All finished with the fingerless gloves in purple!

I hope that's the effect of the flash and I'm not really that pale...

These fingerless gloves are all finished! I really love they way these look in purple. The cuff of these gloves is a little tight but I think that it will be fine for the recipient because she has much thinner arms than I do. 

Now I love merino wool but I wonder if Malabrigo is a good brand to use. I do love the softness, the color, and the effect of the hand dying on the wool but I am not sure that it stands up very well. Some of the pieces that I made just a few months ago are piling really badly. Will a wash help with these or should I just try to pick out the little pieces? Is this a product of the merino, the hand spinning, or just the brand? I know that handspun pieces are less sturdy and more likely to pile, but they are so much softer and I really value that in knitting pieces. Plus aesthetically I like the look of a thick homespun strand. I will have to experiment with some new brands.