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« boys of summer | Main | plain jane »


july 11, 2008

should I stay or should I go?

Tell me, do we love this or hate it?

I'm teaching a class now where we're making the child's placket neck sweater from Last-Minute Knitted Gifts. I was going to make the sweater for wee one in some plain minty green yarn. I swatched. I brought the yarn into class. And then I spotted this awesome Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sport in reds and purples and orange. I couldn't resist it. And here we are: four inches in and I'm just not sure.

Sigh. I never like variegated yarns knit up. Wee one looks great in these colors though. What to do?

posted by alison at 11:01 am | in placket neck sweaters
Comments

Love it! The "pooling" of the colors is giving the fabric lots of movement. The colors are nice and bright! That's gonna be one fun sweater! Cannot wait to see it on the Wee One!

Posted by: Jenn at July 11, 2008 11:17 AM

It's so brilliantly bright! I guess the varegated yarn is a matter of personal taste, but look at it this way, wee one will never be lost in the crowd!

Posted by: Lauren S at July 11, 2008 11:18 AM

LOVE IT!! It's a keeper. I think wee one will love it too!

Posted by: Becky at July 11, 2008 11:22 AM

Love it!!!!! But then I am rather fond of those colors. When my girls were little, I always bought them swimsuits in colors like those. That way, when we went to family swim at the Y, it was easy to see them. Personally, I like the pooling in variegated yarns but I realize I'm in the minority (altho for some reason, I hate it in sock yarn).

Posted by: Donna at July 11, 2008 11:25 AM

Love it! Especially for a little one.

Posted by: sharon at July 11, 2008 11:29 AM

The funny thing is, I am hyper critical of my own projects in variegated yarn, but I usually like other people's varigated yarn projects. Go figure! It's pretty in the skein, and it's fun to to knit (especially for a kid), so I say just let go and enjoy it.

Posted by: Holly at July 11, 2008 11:36 AM

Love, love, love the colors! :D Keep it, it's so pretty. :D

Posted by: Tammy at July 11, 2008 11:39 AM

Go for it! I love the colors...and it's for wee one...not you!

Posted by: Kathleen at July 11, 2008 11:40 AM

I'm just like you Holly - I do like the crazy variegated things that other folks knit. That's why I thought I'd run it by you all first. If you think it's a keeper, then I'll try to overcome my own anti-variegated instincts.

Posted by: ALISON at July 11, 2008 11:44 AM

I'm in the minority - I think really glaring colours can overwhelm the perfect wee faces of toddlers - I'd ditch it.

Posted by: Marie at July 11, 2008 11:51 AM

CUTE and perfect for summer.. I say keep it :-)

Posted by: Lauren at July 11, 2008 11:56 AM

It reminds me of sweaters my Mum knit when I was little. Did not care too much for the varigation back then. But now when I see photos of my sister and I in those sweaters...I do see how beautiful they are. I wish I still had them.

Go for it...it is fun...it is bright...

Posted by: eastofeden at July 11, 2008 12:05 PM

Ew ew ew ew. I'm sorry, I'm clearly in the minority, but those colors are way too garish and the pooling is pretty bad. Any one of those colors individually could be cute and bright and fun, but all mushed together (even stripes would be cute), it's like clown barf.

Posted by: Phoebe at July 11, 2008 12:15 PM

Absolutely LOVE it!!

Posted by: Bonney at July 11, 2008 12:23 PM

Ooooh, I think it's pretty!!

Posted by: chris at July 11, 2008 12:24 PM

It's Awesome and L will look sugar sweet in it.

Posted by: Celaine at July 11, 2008 12:41 PM

I've learned to go with my initial gut feeling. If I'm not sure I like it 4" in, then I probably won't like it when it's finished. Great colors but I don't care for the pooling. Minty green sounds great!

Posted by: Susan at July 11, 2008 12:44 PM

I'm not one for pooling. I would invovle a slip stitch or texture, myself. But I'll bet Wee One is fine with it.

Posted by: Angie at July 11, 2008 12:46 PM

Hmmm...I love the colors...for socks.

I think it's a little too harsh for a baby sweater...though I do like babies in bright colors, those are really glaringly bright.

Still, it would make a tremendous pair of socks.

Posted by: Sarah R at July 11, 2008 1:01 PM

I love those colors. I don't mind how it's knitting up, I think the colors are beautiful!

Posted by: Sedie at July 11, 2008 1:06 PM

its a keeper! it will look so cute!

Posted by: jessica at July 11, 2008 1:22 PM

I am very picky about variegations too. Most times, I don't like it. But I do like it in those colors. As a matter of fact I really love it. Perhaps the picture is deceiving, and I wouldn't like it in person. But based on the picture I love it.

