Color-work

I completed my first color work project over spring break.  It's a hat made from yarn that I get in a sock yarn club.  This one featured a gorgeous sock pattern that had embroidery or a hat patter than was color work.  While I thought it might be fun to combine my embroidery skills with knitting, I finally decided not to do so because, in the end, I don't think it would look all that good.  I can see the potential for lots of bumps and puckers and, truthfully, even if I could get the embroidery to be smooth, I don't know that it would feel all that comfortable on the feet.

On Ravelry I read about the experiences of other people who had knit the sock and done the embroidery and they all said that the sock was very thick and that it wasn't as stretchy and comfy as usual.  So, while a beautiful sock is indeed a work of art, I would like my socks to also be functional...so I decided to knit the hat instead.  Not having done color work before it was a great opportunity to expand my skills and see if I would like it or not.

And I did truly enjoy it.  I became almost obsessed with working on the hat.  Had a difficult time stopping to go places, or even to go to bed.  I was very careful not to let the inside floats be too tight and I thoroughly enjoyed working with both yarns for different reasons.  The silk/merino blend that is the colored yarn is just gorgeous--to the touch, to the sight.  It lends an almost velvety look to the finished project that is very hard to obtain with traditional plied yarns.

The brown, in its own way, is also gorgeous.  Though it's main purpose is to sit back and let the colored yarn be pretty, if you look closely enough you'll see subtle variations in color that make it have depth and character all its own.

So, I proudly show off my first color work hat...which unfortunately was entirely too small for my giant head.  Alyssa was kind enough to model it for me in exchange for me giving it to her...we all have our price!