I don’t like handpainted yarn. Or at least, I don’t like the things I knit with handpainted yarn. I understand the attraction: it looks so pretty in the skein. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve been lured in by a unique colour combination. Or a cool name. Or a limited edition. Or a not-so-unique colour combination in colours I love. You get the drift.
But then it comes time to knit and I end up with inevitable pooling. I’ve tried different patterns and needles, but the end result is the same: awkward stripes or big blobs of colour. I’ve seen other people’s projects where the colours flow with no pooling. I admit to a certain amount a great deal of jealousy that they can create these wonders.
With my latest pair of socks, I think I’ve finally accepted that I am a self-striping sock knitter. I like my socks to match. It actually bothers me when I can’t make them line up.
My name is Bonnie and I don’t like handpainted yarns.
I wonder how long I’ll actually remember that.
Windy Wonderings 
I like the sock.
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Thank you! It’s growing on me (a bit). 🙂
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I think the sock looks cute. Have you tried linen stitch for handpainted yarn? It really evens out the colours.
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I haven’t. I still have a “few” skeins in my stash; I might give it a try. Thanks for the tip!
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There’s a way out: when you start your first sock, take good note of the color you start with and measure the distance to the next color. Then start your second sock exactly the same way. But I’m with you on the pooling and weird results, I prefer tonal or semi-tonal.
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It takes all sorts! I love that hand painted yarn pools oddly and I love it when stripes don’t match. It’d be a funny world if we all had the same taste. I love your socks by the way.
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Thank you! I’ve knit purposefully mismatched socks and been sort of ok with it. I see other people wearing them and think it looks great. To each his own!
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Good luck! I’m one of those weird ones who like pooling blobs. Hope you can find a stitch that works for you. Patterns with slipped stitches would probably help the most.
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Thanks. I’ve started the second sock and the pooling is growing on me. 😃
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That’s good. As long as you like what you knit who cares what it looks like to others?
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