Yarn Profile: Binario

First Impressions
Binario is striking. You don't even have to knit it up to enjoy it. Just looking at a bare strand is like examining a piece of artwork up close.

This isn't your average ho-hum yarn. It's a component yarn made on an industrial weaving loom. Two thin strands are regularly joined by square flag-like protrusions, much like a ladder.

Not only is the texture interesting, but the yarn itself is dyed an exquisite blend of colors that change quickly from inch to inch. The end result, while not conventionally fluffy or soft, is intoxicating.

Knitting Up
Whoever said that fashion had a price obviously knew about Binario. It took me quite a while to get comfortable working with this unusual, multistranded texture.

The flatness of its flag-like spots reminded me of that troublesome chenille, but it was always followed by the extremely flexible flagless portions of the yarn. I'll admit it was disconcerting, especially at the beginning.

This variation in texture resulted in uneven stitches. At first I tried to align each stitch so that the yarn lay flat, like a ribbon. Then I gave up and let it do its thing, which was by far the wisest option.

You will need to concentrate when knitting with Binario. It's extremely easy to snag the wrong strand by mistake. You can use the colors to "read" which stitch is the right one.

If you discover a dropped stitch at some point, take two aspirins before proceeding. It's not impossible, but it's definitely not something you'd want a rank beginner to experience.

Blocking / Washing
The yarn's inelasticity and unusual texture make unwashed swatches appear more confused and lumpy than they actually are. Simply introduce the swatches to water, agitate slightly, and you'll instantly feel them relax.

I couldn't get any of the vibrant colors in my swatches to bleed, no matter how hot the water or ample the soap. I consider the colors an integral part of Binario's attraction, so this colorfastness is important.

Once my swatches were laid out and gently rearranged into shape, they dried perfectly. The "confused" texture I talked about earlier was completely gone. The swatches had flattened beautifully, yet they retained the visual complexity of handmade paper.

That's when I decided Binario deserved a thumbs up.

Wearing
Despite its somewhat delicate appearance, Binario is a strong yarn. While a strong pull did stretch some strands slightly, they wouldn't snap.

The yarn took an unbelievable beating without ever showing signs of exhaustion. At most, a simple tug here and there pulled all the elements back into shape.

From a sensory perspective, Binario has the cool, slightly abrasive feeling of synthetic yarn. This would only be troublesome in areas where a garment comes into frequent contact with the skin, such as on your elbows.

For me, Binario's sublime drape all but compensated for any roughness of texture. You'll need to wear something underneath your garment anyway because of the yarn's transparent tendencies.

Conclusion
Binario is a striking yarn that's perfect for dressy garments. You can use it sparingly for fringe or contrast accents, you can blend it with another textured yarn for a thicker effect, or you can go hog wild and use it alone for a glamorous lacy top.

It's a difficult yarn, and, had I used it for my very first project, I probably would've given up knitting altogether.

But knitting isn't always about doing things quickly and easily.

Sometimes you want to dig into a challenging project that will take time but produce stunning results. If that's the case, do consider Binario.