So we talked about this before with this yarn, but it really does something magic when it gets wet.  Take a look at the differences between this shot before and after I soaked it.

Before:

And after:

And yes, I know it can be a bit hard to see in pictures (it’s more dramatic in person).  But look especially at the stretches of stockinette at the broadest part of the leaf.  See how it’s filled in?  And the spaces between each leg of the stitches are much smaller?  And the holes made by the yarnovers are more distinct (because the general stockinette background is denser and more solid)?  The yarn really poofs up and nuzzles up against its neighbors when it gets wet.

This is why you block your swatches folks.  If I’d just knit a swatch and not washed it, I’d have gone down one or two needle sizes and swatched again.  But now that I see what it looks like after a rinse, I know I actually want to stay just where I am.  This one changes a bit more than some (and I love how it looks after it’s blocked), but it’s important for every yarn.  You really really do want to take the time to do this, I promise it’s worth it!

The yarn is Blend 1 from Ysolda, and it’s delightful!