Noro.....a Rainbow on the Needles...

......and a pip to knit, being one of their one ply types, but gosh, the color is worth the trouble. I did not even try to bother with color correcting the pics; the shades are so luminous that I don't know where to start. Truly, the color is much more intense than pictured. The yarn is beautiful in person.....no other company can compete with it. I have lusted after their yarns for ages, but cost always held me back. It is not inexpensive.
I remember the first article I read about it, the photos of the fibers being readied for carding, the Japanese asthetic in color blending. I was in love; L-U-V!!!
And fairly broke, so, no Noro for me.
However......finally, years later, Simply Socks has a SALE (the magic words for any woman!). And Noro was on SALE.

Okay, fess up time. I bought this at half price, have two other balls in different colors, will no doubt use them for socks too....just not now. I want to see how these wear. I chose ribbing for the back panel and kept the lace on the front; I wasn't sure about long term strength. And the lace has a lot of yarn overs, which are thin is some areas......me visualizing the worst, a thread breaks.....things unravel...I unravel!

Spinners know the travails of one ply; it twists back upon itself in thin areas. When I spun, mine was always over twisted and I had all these little knotty messes. I only had a few with the commercial yarn but you still can't be harsh--it has to be handled carefully. I think, though, after a good wash that they should be fine. 100% wool, so minor felting should occur, thus locking the fibers. (just nod your head *yes* and agree with the crazy lady with the sharp needles)

I have a bamboo blend yarn on the needles now and it has NO give what so ever. All I can say is it is soft. Have doubts about the amount of ease when finished.
This is my "sitting on the couch behaving" work. By December, I should have enough socks knit for ten centipedes. Even centipedes with my size feet...nervous energy put to good use. And the stash diminishing. Well, not that much but I can see yarn I forgot I bought, and now wonder WHY.......
The best part is when I get to knit socks from the leftovers. I like those the best--all mixed colors and solids and quirky! Like I need help in that department. HA!
So that's my contribution to the creative end of the gene-pool today; at least for the most part my legs didn't show...... ;-) Thank heaven I didn't have to post the "pasty leg alert" this time!
Have a good one and someday maybe I'll share my little cussing-fit story of doing that picot edge from the toe up. (totally backwards---it is much easier when doing cuff down! like you're supposed to)
I bid you warmth, good yarn, and above all else....

Pax.

A link for mini Christmas ornament stockings:

http://littlecottonrabbits.typepad.co.uk/free_knitting_patterns/2007/06/knitted_mini_ch.html

An easy way to learn without lots of committment of money and time......