Gradient sock-weight yarn: North Cascades variation

North Cascades is part of my ongoing National Parks colorway series. Named for the park closest to my home, it's a gradient of turquoise (much darker in real life than in the photo, but I can't accurately portray it without distorting all the other colors), spruce greens, slate blue, cream, weathered brown, and charcoal grey. It was originally dyed as a sock blank, and then unraveled, washed, and wound into a ball, ready for knitting or crocheting. Sock blanks are machine-knitted strips, which are then dyed to produce long gradual color changes with beautiful transitional colors. There may be pale or white speckling throughout the skein.

This gradient cake is 3.5 oz (100 g) of 75/25 superwash merino/nylon fingering yarn, measuring approximately 463 yards. The merino is soft and springy, while the nylon lends it durability. Recommended needle size: US 0-2 (2.0-2.75 mm). While items made from this yarn can be machine washed, hand washing in cold water is recommended, to extend the life of your handmade items. Lay flat to dry.