For the first time EVER we are offering Palette, our colorwork wonder, as the monthly yarn sale! This means for the whole month of June you can get any of the 150 colors at 20% off.

Real talk here: I genuinely love Palette. I’m a fan of a wooly wool and I’m also extremely picky about color. I have this problem where I get a very specific idea with a very specific color or palette and it’s usually a slow and agonizing process of compromising to the closest to those colors that I can actually find. At least until I found Palette. There are seriously SO MANY COLORS. One of them is often exactly what I had in mind, or close enough to make it an easy choice.

There’s also this strange thing that keeps happening around the office. Occasionally we’ll get a sample in that’s amazing and there’s a brief moment of bemusement while we try to remember exactly what yarn it was knit up in. And it’s Palette. We have so many lovely fingering weight yarns to choose from, and yet whenever we use Palette it always comes out better than expected. The Peruvian Highland wool might not be as soft right from the ball as a Merino, but remember that the Highland wool is actually a Merino hybrid, bred for increase durability. So, it not only softens quite nicely with a bit of use and a wash or two (I recommend lanolin-infused Eucalan for best results), it also has so much better stitch definition and wears better.

There are so many things that Palette does well and so many great patterns. When I was looking up examples, I quickly realized that there were far too many to include in one post, so I’m going to give just a handful of my favorites and bestsellers in a few categories that cover Palette’s strengths.

Colorwork

If you filter for Fair Isle patterns in Fingering weight yarn, you’ll quickly see a theme: they’re all in Palette. It’s what the yarn is made for. From the literally awe-inspiring intricacy of the Persian Dreams Throw, Londonderry Jacket, and Mull of Kintyre Cardigan, to simpler but every bit as lovely projects like the Little Orme mitts, the Blodwen Cowl, or the Elephant Cowl, you’ll be hard pressed to find a yarn that has the color selection and quality to beat Palette.

Shawls

Fingering weight shawls are becoming more and more popular these days, particularly as a more approachable alternative to lace weight yarn for lacey projects. With it’s superb stitch definition, Palette produces gorgeous lace, like the uniquely constructed Fuchsia Crescent from Luxurious Lace or the elegant two-color stylings of Shetland Shoreline from Joyful Lace. You might not need the variety of 23 blues to find the perfect gradient, but the deep color selection means you’re more likely to find those one or two colors that are just right. Far beyond the basics, there are some fascinating and gorgeous heathers found only in Palette, like deep and complex Stellar Heather, light and ethereal Lake Ice Heather, and the unusual rich and warm green of Clove Heather (my personal favorite).

Sweaters

These days we often think of worsted as the standard “sweater” weight. You see a fair amount of “light” sweaters in Sport or even DK and the thought of a fingering weight sweater is usually a little daunting, but there’s something surprisingly satisfying about a sweater that’s light and drapey, but still warm and cozy, which is exactly the best way to describe a sweater in Palette. One of our coworkers discovered that the Pocket Ride Cardigan actually makes a great wardrobe staple if you leave out the distinguishing colorwork; I think she’s made about 4 of them by now. Palette is also great for bohus stickning-style yoke sweaters, like the Lewisburg Pullover and the Phased Yoke from our Encircled collection. Personally, I really appreciate the modern stylings of the Spark Sweater.

Gnomes

Seriously, GNOMES.

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So, if you’re a colorwork connoisseur, a sheep-swooning wool-gatherer, a lover of luscious browns, ombres of blues, and resplendent rainbows, you’ll want to take advantage of this Knit Picks first and stock those stashes with the best price on the best fingering weight wool while you can (i.e. before June 30th).