Problem #1: To find a sweater pattern that would suit a variegated yarn.
Yarn: Malabriogo Rios: 100% merino (worsted weight)
Colourway: Piedras
Needles: 4.5mm
Problem #2 No skeins are identical and two of the skeins I own are very light coloured
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| Malabrigo Rios Note: I have no idea why how I didn't notice a leaf on my yarn! |
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| Light skein on the left, darker skein on the right |
I wasn't sure what to do with this variegated yarn. I knew I wanted to knit a sweater, but I was worried that a sweater knit in solid Piedras might be too busy for me. After searching through Ravelry, I thought the Daelyn Pullover by Isabell Kraemer might work. I really like the back of this sweater as it is knit in garter stitch, which always makes a variegated yarn look great. But I believed that, in order to get a consistent colour in my sweater, I would have to alternate a lot of skeins. Who wants to do that?
I made the decision not to use the two lighter skeins and to find a pattern that I could use with just my four darker skeins. This meant that I would not have enough yarn to knit a sweater. I knew I needed another colour to work with Piedras.
That's when I found Cocoa in Malabrigo Rios.
Problem #3 Find a pattern that would well with two colours.
I had another look at the Clarke Pullover by Jane Richmond, which had been in my queue since the pattern first came out. Most people on Ravelry knit it with two solid colours and I wasn't sure that it would look good with variegated yarn. I just went for it, knitting big stripes in Piedras, alternating with four rows of Cocoa. I am really pleased with the effect. This pattern is so well written and easy to follow. It's also a great sweater to knit if you are a beginner, and I am sure it will get a lot of use.
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| Clarke Pullover by Jane Richmond |
I have to admit that I like a yarn challenge. It was fun for me to look try and find the perfect pattern for my yarn. Hopefully I will have enough yarn to complete the sweater and that it will look great when it's done. Trust me when I say that I do not go through this much thinking everytime I pick out a pattern to knit.
What will my next knitting challenge be?
Knitting a sweater with variegated yarn is definitely a challenge, especially if you have slightly different shades!! You are doing great! I love it how thoughtful you are when planning a project, it definitely takes much more time, but the process and the result are much more satisfying in well-planned projects!
ReplyDeleteThank you Alina! I find that sometimes lighting in a yarn shop is not the best and I did not realize how different the skeins were until I saw them in the daylight. Hopefully this sweater will look good when finished.
Deletethat's a cool idea to knit the Clarke in variegated yarn. It definitely works out with these two colours, I like them together a lot. Now that I've seen yours I might wear mine today, it's that kind of weater today ;-)
ReplyDeleteThanks Corinne! I wish it was cooler here...it's supposed to feel like 32 degrees Celsius here today...definitely not sweater weather.
DeleteThat's looking great so far! Well done-I always love the feeling when I finally figure out what to do with a specific yarn.
ReplyDeleteI agree!
DeleteI love the color of your variegated yarn! And the sweater with the garter back definitely went into my library! -Sierra
ReplyDeleteYes I definitely want to knit that one too...but yarn that is not so variegated as this one. : )
DeleteExcellent solutions to your matching dilemma!! The Clarke pullover is looking so good, I love how autumn-y these colourways look together.
ReplyDeleteThanks Julie! I am on the sleeves now...hopefully it will be done as soon as the cooler weather hits around here.
DeleteAll of the thinking about the variegation and the two dyelots was definitely worth it, your final colour combination is just lovely! I test knit the clarke pullover and it is my most worn handknit sweater - so cosy!
ReplyDeleteThank you Kylie! Jane Richmond is a great designer for knits that will be worn over and over.
DeleteYou did an excellent job of matching your stash to the pattern. It is lovely.
ReplyDeleteThank you Ranee! It will be interesting to see it blocked and to get wearing it.
DeleteIt's stunning so far!! That variegated colourway is to die for! I love how creatively you used what you had. The Clarke was actually designed because I only had 4 skeins that I was dying to turn into a sweater -- the stripes were my solution to stretch the 4 skeins that I had! Isn't that a funny coincidence!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jane...check out the finished sweater...http://woolercoaster.blogspot.ca/2016/10/fo-clarke-pullover-and-other-autumn.html It's all done and I love it.
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