Palette is a lot nicer than I thought it would be. It's certainly no Shetland wool, but the fabric is quite nice at a really tight gauge - about 9 stitches per inch. I'd say it's on the thin side for a fingering weight. It's quite soft, though that means I'm also concerned about pilling. Personally, I don't think I'd use it at a much looser gauge for a sweater, or other garment that would get a lot of friction. Though I might try it for a stole this summer.

I looooove Kathmandu DK Tweed, I'm guessing the Aran is lovely as well.

I've knit a child's sweater and a felted bag out of the Berroco Ultra Alpaca. The yarn works up nice and felts out of this world. There's a wide range of really pretty colors too.

Oh, I can't wait to see your designs! I've used Stork for my granddaughter's sweater and absolutely hated it. Will be anxious to see what you make with it! Nice to knit with but I hated the finished item! And seeing lots about the boys is always wonderful! Will be anxiously watching for news!

I love both Kathmandu Aran & DK tweed. I've knit 2 sweaters out of the Aran and am seriously thinking of a third. I havn't noticed any pilling issues, and it's so soft.
I also enjoy working with Peace Fleece, but recommend washing it first to soften it a bit and help remove excess VM and dirt.

I've enjoyed Peace Fleece because it knits up and unravels well, softens with washing, and because of their social message. You can't knit "nice" but it must help your karma to support it! Can't wait to see what you're working on.

I was disappointed in the Knit Picks Palette colors. They are "flat".

The Debbie Bliss merino is a joy! Simply mouth watering!

of that list, I've only used Stork. Nice yarn, but at this point I consider it evil. I attempted to make a lace christening dress from it, on turbos. Big mistake. The dress never got done and we bought one instead. Not the handcrafted heirloom I was hoping for.
Anyway, setting that aside, it is a lovely yarn. The MOUND of white stork I have here in my stash will someday be dyed, and become a summer shawl.

Peace Fleece is my very most favoritest yarn ever. It's rugged, it's beautiful, it has great names and stories for all its many colorways, and best of all, it is really, really warm.

The Stork is nice and soft. I'm not sure how it wears, since all I've made of it is baby shoes, for a baby whose feet have probably not yet touched the ground! And the Debbie Bliss is nice, but I find the colours a bit poopedy often. If ya know what I mean...

I made the Peace Fleece Everyday Cardigan a couple of years ago and it just keeps improving with age. The yarn doesn't seem that soft to begin with, but really opens up with repeated washing. I would definitely make another garment with this yarn (if my stash weren't so full of other things).

I made my sister and her husband an afghan out of the DB merino for their wedding, and it's holding up well two years and many trips through the washer later (a bit of shrinkage, though, so if you plan on washing, wash the swatch first). My only complaint, which I know is a standard Debbie Bliss complaint--soooo many knots in the balls. Drove me crazy.

Peace Fleece is a durable wool that knits up nicely. The best part is the complexity of the colors. They all have flecks of nondominant tones, which just keeps one's interest. I made the Everyday Cardigan in hemlock, which is a bright leaf-y green with flecks of sky blue. I just can't stop staring at the color!

I'm knitting with Peace Fleece right now. The colors are absolutely gorgeous! It feels very "wooly" - a little rough and lots of lanolin in the yarn. It's easy to knit with - no splitting and no knots so far.

Personally, I find Peace Fleece to be really scratchy. It is not a yarn that I want to wear next to my skin. I lake the Dale Stork and the DB merino. I can't wait to see what you create.

Kathmandu Aran! I have a bunch of it in my stash. I bought it because I loved the yarn but now need a pattern.

I haven't knitted with the Katmandu, but I've seen and felt it, and it seems very similar to Jo Sharp Silk Road - a yarn I adore.

The only one I know anything about is the Debbie Bliss Merino DK. I love it personally, despite it's occasional knotty-ness.

i ADORE stork! my only complaint is that it's targeted as a baby yarn so the adult color range isn't that great. i will admit though that i think i've come across a lot more people that hate it than like it. for myself, i thoroughly enjoyed knitting with it and would do it again in a heartbeat.

I have a sweater in the Debbie Bliss merino Dk and wear it almost every day. I love the feel and it's wearing well. I like the Knit Picks Palette, but I agree with the person who says the colors are a bit flat.

I ditto what Rebekkah said about Palette. I knit my Knitting Olympics project in it and found that the resultant beret is so light that I can't wear it on a windy day or it blows off. I disagree with Laurie M's assessment of the colors, I thought they were nice particularly in the medium ranges of the color wheel.

I agree with the assessment of karma and how you feel about knitting with Peace Fleece but like Mia and Renee indicated, it was scratchy and not the funnest yarn to knit with. I still use it though.

