The Beaverslide has arrived! It's so lovely, but the wonderful thing about it is that it is EXACTLY the RIGHT COLOR! Emerald green with a hint of blue undertone... so "Oz," as Ms. Flare put it. The yarn merits daylight photos, so stay tuned and I'll post some tomorrow.
UPDATE: Here's the best I could do photo-wise, but lemme tellya, it was hard to get an accurate photo even in the daylight! The green is so bright and saturated. I tried to doctor this pic up to get a good approximation, but it's still somewhat off:
If you've been reading for a while, you might have picked up on the fact that I am picky about color, especially when it comes to matching a project with a particular shade. I never make a project in the color from the pattern, and if the project's been done by others, I like to pick an unexpected hue that no one's yet explored. I usually get a particular feverish vision in my head, and the yarn must match it. The onset of this vision is followed by a search high and low for just the right shade, and usually a settling on bizarre yarn substitutes because the recommended yarn is almost never available in the sought-after color.
Naturally this pickiness has led to several bad experiences buying yarn online (let's not even mention the Mystical Creation incident or my agita will flare up, k?). There is nothing worse than googling forever to find just the right shade of subtle, dusty sage green to discover, in real life, it's actually a turquoise worthy of Miami Beach! Never again! Why, Dear Readers?
Because I have discovered the majesty of COLOR CARDS! All hail color cards! I ordered one from Beaverslide, and guess what? What you see is what you get. Literally! So I now resolve before you all:
HENCEFORTH AND FOREVERMORE, IF A COLOR CARD IS AVAILABLE I WILL ORDER IT BEFORE PURCHASING YARN ONLINE. THE PENALTY FOR BREAKING THIS OATH IS THAT I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BITCH ABOUT THE COLOR BEING WRONG. SO THERE.
Signed in blood, pinky swear, and all that,
Jess of Fig and Plum
That must be such a relief it's what you hoped it would be! I think it's why I probably have a hard time buying yarn online. I like to see and touch it! The best part of working in the store!
Posted by: Scout at March 2, 2006 10:35 PMI've been dissapointed with buying yarns on Ebay and them arriving in significantly different shades than I expected. I used to think color cards were pricey, but I suppose if you buy 12 skeins, the price of the card only adds a few cents per skein. Have fun color-pickin'!
Posted by: val at March 2, 2006 11:23 PMTheir range is great. I'll have to keep the Beav in mind for futur projects. I can't wait to see the pics of your beaverslide, the emerald city green is one of my favorite colors. It'll look smashing with your hair.
Posted by: Aimee at March 3, 2006 1:52 AMColor cards - what a concept! The one LYS near me that's always poorly stocked, but has all the color cards knows that I come in for one reason, and one reason only - to survey their color cards ;).
Posted by: grumperina at March 3, 2006 2:41 AMAre they great? I've only just recently realized that one can buy color cards even if one is not a yarn distributor. I've spent waaaay to many hours scouring the web for pictures of various yarns in different shades on different monitors. :P
Posted by: Marie at March 3, 2006 3:34 AMI've only ordered on-line twice. The first time I ordered 2 colors of Kidsilk Haze from the Knitting Garden. They arrived and not only are the colors completely different from how they appear on my computer monitor, but they are colors that I would never ever use. Fortunately I can return them, but I hesitate because I'm afraid that the same thing will happen with the replacements that I order. The second order from another shop was much more successful because, as Fig & Plum suggests, I had ordered a color card! Well worth the expense! On another note, I just started my knitting blog. I don't know how to invite people to visit the blog so I'll do it here! Here's the link: http://knittingtheemptyfield.blogspot.com/
Thanks, Deborah
I also vow to always order color cards forever and ever amen. I recently ordered yarn from Knitpicks to make Eunny Jang's Deep V Vest.... I ordered what I thought was a hot pink and pale pink. Turns out it's actually scarlet and a pinkish-lilac. Very Valentine's-Day-Worthy!
Alright, I'm going to go order a color card right now!!!!
Posted by: Kelly B. at March 3, 2006 8:22 AMI'm curious to hear how the Beaverslide feels. Is it soft enough that if a sweater touches your neck it won't drive you insane? I've been looking at it on the web for a while. Hmmm..maybe I should order a color card. ;)
Posted by: Anna at March 3, 2006 8:41 AMI'm always thinking I'm thrifty by not ordering yarn, but then I often end up with a color I didn't like -- how thrifty is that? I'm thinking of some apricot that I bought on knitpicks that I knit into a tank I never wore or the "grey" yarn I bought for a birthday hat and scarf for the boy which turned out to be green!
Posted by: Michelle at March 3, 2006 8:59 AMI ordered a color card, too! I'm officially in love with Beaverslide - I made a mistake on my order (I ordered a color I though was red, but was actually a bright pink) and Leanne was so lovely and accomodating. A great experience! And I'm very much with you: I need to stay away from hand-dyed yarns for a while, the colors are never quite what I expected them to be.
Posted by: Jenna at March 3, 2006 9:16 AMI had a Mystical Creation incident too. It almost put me off buying yarn over the internet!
Posted by: stephanie at March 3, 2006 9:43 AMheh What a concept! Ordering a color card. They must make them for a reason... as if the yarn companies know that a color card is important and they should provide one... imagine that. heh Thanks for slapping some sense into us consumers.
Posted by: Laura at March 3, 2006 10:02 AMOOO Beaverslide...not only does it have a fun name to say, it's beautiful! Wherever did you hear of such a sumptuous yarn (and color!)? I'm always interested in how people find out about things...
Posted by: Julsey at March 3, 2006 10:23 AMThat green is luscious.
Posted by: Chris at March 3, 2006 11:03 AMColor cards! What a fabulous idea. I really need to employ your idea. The green looks great. It'll be fabulous.
Posted by: Stephanie at March 3, 2006 12:01 PMAgita - one of my first Italian words I learned from my Nona Brigitta when I was real little.
Posted by: kitkatknit at March 3, 2006 12:03 PMColor cards are a smashing idea... must get myself one of those. I just want to order some beaverslide to say that I ordered some beaverslide... and it's all your fault. Elann.com will send them out if you request it, they sent one all the way to France for my francey self! :)
Posted by: Aimee at March 3, 2006 2:33 PMColor cards are essential. I'll be sure to make you uphold your vow. It's for your own good, honestly.
Posted by: Gina at March 3, 2006 2:37 PMgorgeous green! i just got some beaverslide cards this week, too, and it's so nice to see it in person. can't wait to see your sweater.
Posted by: thuy at March 3, 2006 3:08 PMI admire your brave color choices! For some reason, I have a huge aversion to bright green. But now you've got me thinking, and maybe feeling a little more ambitious out trying out bright colors!
Posted by: Jackie C. at March 3, 2006 3:09 PMAh, color cards! I happily discovered them a few weeks ago and they are sooo useful. Got my Heilo cards from Bea Ellis Knitwear. The Black Water Abbey card is awesome too, great tweedy colors.
Posted by: MJ at March 3, 2006 3:10 PM