5.04.2008

Flash and Pool



So I have been working on Jeanie this weekend and I have been doing the whole "work with two balls of yarn because they're hand-dyed and not exactly the same, so you have to work two or four rows of each and switch off and on to avoid noticeable difference or pooling and flashing" thing. I don't think I like it. I mean, I love the yarn and they are actually different.

But I miss the pooling and flashing. I know I am not supposed to like pooling or flashing. I know that many people go to great lengths to avoid pooling and so on. But part of the mystery of the hand-dyed hank is the fact that I have NO IDEA what will happen when I knit it up. That is part of the excitement of working with something that is completely unique!

I have not been a big fan of variegated yarns over the years since I started knitting. But one thing I will say is that hand-dyed yarns are supposed to be different and special. To me, the pooling and flashing is just a manifestation of the individuality of each skein.

So, I have decided to stop switching back and forth. I don't care if one end of my wrap is darker than the other. I don't care if it pools and flashes. It just make it that much more interesting to me.

3 comments:

Stiney said...

Personally I think pooling can have very interesting effects...I'm not sure what flashing is though?

Anna said...

I think pooling is part of the deal with handdyed yarn. I'm no fan of abrupt colour changes though so sometimes I start the alternating between skeins a couple of rows before I end the first skein. Just to transition things a bit.

Hope you're going to like the end result on Jeanie.

essjay said...

The most important thing is that you like it! :) Every skein of yarns behaves differently and I hope these two produce something you like.