Yarn Name: Pigeon Roof Studios Kalypso
Yarn Color: Nightshade
Type: Indie
Content: 100% Superwash Merino
Put-Up: 185 yards each
Weight: 32-34 grams each
Gauge: 8-9 sts/in
Needle Size: 1-2
Purchase At: http://pigeonroofstudios.etsy.com

What a gorgeous yarn! I waited for quite a while until this colorway became available in this particular yarn type; the seller was extremely diligent in contacting me as soon as it was ready. I thought at first that it was a thinner, hard twist yarn, but I was wrong. One of the ends is loose, revealing a delightfully loose-medium twist yarn that is soft as a cloud. The colors compliment each other and flow in and out, forming secondary and tertiary colors at the breaks. The grade of merino is very high; this yarn feels like it has silk or cashmere in it. Because the individual skeins are small, I purchased three in order to make a pair of socks for size 10 feet. Check your pattern carefully for yardage requirements as the put-ups on the yarn types I've seen are small. This yarn should have good wearability. The seller carries a variety of colorways and weights; there should be something here to please everybody.





Yarn Name: Curious Creek Fibers Wasonga
Yarn Color: Early Sunset
Type: Indie/Commercial
Content: 100% Superwash Merino
Put-Up: 493 yds
Weight: 100 grams
Gauge: 7-8 sts/in
Needle Size: 1
Purchase At: http://www.curiouscreek.com

I have cashmere made by this company, so when I was at a brick and mortar last week and saw their display, I began to drool. After fondling a lot of fibers (including an absolutely delicious alpaca), I decided on the merino. A loose-twist yarn, it has remarkable softness; however, it also has very good wearability. This yarn is labeled indie/commercial because it is commercially spun but hand-painted. The painting is superb; the colors dance and breathe with no hard breaks; there are also different colors throughout the skein, not just at the breaks. One skein will be more than enough to make a pair of socks. It is also naturally treated to deter moths, which is always a good thing; whatever the yarn was treated with doesn't detract from it's wonderful hand. I normally wouldn't have purchased a colorway like this, but there was just something about it that drew me back to it time and time again. This company puts out several different types of yarn (including the aforementioned 100% cashmere) in a myriad of colorways. You may purchase it at your LYS or online from various sellers. Be warned; this skein was $38, so it's not cheap, even for the put-up. However, it's of extremely high quality. I'd rather pay more for quality and have it be a joy to knit with than purchase a "bargain" and have it split and pill. If you're on a budget, though, you might want to pass on this company; none of their yarns are inexpensive.





Yarn Name: Rio de la Plata
Yarn Color: SP10
Type: Indie/Commercial
Content: 100% Superwash Merino
Put-Up: 437 yds
Weight: 3.5 oz
Gauge: 7-8 sts/in
Needle Size: 1-2
Purchase At: http://www.riodelaplatayarns.com

This company is from Uruguay and is imported by their USA division. I bought this yarn because I understood that the proceeds benefit a women's cooperative. The company makes a variety of yarn types, including a more "normal" yarn (which can be viewed on my regular blog). I love this yarn for many reasons: it's a very soft 3-ply, with each ply being a combination of different colors - they all combine to make a very unusual and beautiful yarn; it knits up like a dream; and I've found the yarns from Uruguay to be exceptionally hard-wearing and of high quality. The colors listed on the label are red orange, sparkling grape, sky blue, lime green, vibrant orange, and ethereal blue - a combination that sounds like it wouldn't go together at all. All the yarns of this particular type are dyed and plied in this manner, with colors that you would never put together, but which kiss each other in a gorgeous riot of color. Put-up is good; you should have enough yarn in one skein for a pair of socks. The other type of yarn I have from this company has the same put-up, but is dyed in a more conventional manner. I own a few of this type in various colorways, and they're all glorious. The price is also very reasonable. This yarn may be purchased from several brick and mortars or from online retailers.