Probably the best-known effect of working with variegated yarns is pooling, and its crazier sibling, flashing. It is the opposite of a well-mixed fabric.
Simply stated, pooling is where the individual colors wind up near each other in the fabric, creating “pools” or patches of the same color. Pooling is the result of your stitch count and gauge being just right (or wrong depending on your opinion on the subject).
Pools can be big or small. Here's a rather loud headscarf with small pools:
![]() |
@ Cathy Byland Weeks |
© Cathy Byland Weeks |
![]() |
© Cathy Byland Weeks |
Flashing is a type of pooling where the pools make lighting bolts or zig-zags. This effect is most common in items made in hand-dyed yarns, which typically have inconsistent color-lengths.
![]() |
© Cathy Byland Weeks |
![]() |
© Cathy Byland Weeks |
![]() |
© Cathy Byland Weeks |
One term you’ll see associated with pooling (or more specifically, planned pooling projects), is “magic number.” The magic number is the number of stitches at a specific gauge, that are taken up by one color repeat, or one loop of the hank. Knowing the magic number allows you to use the pooling to deliberately create stacked pools or argyles. But, more on that later.
For those that want to read ahead with magic number info (it is super-cool, and really intriguing), here are some pages I liked:
- https://www.interweave.com/article/knitting/the-magic-number-method-color-knitting-with-laura-bryant-as-seen-on-knitting-daily-tv-episode-1109/
- https://stylecraft-yarns.co.uk/blog/colour-pool-for-knitters/
- https://www.sewrella.com/planned-color-pooling-magic/
No comments:
Post a Comment
Neither spam nor mean comments are allowed. I'm the sole judge of what constitutes either one, and any comment that I consider mean or spammy will be deleted without warning or response.