| Noro Bonbori |
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| Written by Barbara Rottman | |||
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Yarn Name: Bonbori
The Look Bonbori is uniquely “Noro” – but in a beefed up bulky weight. The yarn is packaged in a circle of swirling color girded by the distinctive black and gold Noro belly band. You’ll be amazed at the array of color that can fit into 50 grams of yarn. Look closely and you’ll see a yarn that’s hand dyed in intervals of subtly shaded color plied with a fine highlighting strand marked by slubs of bright color, all intermingled into a pleasing visual sensation.
The Feel Bonbori is loosely spun and soft. There is very little twist on this bulky yarn, which gives it a very soft feel but robs it of shape and elasticity. Overall, Bonbori rates a “7” on the softness scale. It is not at all scratchy or stiff; it simply falls into the mid-range of softness.
This new yarn precedes designers to the market. However, you can easily find a great variety of books featuring Noro hand-dyed yarns in all weights. Choose a bulky weight pattern for this lovely new yarn and be the first in your knitting circle to display Bonbori.
Color Range Noro yarns are noted for the unique and unexpected color combinations and Bonbori is no exception. It is available in seven color ranges: rust, olive and black; black and fuchsia; purple, blue and red; lime, royal and purple; pea green, pink and purple; taupe, turquoise and grey; and red, purple and cocoa. The muted tones are dramatic without being bold or garish. The color intervals are quite wide, yielding a random effect in almost any size garment. In the 50 gram skein I tested (color number 3: purple, blue and red), the interval repeated only once. These wide intervals will flow into unexpected and random color changes as you knit. Using these hand-dyed yarns is a simple way to achieve sophisticated color in your knitting.
Working It
What I’d Like to Make with It Eisaku Noro is a virtuoso with color; creating dazzling palettes of fluid color. Consequently, almost any knitting can be done in Noro hand-dyes. Knitters of space and hand-dyed yarns often avoid cables or other textures out of caution that the stitches will be lost in the riot of color. Bonbori glides from shade to shade in a gradual transition, united by the contrasting plies and slubs that also add dimension. Cables and texture become part of the overall effect of this amazing yarn. Unlike with other multi-colored yarns, textural stitches don’t get lost in these colors. This bulky yarn would make a dramatic coat, jacket, or cardigan. On the other hand, you’ll still have a one-of-a-kind masterpiece even if you choose to knit a simple garter stitch pullover.Knitting Outside the Box Use Bonbori in one of the many designer patterns created using Noro yarns. Bonbori’s jewel tones have unusual depth and dimensional quality that will add flair to anything knit.
Blocking It Lay flat; use low heat to block.
Washing It Hand wash cool temperature. Can be dry cleaned. Bonbori, because it is a hand dyed yarn, shed a significant amount of color when hand washed, but the colors did not fade, puddle or muddy. Set the dye by adding vinegar to the rinse, and wash separately.
Wearability Bonbori is soft and loosely spun, so it may pill. Even though the yarn is loosely spun, the plied fine strand is well wound and not likely to snag. This fine yarn should wear well for a variety of uses and will not need special care.
Overall Recommendation For beautiful color in a quality yarn, Bonbori rates a “9”. Where to buy Noro Bonbori yarn: Yarnmarket.com
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Review Date: 7/19/2009
Bonbori knits easily without splitting or twisting. Don’t be confused by the Japanese needle sizes recommended on the label. Japanese needle sizes are different from standard metric needles. Noro recommends needle sizes in 5.1 to 5.7 mm to achieve a gauge of 10 -12 stitches per four inches. The US equivalents range from a size 8 to a size 10 needle for this gauge. If you have not knit with Noro yarns before, make a swatch to check your gauge. Not only will you save time to avoid disappointment in the outcome of your project, you can see how the colorways work up in this hand-dyed yarn. 
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