Hither and Yarn

It is always a wonder and mystery to me, how a skein of handpainted yarn will knit up. I’ve figured out a little by trial and error, but like a baby, you just don’t know exactly how it will turn out.

Here’s an example:

This is an eBay acquisition, a mill end of Cherry Tree Hill Supersock DK, a washable merino. When I got it, I was unenthused. It was, to my eyes, a blend of murky brown and olive with steel blue and a few spots where the brown didn’t take. I like earth tones, but . . .

But wool in dark colors is exactly what was requested for the current Afghans for Afghans project, so I decided to start a little sock using Norma’s Magic 28 sock pattern.

First I wound the yarn into a center pull ball.

Hmm. Looks significantly nicer — warm and earthy, like fall in the woods with a glimpse of blue lake in the distance.

Then I knit the first sock:

Hey! I like it a lot!

I guess that’s why I’m not working at Cherry Tree Hill as a master handpainter, eh?

On a greener note, it’s spring in Wisconsin! I planted more bulbs last fall and am delighted with my daffodils:

Not only are they lovely, but the resident Naughty Bunny leaves them alone (unlike the crocuses and tulip buds).