So I dunked the merino in that. I watched as the merino floated slowly to the top, and then it hit me: cold + hot + cold = unhappy yarn. I shrieked when I realized what I'd done, then drained the bucket again and filled it with warm water. Uh. It's felted. But still knittable. Thank gawd!