Carole edited the most recent issue of Yarnival – check it out, because there’s lots to read and think about!
For those tracking gas prices, that same Holiday gas station hit 1.879 this morning. Before you all start thinking about moving here, the current temperature is -5°F, with a windchill of -15°F. Brrr!
We had a few more inches of snow Sunday night.
A tiny drift even formed on one of my window ledges, causing Chaos to have to crane his neck to see outside.
A few weeks ago, the wonderful Deb gave me skein of Colinette Jitterbug sock yarn in bright charcoal. I was in such a hurry to get it rolled into a ball Friday that I forgot to take a picture of it in the skein – whoops. Anyway, sock attempt the first was a dismal failure – the stitch pattern (from Kristi’s very cool Gentleman’s Sock) just wasn’t right for how the colors played out in this yarn (but I will be using that stitch pattern for other socks). Plus my usual sock formula and 2.0mm needles didn’t work for this slightly heavier-than-fingering sock yarn. RIP!
I went up a needle size to 2.5mm, cast on fewer stitches, and tried a garter stitch rib (one round K2P2, one round knit). The stitch pattern worked, but the sock was way too big, the fabric too loose, and the pooling bad. RIP! (I was starting to feel a bit like Goldilocks at this point.)
Fortunately, I had some 2.25mm needles, and things were going great – the sock fit, the colors were spiraling instead of pooling, and all was rosiness and light. And then… The pooling again.
Here’s the sock from the top. See that nice light grey spiral starting where the stitch pattern starts? That made me happy.
I had trouble getting a good picture of the bottom of the sock, due to the *a-hem* assistance I received – but do you see the black blop on the bottom center of the sock? That’s pretty much just going straight up the bottom of the sock now – no spiraling at all.
In your dreams, Mayhem, in your dreams! Any ideas on how to force the sock to keep spiraling instead of pooling? I’m usually ok with pooling, but sometimes it just doesn’t work – and this is one of those times. (And I’m not sure I have it in me to rip out and start over again!)
I don’t think I’ve ever solved that pooling thing…even when I get several inches of nice-ness, eventually the same colors seem to gravitate toward one another. Good luck! REALLY nice yarn though! 🙂
Hmm, how about just knitting it and when it’s finished, get some permanent markers and colour in the parts you don’t like 😉
I wish we could get a little cold. It was 70 degrees here yesterday. That’s just NOT supposed to happen in January! I want some snow. We usually get pretty snow in January and February.
Our gas is at a finally *low* $2.18. Someone is making the big bucks and it’s not us!!!
Oooo, pretty. I can’t wait to use mine. I ended up getting a second skein because I like taller socks. And I have huge feet to begin with.
I had a horrible pooling problem with my Clapotis. I kept breaking the yarn, ripping out a foot or two of it, and then spit-splicing the yarn back together. And would you believe – it didn’t work. The pooling doesn’t go on forever though, thankfully. And it’s on the bottom of the foot – I wouldn’t let it bother me. But that’s me. 🙂
Thanks for the Yarnival shout out!
Yeah, it’s pretty chilly here, too. After a balmy start, winter’s arrived. We had quite an ice storm and it’s wreaking havoc — trees are down, power’s out…looks like my MIL and her husband might be camping out here tonight; they’ve been without power for almost 24 hours now.
Yikes!
I really like that yarn…it’s pretty.
About the only thingI can think of would be to knit from each end of the ball two rows at a time ( if you see ehat I mean). Wind chill brrrr.
hmmm….1.87 eh?, well, you’re right, I couldn’t hang with -5F. Gas is 2.67 at the local corner gas station, and its 33F here right now, in the usually warmer Central Coast. But I still don’t own a coat 🙂 Did finally cave and buy umbrellas last winter.
As for the pooling – alas, I am no help, I just let the yarn do what it wants to do (so far anyway).
why is it always the pretty yarn that breaks our hearts?
it’s why i can’t knit with lorna’s laces – no matter WHAT i try, i get icky pooling.
i gave all the ll i had away and swore never to buy it again, regardless of the pretty pretty colors in the skein.
I hate pooling just as much as I hate my stripes not matching on my socks. I actually sold a skein of STR because the pooling was driving me INSANE.
One must embrace the pooling. It is the only way one can manage to knit socks and save one’s sanity.
Reffering to oneself in the third person is not an indicator that one has failed in this. 😉
I’m no expert on sewing, but I think you need to sew some more, that sock looks like it would be cold in that snow.
Indeed, the spiraling is gorgeous! I hope you manage to keep it going. I’m afraid I know of no tricks.
I don’t think it’s that bad, it looks fine! Pooling will always happen, I think it only DOESN’T happen to yarn manufacturers when they take pictures.
If it does keep bugging you…maybe start again on 2.5mm, or do straight stocking stitch instead or K2,P2.
(I must be the LAMEST sock knitter ever! It would take me a week to knit that much, and I have barely size 6 feet!)
My answer to a pooling sock? Screw it! Whose gonna get that close to your feet???
