Hrrmph

[starfish]

So I broke down and bought me some Noro Silk Garden, online, figuring I would make me a scarf-cowl that I had a pattern for but no yarn. Because, you know, Noro. And I am entirely underwhelmed and not a little sad.

First of all, almost $12 per 50gr skein (I bought two) plus shipping is a good bit of money. So there's that to live up to. And then ...

One skein had bad thick-and-thin issues - it went from bulky to sport weight in several places. I was using size 7 (4.5 mm) needles, so it was pretty noticeable when what I was knitting with was one step away from sock yarn. And that's not helpful when you're making a hood.

The other skein had constant burrs and twigs in it, way more than I expected. I had to stop and pick out every one of them, because if this thing I'm knitting is going around my neck, I don't want poky things in it.

And yes, the colors are lovely and striking but let me tell you how that is so NOT making up for anything right now.

Also, the pattern as written does not make a deep enough hood for my liking, and the only way to correct that is to frog it and start over, and I just don't know if it's worth it.

I have put it away for now and am going to work on a gift for someone, but I really think tomorrow I am going to tear it all out and wind it up and see if someone on Ravelry wants to swap for it. Sigh. And then I have to pay shipping again.

Comments

[vilakins]

I bought two lots of Noro this year on sale because I've loved the finished projects on Ravelry, but I also was a little annoyed by the variations in thickness. What really pissed me off though was the joins made without any consideration for matching colour. I wasted quite a bit of yarn matching to the proper colour later on in the skein. I'll look for another brand with interesting graduated colours in future.