Yarn Name: Stash-Up Handpainted Yarns
Yarn Color: Mister Darling
Type: Indie
Content: 100% Superwash BFL
Put-Up: 430 yards
Weight: 3.5 oz
Gauge: 7-9 sts/in
Needle Size: 0-3
Purchase At: http://www.stashupyarns.etsy.com

This is another new dyer for me. What a delight! When I opened up the tissue surrounding this skein and the other one I purchased, the unmistakable aroma of lavender wafted out. When I put the skein up to my nose, I was enveloped in that delightful aroma. I don't normally list colors, but this skein has so many that I felt you might be interested. They are medium to light blue, light turquoise, slate blue, dark to medium brown, moss green, and lavender. I've heard people rave about the softness of BFL, but I've never found it to be overly soft in the skein. This yarn, however, has proven me wrong. Soft as a cloud, with colors that flow and move and form secondary colors, there are surprises everywhere you look. This yarn has a hard medium twist, which makes the softness that much more surprising. Because of this, wearability should be excellent. With the generous put-up, you'll only need one skein for a pair of socks. The dyer puts all the information you need to know about the skein (other than the gauge and needle sizes) on the label, including the care instructions. There are several colorways to choose from, each one as delightful as this one. I think this dyer is going to make a name for herself in the knitting world before long, and I'm delighted to be in on the ground floor.





Yarn Name: Lime & Violet Sasquatch Sock
Yarn Color: Risk
Type: Indie
Content: 75% Superwash Wool, 25% Nylon
Put-Up: 425 yards
Weight: 104 grams
Gauge: 7-9 sts/in
Needle Size: 1-3
Purchase At: http://www.limenviolet.com/shop

A beautiful offering from our good friends, Lime & Violet (of podcast fame). This latest series of yarn has been named after board games. They have not disappointed me. The colors are soft and melt into each other; there are no hard breaks. Secondary colors peek out here and there. The yarn is soft with a medium twist. Wearability should be good. You should only need one skein to make a pair of socks. Their colorways are inspired; you will find a host of them at their website and The Loopy Ewe, which is where I purchased this skein. I particularly like this line; it makes beautiful socks, and the yarn flows through your fingers with ease. According to the label, the only thing you have to pay attention to is: Beware of Bigfoot!





Yarn Name: Chewy Spaghetti
Yarn Color: Lovely
Type: Indie/Commercial
Content: 100% Superwash Merino
Put-Up: 430 yards
Weight: 110 grams
Gauge: 6-7 sts/in
Needle Size: 1-3
Purchase At: http://www.chewyspaghetti.etsy.com

This is another dyer whose yarn is borderline indie/commercial. They have gotten so big that I really don't consider them an indie anymore, but they're also very popular, which is why I've included them here. This is the fingering weight; they also have a DK weight which I don't care for (DK yarn isn't my cup of tea). Like all their colorways, this one is indeed "Lovely". The breaks in color are a bit abrupt, which is a sign of commercial yarn. I'm sorry to see this; their yarn used to have very soft breaks with secondary and even tertiary colors forming at the color changes. Even so, the colors are beautiful and the yarn is a joy to knit with. This is a hard-twist yarn, so wearability is excellent. One skein is ample enough for a pair of socks. I like this yarn and their myriad colorways, but I don't think I'll be buying much more of it. It's moving too far into the commercial realm.





Yarn Name: Painted Skeins
Yarn Color: Graphite
Type: Indie
Content: 63% Superwash Merino, 20% Silk, 15% Nylon, 2% Real Silver
Put-Up: 420 yards
Weight: 100 grams
Gauge: 6.75-9 sts/in
Needle Size: 0-3
Purchase At: http://www.paintedskeins.com

