Just because it is hand painted yarn does not make it pretty. I tried a lot of different things to the swatches that I knitted trying to get something pleasing out of this yarn, but it was not going to happen. I did not want to discard this yarn because it is 100% alpaca and is just so, so soft. What to do?
Enter a beautiful color. By adding a beautiful color to the ugly color it spread out the ugly which ended up in a pleasing blend.
This happens in scrap quilts too. Use those "what was I thinking" and ugly fabrics in your quilt tops. This owl fabric is a good example. Taken individually, it stands up and shouts "look at me!".
But look what happens when you add it to a lot of other fabrics.
Those unfortunate fabrics will work, I promise.