Featured Yarn: Rittenhouse Merino 5-ply

Let me start off by saying that I want everybody to know about Manos' Rittenhouse Merino 5-ply. The combination of the soft extrafine merino and the versatile plied worsted weight composition makes for a fantastic yarn, and the range of gorgeous colors certainly doesn't hurt! So I did a little Ravelry searching to see if there were some likely patterns for Rittenhouse that I could use to spread the word about it. I was so pleased and impressed to see that, judging by the beautiful projects in the Ravelry gallery for this yarn, you guys are all in on my little yarn love secret already! I am so impressed by the range of gorgeous designs and impressive knitting prowess everyone has shown while working with Rittenhouse Merino.

As a whole, the project gallery shows that you've already learned the best of what I was going to say about this yarn: it's fantastic for knitting sweaters. Just look at these amazing projects from (clockwise from left) Ravelry users BobbySoxie, jmpw, and jooleeyet! As you can see, the bold semi-solid colors and the precise stitch definition of the Rittenhouse Merino mean that it knits up into an ideal yarn for sweaters: visually striking, but still simple enough to let the design elements and all your hard work shine through!

And that's not to say that sweaters are the only projects you should plan with this yarn. There's a wonderful collection of accessories in the Ravelry gallery, too- the types of projects that are perfect for trying out a new-to-you yarn, perfect for bundling up to stay cozy this winter, and perfect when planning a few quickie knits for your holiday gifts list!

I just love these savvy knitters' low-yardage use of Rittenhouse Merino. Gooey, LCBraun, thischickadee and Mercourier (clockwise from top left) have all taken full advantage of the lovely stitch definition, creating accessories with a lot of "wow factor,"  in appealing semi solid colorways that enhance, rather than detract from, the stitch patterns. I would be thrilled to have any of these projects bundling my head and shoulders this winter, or making appearances in my holiday giving! Maybe I can hire some of these knitters to help me get a jump on my gift list? (Wishful thinking!)

Anyway, my original purpose before I fell into the trap of admiring lovely projects on Ravelry, was to find some resources for those of you who might be interested in trying this yarn out. Here are a couple of free patterns, if you've gotten this far in the post and still need some inspiration! (Left to right, below.) Of course there's the Botany Kerchief from the Fairmount Fibers Free Patterns collection. Those of you who are Knitting Daily members should also check out the Rittenhouse Scarf pattern, and indie designer Nina Rose has made the Edith Convertible Cowl available as a free pattern, too. As far as I'm concerned, these are three great (and free!) reasons to check out the Manos Rittenhouse Merino 5-ply!