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Color Choices for Lace
The busier the pattern the tamer the yarn needs to be.
When choosing a color of yarn for your lace pieces there are a few things to keep in mind.
Chose a yarn that will let the pattern shine through and be seen. If the yarn is too fuzzy, has a lot of quick color changes or is too thick, the lace design in the pattern will be lost.
Another variable is how dark the color is and the type of texture that might be part of the design as well as lace.
Cables and nupps or bobble stitches for example are “eaten” by darker colors. If your lace or other piece has any of these elements you will want to chose a lighter color of yarn.
Smooth, 2 ply, wool yarns are best for lace. I have used 3 and 4 ply yarns and they work also as long as the yarn hasn’t become too think. Now technically there is no such thing as yarn too think for lace as long as you can match a large enough needle to get a fabric that is lacy.
The yarn needs to be smooth because yarns that have halo or are fuzzy are going obscure the lace pattern. They are also difficult to rip or tink when you make a mistake.
I choose wool because it is the easiest to block and lace needs to be blocked to look its best. Synthetics have to be “killed” and the finished pieces just don’t look as good. Wool also has a bit of grip and the stitches won’t run free very quickly if dropped.
Of course you can choose any yarn you want. You want to work with what makes you happy. To stay happy in your knitting I suggest swatching with the yarn and the needle you want to use. Then you can know before putting in a ton of work that you will love the finished piece.
Azariahs Fibre Arts 