I promised you some close ups of why I do not recommend this yarn. Here’s the thing — this yarn is hard to photograph! It has a sheen to it that prevents the full effect of the cabling as well as the flaws to be picked up by the camera, especially when you are a point and shoot gal like me who can’t stop the flash from going off. Anyway, I did manage to get some of them and fortunately they show up more on the wrong side of the work which for some reasons photographs better anyway.
The yarn is RYC Rowan Cashsoft DK. Each skein had numerous areas where it seemed to be underspun and undyed. They look like little fuzzies that could simply be picked off, but they are a part of the yarn’s structure and cannot be eliminated. I have heard from other knitters that there is an acceptable industry standard for flaws/knots etc. and I would not be surprised if this falls within their ranges.
I happen to be a lethal combination of both stubborn and lazy. These spots showed up from the word go and I should have simply put the project on hold and returned the yarn. But I really wanted to get this vest knitted and certainly didn’t feel like hassling with packing the skeins back up, and making a trip to the post office to send them back. So I knit on, hoping that they would mostly work out to be on the wrong side of the vest. I see now that this was a poor strategy.
I counted them up and there are eight such spots on the wrong side and nine on the right side!
purlingswine 
Flaws and all it is a beautiful vest. I still can’t get over how complicated the knitting is that you do! Bravo!
I feel so bad for you, and can sympathize.
I just finished a Debbie Bliss sweater (Pure Cotton) and not one ball of yarn (out of 10) had less than SIX knots in it.
Which of course led to approximately 8,567 ends that had to be woven in. At least it seemed that way…
Yarn is so expensive, at least they could do is to ADHERE to their supposed industry standards.
Ouch!
I was just thinking the other day about all of the 220-yard skeins of inexpensive Cascade I’ve knit up and in all those yards, I don’t recall dismay at finding unexpected (unacceptable) flaws or coming across a single knot. Surely there was one knot, maybe two, but obviously not enough to make me mad. Makes one rethink “you get what you pay for.” I hope those spots are less noticeable when Boar is wearing the vest and when there aren’t little black arrows.
; )
Well we can’t say the same for your workmanship, it’s gorgeous. Sorry, this really bites.
Hi Ann, Just want to drop by and say Hi and see how things are going by you!
At least you’re refering to knitting.. I am just 3 parts lazy. xo
man, vest from hell!
I’ve used Cashsoft twice and never found a single knot or slubby spot but I purchased the yarn at least two years ago, maybe 3. You’re the second blogger to post on these issues with Cashsoft in the last week! I wonder if they have a new mill or something?
The vest is handsome despite all the boo boos :)
Just imagine John got it caught on a vice or something. It’s not the yarn…it’s him.
Huh. That would totally irritate me, too. Especially for such an expensive yarn!
That’s maddening. I knew I had used this yarn so I ran to my stash after reading your blog and found what I had in stash. I lucked out with the black yarn of same. No spots. Can you overstitch the front showing spots? My project grew widthwise after blocking–should have blocked my swatch to avoid that annoyance! Shame on me. And the boat neckline design was a bad choice, I’ve put it on the “hold ’til it doesn’t piss you off” pile.
Despite spots your project looks great. You will not let spots get the best of you!