Knit-Along Check In: What Yarn Are You Using?

The countdown is on: we only have five more days until the knit-along ends! Remember to email your submission photos (at least one sock or knee-high) to sccphotosubmit@gmail.com to qualify for the prize. More details here. 

Today I wanted to talk about yarn choices. While any fingering or sock weight yarn would be suitable for the Bonnie Birds pattern, colorwork brings up some interesting issues concerning the type of yarn you use. For me, I prefer a wool or mostly wool yarn, and I prefer that it is not too smooth or slippery, as this tends to give me better tension and an overall better-looking finished piece. That's not to say that colorwork can't be done in, say, bamboo yarn, but I do find it a bit more challenging.

The yarn I'm using, Fiber Optic Yarns Foot Notes, has been a dream to work with. It has a really nice, soft hand, and the blue I'm using (Kentucky Blue!) has just enough variegation to add depth and interest to the colorwork design. When choosing yarns for colorwork, also consider the color or colors it contains: a solid color will obviously give you the crispest image, but it also won't give you much added depth. A wildly variegated yarn is really wonderful to look at in the hank, but it might also be too busy and distort the image. I typically reach for semi-solid or kettle-dyed yarns when working colorwork, as these give me the most pleasing result.

I'm finished with the leg of my first knee-high and ready to move on to the heel flap and foot. Can I make it in five days? I think so, but we'll see!

What yarn are you using? Have you used it before in colorwork? If it's your first experience with it, would you use it again? I'd love to hear from you!

And remember, submit those photos by March 25 to qualify for the prize, which includes a skein of Fiber Optic Yarns Foot Notes in the color of your choice!

Rachel is a Craft Editor by day and a knitting addict aficionado by night. In addition to knitting, she reads, bakes really terrible cornbread muffins, and spends way too much time on Ravelry. She can be found as rachelthepeach on Ravelry, and just plain Rachel on this blog. She lives in Northern Kentucky with her fiancé, two dogs, two rabbits, and way too much yarn.