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Yarn Profile: GGH Intension

First Impressions
Before knitting a single stitch, I knew I liked this yarn. It has all the crisp, silky ribbon quality of Artfibers Houdini and Lana Grossa India, yet one side of the ribbon has been frayed into a velvety fine fringe. But the best part is when you start knitting with it.

Knit up, Intension has all the textured and visual delicacy of bird feathers, but in a soft, fluid knitted fabric. It is stunning.

Knitting Up
The first few rows were the most challenging, simply because the cast-on stitches wanted to fold up into each other like a fan (with the fringe edge pointing out). I proceeded slowly and patiently, and after row two—at which point the stitches were held at a safe distance from one another—it was much more smooth sailing.

Because one side of the ribbon has been frayed, you have half as much real estate to invite snags, making Intension far easier to knit that most ribbons.

As with all flat yarns, however, Intension did tend to twist up on itself as I worked. Some twist is fine (you could go crazy trying to make each stitch perfectly flat), and in fact it helps make the fringe pop out from your work. But every few rows I still stopped and dangled my work to relieve the built-up twist.

Intension produces a fantastic fabric that really does look like it was made from bird feathers. Individual stitches are pretty much concealed behind the dramatic yet orderly chaos. Best of all, the fabric is cuddly and soft.

Blocking / Washing
My swatches relaxed immediately in their wash, with no bleeding or noticeable changes in structure. When I rinsed and blotted them dry, I was faced with sad little squares that looked like cats who'd been caught in the rain.

Those fine feathery wisps of fringe were now wider, pointed clumps of wetness. But even while wet and clumped, the swatches hadn't lost one bit of their stunning silky sheen.

After my swatches dried, I gave them a good fluffing to get the fringe back to its original state of delicate detail.

Wearing
I see this yarn working most appropriately for accent—which means that serious wearability won't be a concern. It will stretch in whatever direction you pull it, making it a little awkward for anything form-fitting.

Although the ribbon half of Intension is prone to snagging on rough surfaces, the fringe half will conceal any damage done by the snagging. In this way, it's a truly brilliant pairing.

The more my swatches aged, the more dejected they began to look. I gave them the secret treatment for fluffy nylons: a dab of hair conditioner in the rinse. The fringe perked right back up.

With gentle wear and the hair conditioner treatment, you should get several seasons out of any Intension-trimmed garment.

Conclusion
Maybe it's the feathery effect, maybe it's the stunning sheen. Whatever the reason, Intension simply begs to be used for flair and accent—and I'm not just saying that because each 88-yard skein costs $12, either. I see it making a stellar jacket collar, a wrist cuff, or trim on a pair of mittens, a hat, or a purse.

The yarn produces fabric with very little structure or bounce, so you'd probably want to use smaller needles on any large collar or cuffs to keep them from flopping around.

In its most substantial form, Intension would make a showstopper of a scarf, providing the drama of a feather boa and the softness of fur. And best of all, no animals would be harmed in the process.