Dye Lots

There is an advantage to using modern mass produced yarns.  This afghan (a modification of Nicky Epstein's Tree of Life) was knit with Vanna's Choice.  It wasn't my choice.  I wanted green and washable.  My pocketbook dictated the rest.

The advantage? ~ I bought the yarn before settling on my pattern, which called for 10 balls of yarn.  I only had 8, so I made the afghan a little smaller ~ but I still ran out of yarn.  When I went in for more, I wasn't able to get the same dye lot ~ but the color is so close that I  can't tell the difference.

My mom taught me a trick for mixing dye lots, when you have to.  You alternate for a few inches, knitting two rows of one dye lot and then two rows of the other, thus avoiding a sharp line where the color changes.  I didn't bother to do that. I actually ended up with yarn from three different dye lots, but they are impossible to distinguish.