Knitch Magazine

Yarn Name: SMC Select Extra Soft Merino Opera
Review Date: August 3, 2011
Date Introduced to Market: Fall 2011

The Look

We all love a little sparkly glamour, and not just for fancy evening wear. Soft and flexible aluminized yarns are exploding everywhere on the fiber scene. Quilters, sewers and embroiderers regularly sneak in lines of shiny thread, adding bursts of energy to their works. Yarn manufacturers have been using shiny plastic fibers to create unusual effects in yarns, too. Most recently, SMC Select introduced Extra Soft Merino Opera. It's a glitzy rendition of the soft and elegant DK superwash extra fine merino known for its richly textured knitted textures. Now you can add a dusting of sparkle to any and all knitting projects with this elastic DK weight yarn.

The Feel

Opera, like the label says, is extra soft. Spun from extra fine merino superwash wool, this yarn is elastic, and smooth. Don’t be afraid of the sparkle; it is not the scratchy aluminum pot scrubber variety of days gone by. You can’t feel this fiber, but you can see it glimmer. Opera rates #8 on the softness scale.

Softness Scale

The Patterns

SMC offers an eye-popping array of patterns designed to enhance the superior qualities of Extra Soft Merino, and its later versions, Extra Soft Merino Color and Extra Soft Merino Opera. The sophisticated designs for men, women and children feature interesting stitch detail and classic fit. There are sample designs to suit any occasion, from casual to evening, but knitters can substitute Opera for any DK weight yarn. Use it for hats, scarves, gloves, sweaters, capes, wraps, shawls and more.

Color Range

Opera is available in 8 solid colors that coordinate with the 41 colors in Extra Soft Merino, or 7 self-stripe patterns in Extra Soft Merino Color. Several of the shades are strong and rich enough to knit into solid color garments; they make a bold statement on their own.

Working It

Extra fine merino is elastic and resilient, making it ideally suited for textured surfaces such as rib knits, lace patterns, and cables. Now imagine these textures peppered with tiny sparkles like the night sky on a clear evening. Opera dances with light and energy. The yarn is firmly spun, and the soft polyester filament stays plied with the merino, creating light sparks wherever it is exposed in the knitting. The sparkle enhances 3-dimensional knitted textures with a fiber-optic effect. Sometimes the filament sits at the top of the stitch, other times it is slightly exposed at the back or edge of the stitch. Light glints from all angles, leap frogging from stitch to stitch.

What I’d Like to Make with It

Choose a pattern that is rich in texture to show off the interesting effects of Opera. SMC patterns include intriguing ribbed patterns, lace, cables, bobbles, and wave stitches. Opera creates the ideal crisply textured surface for any of these motifs.

Knitting Outside the Box

Spice up a casual and contemporary look scarf knit in shades of pale gray by adding the sparkle of Opera. The scarf can be worn as a glamorous wrap for a night on the town, or work the day shift. Add glimmer to Fair Isle or geometric designs with Opera as the motif color.

Blocking It

Lay flat to dry.

Washing It

Extra Fine Merino is machine washable on gentle cycle in cool water with mild soap for wool; may be dry cleaned.

Wearability

The exclusive plying used by SMC Select prevents pilling and the superwash finish makes this yarn so easy to care for.

Overall Recommendation:

Opera is a star; it rates #9.