Posted by: julia at July 11, 2008 1:24 PM

I think it is a great color for Wee One:) I can't wait to see it finished!

Posted by: Jeanie at July 11, 2008 1:32 PM

Another spoilsport here to say frog it. I should disclose that I have a general prejudice against variegated yarns. I almost never see something knit in one that I like. And I think there's a reason that variegated sweaters are a rarity in stores. Also, if you're not sure, that's not going to keep you motivated to keep going. If you liked it, you'd be sure.

Posted by: spoiledonlychild at July 11, 2008 1:46 PM

I love the color mix in the Lorna's (is it bittersweet?).

You might try adding in a solid color (one of the colors in your yarn or something contrasting), as stripes or color blocks - tones down the wild but lets you keep the fun colors!

Posted by: Jean Marie at July 11, 2008 1:54 PM

It's a keeper!!

Posted by: Judi at July 11, 2008 2:06 PM

Children should wear bright colors (my opinion). I think it's great (besides, I have socks in that colorway--bittersweet, right?)

Posted by: Jennifer at July 11, 2008 2:14 PM

keep it! i think that wee one will be stylin' in it.

Posted by: chandra at July 11, 2008 2:16 PM

I do like the pooling but I agree that there might ned to be some blocks/stripes added to tone it a bit.

Posted by: Darci at July 11, 2008 2:22 PM

I really like it, and I particularly like the pooling. It looks like a sunset sky to me.

Posted by: Cara at July 11, 2008 2:30 PM

Keep it! For a little girl it is wonderful! Now if you were doing this for you, an adult, I'd say now but for a kid! I LOVE IT!

Posted by: Rebecca at July 11, 2008 2:33 PM

Love it! The colors are great and what lil' girl wouldn't just love to run around and play in such a bright, fun sweater?!

Posted by: nanc at July 11, 2008 3:18 PM

I like it. :)

Posted by: Samantha at July 11, 2008 3:19 PM

Love it! Also, please share the name of the colorway so I can also indulge in some pink and orange goodness, too. :)

Posted by: Cathy at July 11, 2008 3:22 PM

Um, I'm a frog it camper. Looks like neon koolaid colors to me. Bit painful without sunglasses on.

Posted by: Debbie at July 11, 2008 3:25 PM

I took a class with Cat Bordhi in June. She said that, if you knit through the back loop, variegated yarn won't pool. I know that doesn't help much 4 inches in but maybe it will if you decide to reknit it.

Posted by: Anne at July 11, 2008 3:26 PM

It looks like clown camouflage. I like it. ~ksp

Posted by: Kelli at July 11, 2008 3:33 PM

Go! I love it!

Posted by: Cynthia at July 11, 2008 3:41 PM

LOVE IT! The sweater is very basic, so I think the variegated yarn livens it up! I knit that about a year ago- great quick knit!

Posted by: lindsey at July 11, 2008 3:53 PM

It's odd how it zigzags at the bottom, then sort of stripes further up. Did your tension change a bit? I'm solidly on the fence - would have to see it in person to decide.

Posted by: Mary K. in Rockport at July 11, 2008 4:03 PM

I love it for a little girl!

Posted by: Jess at July 11, 2008 4:09 PM

I think it would make a nice little girl sweater. Bright and pretty!

Posted by: Carolyn at July 11, 2008 5:05 PM

I adore it. it's a purely *baby* sweater...what adult could get away with such colors? i love the juicy colors and i'm sure she will look so cute in it.

Posted by: Meredith at July 11, 2008 5:12 PM

Hate it! I do not think it will become your beautiful daughter.

Posted by: sherry at July 11, 2008 5:38 PM

That's the same color as my clapotis. Have a look at it in Ravelry if you want to see 3 skeins of it knitted up. I love the pink but have never been fond of the yellow. Subjective opinion though.

Posted by: Carol at July 11, 2008 6:07 PM

I love it!!

Posted by: Tiffany at July 11, 2008 6:22 PM

work from two skeins and opposite ends,

Posted by: cindy at July 11, 2008 7:32 PM

I love it. How does the wee one feel about it? (My LO has definite opinions about colors, etc.)

Posted by: Cher at July 11, 2008 8:08 PM

Doesn't every gal need a hot dress?!? This will be the outfit to put on her when you're worried about losing her in the crowd. ;^) I guess see if she seems attracted to it, variety is the spice of life, no?

Posted by: Robby at July 11, 2008 8:59 PM

You may want to read Kim Salazar's July 11 post on her String or Nothing blog. She discusses how she uses multi-colored yarns.