It's hard to give advice though, there seems to be a range of weights you're considering. The Palette is very fine gauge while the Debbie Bliss Merino DK (I love this yarn) is much larger. Perhaps you should give us a hint about what type of project you are designing.

I really like Peace Fleece ... the colors are amazing, with so much depth ... but I wouldn't use it for anything that was meant to be worn next to the skin. As an outerwear yarn, though, I think it's hard to beat.

I made some of Zoe Mellor's seed-stitch Mary Jane baby booties from Stork and they came out beautifully! Nice smooth yarn to work with and great colors. Can't wait to see your designs!:)

i *adore* peace fleece. Items i've knit with it are the ones my 3 year old reaches for first, and they totally keep up with her - up to and including pants she's been wearing for 2 years, to the playground, rolling around on airport floors, everywhere. I have wash everything in Kookaburra in the bathroom sink, not delictely at all, and it blooms nad gets softer and softer every time. Looks like you're looking for a DK/sportweight yarn and my problem with Peace Fleece sport is the fact that all of the fabulous colors the worsted comes in are not available in the lighter weight yarn. Maybe we can all pressure them if you come out with a fabulous new pattern, though.

I liked Stork fine. The Peace Fleece is too scratchy. Have you seen the baby blanket Poor Miss Finch made out of Stork? March 14 is the date she shows a picture.

Not knowing what type of items you might be using the yarns for, my advice would be to go with something in the middle of the line. Not a high price yarn like Debbie Bliss, but maybe not the cheapest one either, like Knitpicks. I'd pick a solid yarn with a good price/quality ratio that has a wide selection of colors to please any knitter. It's hard to comment on the cotton vs. wool without knowing if it'll be a summer or winter piece of clothing, and the thickness depends on the pattern, of course (lacy, cabled, plain...) I'm excited to see what you come up with!

Of what you've listed, Peace Fleece is the only one I've used. It's scratchy, but it does soften up after you wash it a couple of times. Worsted weight is great for winter weather, and I think of it not so much as good karma, but guilt-free yarn purchasing. Have fun!

Peace Fleece is quite scratchy, and would feel terribly so after knitting with Synchronicity. Does this mean book deal?

I used to work in yarn shops, and I found that the people who didn't enjoy Dale Stork were not happy with any cotton yarns. If you enjoy knitting with cotton, you will love it. Dale's quality control is terrific.

Peace Fleece is a much-lauded yarn, but the skeins I used were overly rough, and working with them actually hurt my hands. I cannot recommend it.

Knitpicks yarn is inexpensive, but that doesn't mean that there's anything wrong with it! They have simply eliminated the middleman (aka the "brand," like "Berroco" or "Classic Elite") by purchasing directly from a mill and selling the yarn to you. This means that the usual 100% markup (or more) is eliminated. The yarns are lovely. I just finished my second piece in Shine, the cotton/modal blend, and it is glorious. Palette comes in many more colors than most yarns do, but I've seen several negative comments about the range: too small, too flat, not bright enough, too dark, etc. So far, I've been quite happy with the colors I've purchased (eight of them, I think).

I have knit three pair of thick socks and a sweater with the Kathmandu Aran tweed. I really love it. I'm drawn to it every time I go into the yarn store.

Wow, thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and experiences! This is a huge help!

congrats on the übersecret goodies! i've used peace fleece for several things and LOVE it. although it does smell a bit "wooly", so either give it a nice washing in something yummy-smelling or... FELT IT - it felts like a charm. i made a bolster pillow and it felted up supersoft and smells good when you rest your neck against it. (link to pic here: http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6699/1259/1600/feltfo.jpg)
best of luck

I love the pallette. I am currently knitting some cabled socks out of it, and it's got such amazing stitch definition. The cables and the stitches just pop. I'll have pic's up on my blog soon, but I have to say, I was so pleasantly surprised with the yarn.

I had to swatch Berroco Ultra Alpaca for the store when it came in. Out at dinner I cast on when I gave my order, and I was done with the 6x6 swatch by the time the food came! This is insanely fast for me! The twist reminds me of Koigu, it's really hard to split or snag, and it's got a great feel, soft but not limp. The value is just a bonus, I'd pay double the price it usually goes for.

I think Kathmandu Aran Tweed is lovely and soft. I would say it's a bit "rustic" when knitted up.

The only one there I've used is the Stork, but I quite like it. It's got your usual cotton draw backs of not being stretchy, but it's not as bad as tahki cotton or the like. It knits up nice and even with good definition. It has lots of nice colors, a good shine without being shiny and it's not too splitty. For fingering weight cotton, I think it's perfect. And fairly cheap to boot.