Preliminary thoughts on yarn

I'm awfully excited about this cardigan... but not so excited about Cashmerino Aran. It's a beautiful, soft yarn that comes in all manner of rich and subtle colors... but it's expensive, it pills, and in my experience, ripping and re-knitting reduces it to raggedy string. Not exactly what I want for a complicated cabled project, despite the seductive beauty of the untouched yarn. (But don't let me talk you out of it if you are partial to the stuff.)

I'm eyeing Knitpicks Andean Silk as a potential alternative. The yardage is nearly identical, and it's half the price. I've never used this yarn before, though, so I don't know how good the stitch definition is (and for a cabled project like this one, stitch definition is critically important.) Their Main Line might also be a good choice, if you like the colors (I don't, but that's just me) and don't mind a high percentage of cotton; the product description suggests that it is excellent for cables and other texture work. I also notice that Swish Superwash comes in many lovely colors and seems to be compatible gauge-wise.

And I'm personally very fond of Black Water Abbey and Beaverslide yarns. These aren't as drapey and creamy-smooth as Cashmerino Aran, but they would make a warm, heathery, slightly rustic-looking cardigan. (Think of the Elven cloaks given to the Fellowship as they set out from Lothlorien.) Check out the worsted-weight swatches on the Black Water Abbey site and see for yourself. "Pippin" would be oddly appropriate, wouldn't it?...