Yarn restraint!

I was restrained in my yarn buying at this year's EYF, as I have two sweaters' worth as yet unknit from last year (Uist Wools and TJFrog, since you ask.

But this year I succumbed right at the end of Friday to 400g of Uradale's 2-ply jumper weight, in dark purple to pale blue.

I see a top down, yoked colourwork sweater, fading from dark round the neck and shoulders to pale cuffs and bottom, so I need another colour.

Here are three quick spindle-spin samples I whipped out today.

The top one is Merino d'Arles, very soft and squishy, ridiculously elastic as yarn, and a rich cream colour. Very matte and smooth - a good contrast with the heathered blue Shetland.

Next one down is BFL and silk. Beautifully shiny, but both fibres are flat and have a habit if crushing in use; too different from the Uradale to make a consistent knitted fabric, though it would look glorious to start.

Last one is one of John Arbon's blends, Devonia Cream I think. It's mostly longwool but much fluffier and whiter than the BFL. I could get a more airy and woollen-like yarn with this, and it would glow against the blue. There's a halo too.

Cream and blue looks surprisingly different from white and blue. I shall knit up some samples to see what it looks like, but nothing fussy as I'll probably have to unravel. Flat and matte with a consistent fabric, or bright white and haloed?

However, I'd better finish at least one thing before I start this. Currently ongoing are socks (in raggsock yarm from Midwinter Yarns, addictive stuff for cushy socks), a colourwork vest (Carraig Fhada in Buachaille) and a big semicircle shawl (Knowth, in my handspun, for a trade at Wonderwool).