I see you're knitting your socks on circulars. I'm just getting ready to move past dish clothes, scarves, hats and garter stitch ponchos and on to socks but haven't seen socks on circ's.
Would love to know where the technique comes from as dpn's and I are not too friendly just yet.

I like the pooling. I think the cuff will look pretty cool.

I think the pooling is neat. Think of your recent Noro triumph where you didn't match the colours. It'll be okay...

Personally, I kind of like the way the pooling looks with this yarn, so it seems like there's a good chance your sock recipient will like it too.

I do like the pooling, but if you do not want it, just wind off two balls from your yarn (or use two balls if you have) and do always one or two rows from one ball. Will mix up the colors nicely and never really pool :)

I had the same thing happen with a sock that I made (there are pictures on my blog in the WIP section). Once I got past the cuff, the sock was nicely striped. I can't make myself knit the matching one, maybe I just need to knit and make up, too.

I'm not actually knitting the sock on a circular needle, I just slipped it on one so I could really see how the cuff looked and test its size. I have used the magic loop technique before to finish off the top of a hat or something, but I don't like doing it for a whole project - too annoying to keep pulling the cable through. I'd actually rather use dpns! Plus, this pattern calls for all sorts of specific stuff to happen on needle 1 or needle 4, etc., so converting that to the stitches on my circ would also be a pain.

Maus, I did think of that, but I already hate knitting socks so much, that I can't imagine also having to alternate balls the whole way through!

I think I'm going to just go with the positive thinking coming from you all, and say the recipient will love them! :)

You are getting to be quite the NYC knitter aren't you : ) Have fun and I agree who wouldn't love handknit socks.

I think any non-knitter will look at that sock and say, "Cool!!!! How did you do that?!" It will be fine.

have a fun trip in NYC!

Have you thought about changing not just the gauge, but the number of stitches as well? I find that it's usually the number of stitches around that affects the pooling of sock colors when I make them (this is probably because whether I use size 0, 1 or 2 needles I still get between 7 and 8 stitches/inch) . If you're going to do ribbing all the way around, a few extra stitches here and there shouldn't be a problem and might disrupt your pooling.

Actually, you might be able to use some of the same technique philosophy that is described for the pooling scarf to create un-pooling socks.

I do believe any recipient of these socks will appreciate them and admire them as well. Love the colorway!

I may be crazy, but I think how it's turning out simply rocks! Couldn't do that if I tried, but I guess the yarn demands it. I say go for it!

I actually like it too!! Perhaps the final result will be dramatic and fabulous. :)

I think the sock looks pretty neat, too. You could always give it a funky name, and then pretend the pooling was intentional. Maybe the "Sunshine on a Cloudy Day" socks or something. Goofy, yet artistic.

Alison, I know that it sounds fiddly to swap out yarns every other row, but I'm doing it right now (with a cursed variegated pooler of my own!) and despite my initial irritation at having to use this technique, it's actually very easy and is turning out nicely. If the pooling really bugs you, you may want to reconsider. Have fun in NYC! xox

Isn't it funny, I just love when my variegated yarns pool. When I was very young and learning to crochet and then knit, the way the colors would pool kept me ever anxious to see what would happen in the next row/round. The fascination is only slightly less now that I'm grown, perhaps nostalgia is the key. I think the socks in your post are great, just want to get my hands on the project so I can actually watch the pooling in progress. :)

I like the effect but if it would drive me nuts if it was my own knitting and not what I wanted... given that most of us seem to like it and they aren't for you I would go for the get them done and out of sight approach to this problem!

I quite like the colour pools, too!

LOL - how funny! You just can't predict that stuff. Course, on something bigger, it probably wouldn't do that. I think it's fine though... really. Wish I could come and see your swirling sock in person!

I stoped the pooling of colors by working the yarn in a slip stictch pattern. I still got the pooling on the cuff, but the rest of the sock was fine.

Another way to break up the pooling colors is to use a different stitch...I like to use a twisted rib or a mini-cable...they provide enough texture to break up the pool. That said, the pooling effect looks nice too! Have fun.

I'm with you ... I know I'm a heretic, but I'm anti-variegated and don't like knitting socks. I'll probably be struck by lightning now that I've said it, but....

You've summed up my variegated yarn relationship. I am driven to purchase large amouts because of the seductive skeins, then driven mad by the non-random actual knitting. I've been known to swap out two balls, or (if I only have one) to cut a couple of inches out every so often to break it up. It leaves a lot of ends to weave in, but it depends on how bonkers it's making you.

Hi Alison
Besides switching needles and gauge you can also try different kind of ribbing.
What I would suggest:
If you knit in a round:
1st row: k3, p1 k3 p1
2nd row p1 k1 p3 k1 p3
This is not as firm and you will maybe need less stiches in a row, but knits and purls will make the pooling less obvious.

Other thing to try is ribbing where you use unknitted knit stiches every second row Like this:
row 1 k1 p1
row 2 move stich from left needle to right as to knit, leave yarn on a needle, p1
row 3 knit unknitted needle together with this yarn left on needle last row, p1

Continue rounds 2 and 3.

Hope that helps

Helen
Tallinn
Estonia