When I chose the Velvet Olive color of the Colinette Jitterbug from Robyn to use for the green daycare teacher neckwarmer Christmas gift, it really was the lesser of the 3 evils.  The onscreen colors of the 3 green shades I was able to choose from weren’t exactly like the actual colors, and instead of having a typical “green” there were instead a yellow/lime, a darkened jade, and a khaki-esque green to pick from.  I chose the darkened jade, the Velvet Olive colorway, and now that I’ve been using it, I’m so glad I did!

I really couldn’t see where the name came in while it was still skeined.  “Velvet Olive”?  Um, okay.  Nothing about this colorway says “olive” to me, and I couldn’t figure out the velvet reference.  But now?  Now that I’ve wound it up and begun knitting?  Oh yeah.  I get it.  I totally get it.

I still don’t see “olive” anywhere.  But I can’t stop looking at it in the light and almost breathing in the velvet-ness of it.  There are very subtle variations in color in this yarn, you can barely see in the photo above that the cast-on row is slightly paler, and there are random stitches here and there that are alternately paler or darker than the main color.  The effect his has in person is mesmerizing. 

The best way I can describe the color’s appeal is to reference a carpet, or- to adopt from the colorway’s name itself- a swatch of velvet.  You know how when you run your fingers one way, the nap lies flat and looks almost silvery, but when you run back the other way they seem to stand on end and look darkened?  I’m not sure if I’m explaining this right, but that’s the effect this yarn has on me.  Gorgeous colorplay of shade-on-shade greens. 

This is also my first time using Colinette Jitterbug (or anything Colinette) and I have to say that the yarn is so wonderfully springy!  I truly hope I have leftovers to make a pair of footies socks for myself, because the spring and elasticity in this yarn is delightful.

Ok, now that I’ve said “me likes” full of flowers and prose, I’m going to make supper.  I was supposed to go to the Montreal Knitting Guild’s December meeting (and likely my last until at least February) but we’re in the midst of a snowstorm here and I really didn’t feel like braving the night drive, nor the digging out of my car.  Instead I’m going to settle down with Dr. House and the other TV men of Tuesday night, and get my knit on.