Our gas is a low $2.52 this morning. I will trade you degrees for gallons. You can have our 22° high predicted temp for the day if I can have some of your $1.87 gas. Just thinking that 22 is so much “warmer” than -5.
pooling puddles.. pooh bah!
Perhaps a chevron pattern?? like in the back of Sensational Knitted Socks?
Glad you’re finally getting some ‘normal’ weather (heh heh) We’re having snow again today as well.
I wore my Garter Ribs yesterday :o) Lucy in the Sky colorway.
What about a cimple 2×2 rib? The extra yarn moving front and back might suck up enough yarn to shift the colors?
Don’t worry about the pooling. It’s variegated. It does that. It’s cute. Knit on!
I almost picked up a skein of that the other day but I’m dubious about whether or not it will make more than ankle socks, even with the bugger needles. The yardage seemed to low. I’ll be interested to see how they turn out; do you think you’ll make it?
The sock looks beautiful…I have no clues about pooling, though.
Chris- Just call me a rogue, devil-may-care sock knitter! Pooling, blobbing- feh! Never worries me.
Well, not much, anyway.
The top of the foot looks so nice that I wouldn’t worry about the pooling on the bottom. Anytime I try to fix pooling I end up with more further down the line, so my new goal is to learn to be OK with most of the pooling. I did rip a scarf that was pooling pink on the right and brown on the left, because I had to add 50% more stitches to stop that silliness, which would have created a very wide, short scarf.
I’m glad to see that May is trying to learn from Chaos. Maybe she actually did learn from last week’s bib-modeling episode that sometimes Chaos knows a thing or two that she doesn’t.
Embrace the pooling! It’s part of the process. (It’s also the bottom of the sock.)
At this point I would give anything to have any kind of winter. Even one where it is -5. 70s in January–there aughta be a law!
Pooling can be such a nightmare. Two stitches more or less and it doesn’t happen…you just never know which way it will go.
Oh! And too late, I’m already moving there!
Our gas was at $2.09 this morning. We finally have cold weather today, not Minnesota cold but at least we’re down to a little below freezing right now. I’m a lazy sock knitter, so I would probably just live it. Every time I’ve tried to stop the pooling, I end up with a sock that’s too tight.
Too bad about the change in colors, the spirals were looking really nice. I have to admit though, I don’t mind the pooling either.
You could threaten it.
I would move there in a second if we had jobs and could sell our house. I absolutely adore the cold.
Now if May or Chaos can’t figure out how to fix your problem, how do you think I can? I’m sock stupid by the way.
Sheesh… I’ll stop complaining about the 23 degree nights areound here! BURRRRRRRR!!!!!!
I love that Jitterbug! I have a couple of skeins of it, and started a sock I’m trying to get to not pool. That tail in the top photo? Priceless!
Maybe you can knit from both ends of the skein? One round of one end and one round of the other?
I’ve been seeing Jitterbug around knitblogland lately… and am very much wanting to get some myself, eek! I think lisa’s suggestion above might help. Or try different patterns, like a chevron or feather & fan, etc. Pooling on the foot might happen no matter what and it’ll look OK on the leg/cuff?? Good luck!!
I think I’ve finally accepted that some yarn is going to pool. It’s an unfortunate fact of knitting.
I have no idea what to do about pooling because I’ve never gotten that far with variegated yarn. It’s part of the pattern, right?
Our gas is $2.67 a gallon and it’s 34 degrees. That’s positively artic around here weatherwise, and same old same old gas price wise.
I got nothin’ on the pooling – I usually just leave it. But I am enjoying the chance to see that yarn knit up, as I have some marinating in the stash!
*CRY* Ok, I can’t complain because you did warn me, but I’m just so upset by your pictures. Snow *whistful sigh*. And yes, I am thinking about moving out there, because as you know, that’s my kind of weather, got any good LYS’s? Right about now PA’s only redeeming factor is that there is no sales tax on yarn!
If the pooling is on the bottom of the sock you just have to keep that foot down. I’m bummed to hear it pools, though – I have the same colorway waiting for me.
Oooh, snow! Oooh, cats! Sorry, distracted there for a moment. I was looking at the Jitterbug wondering what it would be like so I’ll get out some smaller needles. It is a shame about the pooling though.
I love kitties who provide ‘quality control’
the yarn is gorgeous,
do the kitties get to go outside and build snowmen?
The sock is looking good. We have been between 5 -15 degrees at night here (its never been that cold), they say we are going to have another snow storm this weekend.
You could try upping your stitch count a little bit. Usually pooling is kind of a perfect storm of needle size and stitch count. ??
It’s on the bottom—better that than, say the heel or across the top, don’t you think?
I want to play with that yarn, too.
Thanks for pics, btw–
I don’t have a camera phone, but I love collecting photos. LJ isn’t free pics available, so I can’t put them there, often. I put some in my facebook, though.
I’ll have to try a different way of putting pics in facebook to see if it works. I pasted some pics of our dorm-living in there–a while back–I’ll have to see if they stayed (of course, maybe I see them because they are on my hard drive?)
I haven’t knit them, but would RPM help?