Sparkly? It's only natural

August 31, 2015 2 min read 3 Comments

I love sparkly things.  Everyone does, to one extent or another.  We're drawn to things that are sparkly, shimmery, and shiny, but why?  Is it a vain kind of "look at me" preference, or is it something deeper?  Turns out, the preference for sparkly things is in our nature.  In 2010 researchers conducted experiments in which they gave very young children a variety of plates, some shiny and some matte.   To an overwhelming degree, the children preferred the shiny plates and put these plates to their mouths significantly more frequently than they did the matte plates.  The researchers believe that the appeal of shiny and sparkly things has to do with our primitive need for water, and that the research results " might characterize the precocious ability to recognize the glossy and sparkling features of water long before this information is useful later in development. "  You can read the entire report here.

What, if anything, does this have to do with yarn?  Well, lots actually, particularly Stacy Charles Yarns.  These fibers have long been among my favorites because no one does sparkly as well as Stacy Charles.  My favorite are Gioiello, Adele, and Ritratto - glistening strands of multicolored viscose, soft mohair and sparkling metallic thread. 

In the skein, they really catch your eye, but  it can be hard to visualize them in an entire garment.  At Tnna, Ginni, Mary and I had the opportunity to see the yarns worked up, and we loved them.  Stacy graciously offered us a trunk show of the best of these beautiful garments for us to share with you. 

We have the gorgeous poncho in Adele (at the top) which is our First Friday knit along, as well as other beautiful sweaters in their lovely new (not sparkly) yarn, Lena. 

So come see the yarns, try on the garments, and started on your own Adele poncho, because it is most glamorous (and easiest) thing you'll knit all year.  Don't let the holidays to catch you without something new and sparkly to wear!

3 Responses

Tina
Tina

September 01, 2015

Very interesting article, Ellen. Thanks. Has a lot of applications! Btw….what is the gauge for Adele?

Linda Musial
Linda Musial

September 01, 2015

Once again you have made me smile with your thoughtful musings on yarn, Ellen. I love your perspective on “shiny” because those are my favorite yarns too. I hope to be in Maryland soon and will stop in for some sunshine.
Your #1 Florida Fan ☀️

Jill Smithson
Jill Smithson

September 01, 2015

How fascinating!!!! Thank you Ellen for sharing! Now, if only I might find someone to knit the poncho for me;-)

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