Posted by: Charlotte at July 11, 2008 9:52 PM

I love it, and I don't always like variegated yarns, except in plain socks. In an adult sweater, this would be crazy. Little ones do look beautiful in soft solids, but sometimes they need something wacky too. It looks like tie-dye, which is also fun but only sometimes :)

Posted by: Mandy at July 11, 2008 10:23 PM

I love the bright colors. I'm also Pooling Blind (I never notice pooling until someone shows me a really obvious photo) so even though it has some I would never notice it on the finished product. Keep on knitting!

Posted by: Melissa at July 11, 2008 11:06 PM

love it
all that shocking bright color on a baby/toddler is just plain fun

Posted by: SheilaZ at July 11, 2008 11:26 PM

I love it. There's a lot of bright colours, but they work together so well and would be so sweet on a toddler.

Posted by: Yve at July 12, 2008 7:36 AM

That's Bittersweet, my favourite Lorna's Laces colour - in reality the colours zing together and it looks fabulous, especially on little girls. Please keep going. If you have a look at the sidebar of my blog, you will see a three Bittersweet jigsaws too, but I expect you're too busy for that...

Posted by: Helen at July 12, 2008 7:36 AM

mmmmm...but you probably already knew that about me. remember the hoodie i made for scout out of that yarn with the purples and pinks...it's on the knitsmith's blog...if you end up hating it...we'll do a swap...

Posted by: lisa b at July 12, 2008 8:16 AM

Love it!

Posted by: Cass at July 12, 2008 9:25 AM

I LOVE! But if you don't, what about using it as a detail on that sweater--make it a Charlie Brown sweater with that as a fantastic stripe!!

Posted by: beverly at July 12, 2008 9:42 AM

For me -- I love the colors in and of themselves; I'm not so much a fan of the change in pooling of variegated yarns that you'll get with this particular sweater with its change in row counts. And that's a lot of intense color right next to the face -- it'll be all you see.

If I wanted to use that lovely bright color as something other than an accessory, i.e. in this sweater, I'd consider striping/alternating it with a dark (navy or black) or white yarn (LL makes both in worsted, I'm not sure about Shepherd Sport). That would tone it down a bit.

Posted by: Cathy-Cate at July 12, 2008 10:21 AM

Love it!

Posted by: Laurie at July 12, 2008 12:37 PM

I have the same sweater pattern knitted up in a variegated Socks That Rock yarn that you can see here: http://homejewel.blogspot.com/2007/11/thanksgiving.html

I love it!

Posted by: homejewel at July 12, 2008 2:03 PM

LOVE IT!!!

Posted by: sheryl at July 12, 2008 3:10 PM

I love it!

But it's up to you, of course.

Posted by: Suzanne at July 12, 2008 8:04 PM

For a wee one, go for it. For an adult sweater, no freakin' way.

Posted by: claudia at July 12, 2008 9:15 PM

I love it! It's pooling, but on wee one it should look fine. :)

Posted by: Andrea at July 13, 2008 2:50 AM

I am in the minority, one color, any of those colors pretty, all together? no....but that's me.

Posted by: Debbie Bourque at July 13, 2008 8:07 AM

I'm sorry Alison. I love your knitting but all those colors together and verigated...No. Do the Oprah thing...listen to your intuition (i.e. what Susan wrote) don't 2nd guess your self.
If Wee one looks good in these colors then consider a stripy pattern.

Posted by: Orli at July 13, 2008 10:21 AM

I'm not too keen on those colours myself, and never too sure about variegated yarn like that.

What does wee one think?

Posted by: Kristin at July 13, 2008 12:05 PM

Maybe use it for an accent? Or alternate rows or do a stripe or two with a coordinating or contrasting solid? That way you reduce the pooling, but still get to use that great yarn.

Posted by: K. Anne at July 13, 2008 12:18 PM

Minty green ~ hands down!

Posted by: +marzipan+ at July 13, 2008 4:02 PM

i love the colors and variegated yarns are soo tempting... but it's the bizarre pooling that happens. i'm with k.anne - what about 2 stripes vari and 2 stripes a coordinated solid? that'll break it up.

Posted by: rebecca at July 13, 2008 8:49 PM

Ooh - love, love, love!

Posted by: Mary at July 14, 2008 4:36 AM

I love that colorway, but I'm in the "frog it" camp - perhaps a slightly different gauge would help minimize the flashing without forcing you to redo all the pattern math...

Posted by: Donna at July 14, 2008 10:32 AM

Wee One will look great in the varigated one!

Posted by: karin at July 14, 2008 11:09 AM

I made a pullover for myself out of that colorway, and wear it on grey, rainy days. It's a real pick me up. I also like to wear it to design meetings, since my palette is normally sedate.

Posted by: Kirstin at July 14, 2008 1:40 PM

i love it!! and colors too!!

Posted by: lucylaine at July 15, 2008 7:31 PM

I love it! Those are beautiful colours!

Posted by: NoƩmie at July 21, 2008 1:14 PM




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