Silk Blend is a heritage Manos del Uruguay yarn that has become a staple in every maker's repertoire, with more than 18 years as part of the Manos catalog. Soft and shiny, Silk Blend gives excellent stitch definition to cables and other textures, and its jewel-like colors work beautifully in stranded colorwork. All of Manos del Uruguay yarns are hand dyed. The artisans use big kettles heated by wood-fueled boilers, dyeing in small batches creating wonderful colors. The colors of Manos yarns are bright and wild, full of nuances and variations. No two skeins are the same, each one is unique, a testimony of a particular moment. Due to the small batch hand-dyed process, there may be differences in colors between skeins. Order enough yarn for your project for a better likelihood that skeins will match. Alternate skeins where needed. All Manos del Uruguay yarns are mulesing-free. Our notes After making a few of our own projects with this yarn, here's what we've found: No issues with long tail cast on: We didn't notice any untwisting or splitting when doing a long tail cast on for a few different knitted samples. Soft and silky: While this one isn't quite as soft as other Manos del Uruguay Merino wool yarns, it's in no way rustic and should still be perfect for next-to-skin garments for all but the most sensitive. May pill: Like all single-ply yarns, Silk Blend may pill more easily than plied yarn. Auggie noticed this especially when laddering down to fix a mistake; he saw some of the fibers working their way loose due to the abrasion of the yarn. Elastic and drapey: Silk Blend is surprisingly elastic for a single-ply yarn, and drapes beautifully. Medium stitch definition: Stitches are on the softer side, especially in variegated and multicolored colorways. This might not be the best yarn for cables or other complex textures. Swatch details All swatches were wet blocked before measuring. Knit Color: Deep Sea Swatcher: August Needles: US 5 / 3.5mm Stitch: Stockinette with a seed stitch border Gauge: