Today I'd like to talk a bit about MERIBELLA 70/30 Fingering Singles which is my slinky, sexy merino/silk singles fingering base ~ a classic, and super pretty to boot.
The construction of this base is a blend of 70% superwash Merino wool and 30% mulberry silk. It is not plied, it's a singles base with a tight twist, which results in a strand that is quite dense and strong and as a result silky and slinky. I have a shawl I knit 2 years ago and have found that it has not pilled much at all.
The blend and construction of this base creates very pleasing dyepot results, in my opinion. I find most colourways appear less blended on this base; the dye strikes quickly and the layering of washes is beautiful, with a watercolour-painting-like effect. The silk makes the colours pop and gleam - as I find is the effect on many of my bases with silk - but just a little more because it's a singles.
Because of the dense construction the hanks appear a bit smaller, but they have generous yardage at 438 yards or 400 metres per 100g unit. A few good smacks of the twisted hank on the counter or table can open it up a bit, but isn't necessary. It's a pretty tough base and can take it, though, so go ahead if you need to get out a little frustration :) Generally, I have found it blooms a bit, but doesn't expand much overall once worked.
My Birds of a Feather shawl (design by Andrea Mowry) when it was in the works... shows off the glow and stitch definition
It is a slinky base with a lot of drape and not particularly "smooshy" or with much memory. As a result, I recommend it for shawls or scarves as well as any sweaters that don't require much body: a swingy cardigan, a summery tee, a little bolero for your LBD, or even a skirt if you're feeling adventurous.
It is a wonderful partner for any patterns that pair a fingering yarn with mohair/silk lace (my base is KidMoSilk Lace). The glow of the Meribella offers a lovely contrast to the floof, as you can see in my finished Birds of a Feather.
Please see my "yarnie" page on Ravelry for some beautiful projects using this sweet base
It is a premium base and one that should definitely be hand-washed and air-dried flat, superwash treatment notwithstanding. I hope you enjoy it if you decide to give it a try!
What I'm actively working on now (in other words, which WIPs are getting attention): a new kidmosilk lace/fingering hat design, Naveen by Kate Oates [loving it!] and sock 1 of a pair of toe-up afterthought heel socks (no pattern) ~ check out my project pages on Rav [no change from 2 weeks ago, just not making as much progress as I'd like].
No FO's to share at the moment (see above - must knit faster...)!
With the C-19 situation, I have no in-person events coming up, but will update as soon as possible.
Nothing in-person, but ongoing today through May 8, 2020 is the Online International Fibre Festival in which Crooked Kitchen Yarn is one of the vendors representing Canada in the online market. It's an 8-day "armchair" virtual exploration of 8 different countries, with lots to see. Visit https://oiff.familypodcasts.com/ for all the details. Today happens to be the explore Canada day, eh! [I am leaving the link because the show may be over when you're reading this blog but the website will remain active.]