Intarsia Gives Me A Toothache

I have lots of favorite knitting styles.  Intarsia is not one of them.  The items made using intarsia are not (usually) my cup of tea.  The techniques required to make intarsia are counter-intuitive to me.  And worst of all, the snarled spaghetti of the many separate yarn sources required to work intarsia are more than I can reasonably handle.  I have to limit myself to unsnarling them only when I am no longer able to advance the working strands properly, or I would just sit around untangling, without ever knitting a stitch.  Phillip's observation:  "Is it supposed to look like that?"  Yes.  "Woah.  You don't do "Hot Mess" very well.  That must be driving you bat-shit."  Dude knows me well.

BUT, all of that whinging aside, I am the one who cleverly agreed to write a book containing intarsia as a colorwork technique.  I am also the one who suggested that I design some projects with it, in order to demonstrate the technique.  So there it is.  What's wanted here is less sniveling, and more knitting.

To that end, I am now embracing my inner intars-er, and pouring all the love and light I can find into this piece of work.  I created a motif I love, in a design that tickles me, and is something I have never made before.  Ergo, I am a happy designer.  As a knitter, though, I'm just pushing through the wall.  And yes, I have heard of bobbins, whose arrival in the mail I am eagerly awaiting.  And I tried "butterflies", but it ended badly.  Any other suggestions are welcome, however.  Turning to you, Gentle Readers, has never failed me yet, so lay the know-how on me if you will.

If anybody needs me, I'll be over here; sitting under the Hot Mess.