Anyone used this? Is it really nice? I saw some at the LYS on sale for $19.00 and then looked on E-bay-some people seem to think it's worth $50.00 a skein for the new Harry Potter colors!

I have used Opal for years and it is a great sock yarn. I have yet to wear out a pair of socks made with Opal yarn (some as old as ten years). The prices have gone up I used to pay between $12 to $14 a skein. However, Opal makes a design/colorway and they make it once or they used to. That could be why the one you saw was so expensive it may be the last of its colorway.

I can recommend the yarn and it will feel a bit rough at first but after a washing it is very soft.

I like Opal but I wouldn't pay such a high price for it. Check out prices at Littleknits.com

Opal and Regia were the first fingering weight sock yarns that were designed to be self-striping. I first heard about Opal because of its Tiger sock -- colors reminiscent of a tiger. This was a popular line and difficult to get hold of so it went up in price.

Now there are many manufacturers and sock lines that will self-stripe, etc., and it is easier to get both Opal and Regia for less, if you look around. Of course, it all depends upon the colors/designs you want. Both Opal and Regia come in 4-ply (fingering weight) and 6-ply (closer to sport/DK weight.) Regia also used to have a 3-ply line which was finer than the fingering weight.

I like them both for their colors and durability.

Thanks1 It would probably be worth going back to the LYS amd paying $19.00. That price included the Harry Potter colors, which were beautiful.

Patons has a nice one. It's cotton, wool, and elastic, identical to one Knit Picks used to market called Dancing. Paton's is in different color ways though. I have used it a fair amount and found that the socks stay up well and wear well. It is totally impossible to make the two socks match exactly. If that bugs you choose something else. Personally, I think it is a feature.

I always figured in self striping yarn that the colors are the same and if they match nicely a bonus!