Orange is the happiest colour

Did I mention that I liked orange? Perhaps just once or twice? I did a colour quiz (here) that I stumbled across the other day. As a personality analysis it didn't ring true; it said that I was easily influenced by my surroundings, which I think was because I picked the colours in a different order the second time round; all I know was that I one colour that really sang to me was the colour of a sun-crisped autumn leaf.

I am currently bathed in a surfeit of happy orange yarn:



Which appears to be taking sea-life impersonation lessons from a Cretan pottery dolphin that my parents gave me. Together, they form a perfect example of yarn serendipity, and the results of the most informal yarn swap ever.

On Tuesday I met up with the girls for knit night and Mandy made special efforts to brave the not-so-cold-anymore after I promised to bring the blanket for a little show and tell. Technically it is Mandy who got me started on a Lizard Ridge blanket after she had a most cunning plan that we all make a mini one for a friend's baby. However, my big blanket has got its own back by ensnaring her into knitting Lizard Ridge squares of her very own.

I had quite a few leftovers, not all of which were brown, and it seemed only appropriate that she should have them for her blanket. She has a picture of the random pile of bits and bobs here, and they appear to match her current socks rather nicely (I said it was serendipitous).

However, she had an even bigger surprise in store for me:



Beautiful, retina-firing, flame coloured sock yarn. But, I think we need a little closer look at the label don't you...




Yes my friends, it's Wollmeise (all gasp with reverent awe!). I believe I may have spent several seconds merely gazing at it, saucer-eyed. It's called SOS, which as it is life-belt orange, seemed suitable nautical for me. I LOVE it - Mandy, thank you so much.

Colourwise, it also goes remarkably well with the latest little handspun that I've been cooking up. I spun up the second bobbin over the weekend and plied it using my newest toy, a freestanding Kromski lazy kate. It suits me so much better than the in-built lazy kate because I can put a bit of tension on it with the break band and also position it so that the singles don't get wrapped around my knee on the way to the wheel. I'm not sure I've entirely 'got' wheel plying yet, I still worry that one strand is just wrapping around the other but this seems pretty even as far as plying is concerned.



I deliberately didn't spin it as a fine single and allowed the lumps and slubs to come through just as they were in the batt. It made wonderfully stripy two ply because the singles barber-poled as I spun and then when I plied it went super-stripy.

I finished it in the only way that I know, a warm soak in Eucalan and a snap and thwack.



The photos show the occasional twinkle where the angelina hits the light, in reality is is softly sparkling; enough glitz to show it is there, but not too much to make it 'Barbie does Caribbean cocktail hour'. The banana fibre and silk also have a bit of a sheen to them which adds to the overall glow.

I have about 84 yards of this Tequila Sunrise, which is roughly aran weight. It's not soft enough for sensitive skin wear so a hat is out unless I line it; I'm thinking colourwork mittens if I can find the right foil that would allow this orange to shine through. Any ideas?