When I saw this skein, my heart stopped, I had trouble breathing, and I fell off my chair. Then I hit the appropriate keys on the keyboard to snag it before someone else took MY skein. This is one of the most unique pieces of art I've ever seen. I consider all hand-dyed and -painted skeins art, but this one is unique. Look at the contents. Yes, you read it right - real silver. You would think that putting metal in a skein of yarn would make it stiff, but quite the contrary. Even with the silk content, which sometimes makes yarn sticky, this one is soft and silky. The silver sparkles under lights like diamonds. The color is actually a dark charcoal and is kettle-dyed. What a sophisticated yarn! It has a hard medium twist which makes its' wearability very good. The only thing that concerns me is that the silver thread sticks up out of the yarn; I'm not sure how well that will wear when rubbing against a shoe. Nevertheless, this yarn would make a spectacular pair of socks for that special evening out - most appropriate for the holiday season and when you're wearing a dressy pants outfit. One skein is all you'll need for that special pair of socks. I think this yarn would show itself off in lace or a complex textural pattern; cables tend to not show up as well in dark yarns. All the information you need about the skein is on the hang tag. I'm looking forward to casting on with it. The dyer is very friendly and has excellent customer service. This is another dyer who is going to make a name for herself in the knitting world.





Yarn Name: Spindle City Yarns
Yarn Color: Granite
Type: Indie
Content: 75% Superwash Wool, 25% Nylon
Put-Up: 462 yards
Weight: 102 grams
Gauge: 7-8 sts/in
Needle Size: 1-3
Purchase At: http://www.prochemical.com

This is another of those yarns that I saw and had to have. The colors are darker than what the picture shows and quite dramatic. Colors move, flow into and out of each other, form secondary and tertiary colors and have no hard breaks. In fact, there are no breaks anywhere. This yarn is extraordinarily soft and squishy. When I pick it up, I have a hard time putting it down. The colorway is inspired and sophisticated. All the information you need is on the hang tag, although the weight says 100 grams. Even though the skein feels light, I had to weigh it due to the large put-up. My scale said 102, so I think it's just a matter of scales differing slightly. Besides, the weight isn't what's important to knitters. This yarn has a medium twist, which accounts for the poofiness and softness it possesses. Wearability should be good. Because of the generous put-up, you should be able to knit any pattern for a pair of socks. This is also a new dyer for me, and one which I will visit again.





Yarn Name: Maine Woods Yarn & Fiber
Yarn Color: Birch Trees
Type: Indie
Content: 100% Merino
Put-Up: 450 yards
Weight: 100 grams
Gauge: 7-9 sts/in
Needle Size: 1-3
Purchase At: http://www.mainewoodsyarn.com

This is yet another new dyer. When I saw this yarn, I had a feeling that there would be more to it than the picture showed, and I was right. The colors in this cake (since it came wound for me) move in and out of each other, so there really are no breaks; yes, the colors change, but there are colors on colors in colors, so it's difficult for me to say that the colors break like most other yarns. Soft and squishly, this yarn has a medium twist that makes it feel wonderful in your hands. It should have good wearability. I couldn't find any washing instructions, and since the content states "merino" as opposed to "superwash", I would handle the finished product as a hand-wash item. This skein has an exceptionally good put-up; you can make any pair of socks out of this. The only gripe I have is that I would have liked to see a lot more information than just the name of the dyer and the color of the yarn. Otherwise, use your common sense. This is a dyer that I will definitely visit again.





Yarn Name: Wolf Creek Wools Toe Jammies
Yarn Color: Caribe
Type: Indie
Content: 100% Superwash Merino
Put-Up: 470 yards
Weight: 4 oz
Gauge: 7-9 sts/in
Needle Size: 1-2
Purchase At: http://www.sweetgrasswool.com

I love this dyer. Her customer service is outstanding, and she goes the extra mile to make sure you're satisfied. This yarn is extremely soft, which is surprising because it has a hard twist. The colorway is exquisite. The colors are bright and well-defined, and they softly fade into the next color rather than break sharply. Wearability should be excellent. The put-up is extremely generous; you should be able to make any pattern you wish for a pair of socks. All the information you need is right on the ball band. Because this yarn is busy, it is best used for patterns that do not rely on the stitch formation for the pattern. The plainer the pattern, the better this yarn will shine. This dyer has many colorways, all of them as beautiful as this one. I will be visiting her many more times in the future.