I have been so not interested in variegated yarns I didn't watch your previous videos covering the topic. I have 6 more rows to go before I will have finished the shawl, I'm working on. So, I decided to watch this video. This is the best class I've ever seen covering variegated yarns. I've paid for two different classes (instructors) to learn more about this topic but not a one of them ever made me interested in trying to use this type of yarn for anything other than socks. Your explanation/swatches on how to use the yarn so that it worked for you, has never been explained more clearly to me. Throw in the different patterns you added to the class and now I'm interested in using variegated yarn. Great job!
I love knitting socks with varigated yarn...it is like a mystery quilt...the surprise pattern is fun and makes me want to knit faster to see the pattern develope.
exactly. pooling or flashing is not a problem and is what makes knitting with variegated yarn fun. It keeps interest while knitting. Especially on large swaths of stockinette for garments.
Dropped stitch patterns look great in variegated yarns with quick color changes. Seed stitch is another winner. I only avoid lace projects with these yarns. The work gets lost. Great series, Tonia.
Thank you! Oh, I especially love the slip stitch/mosaic knitting patterns, and the purple stripe looks surprisingly good with the pastel colors. Who knew?
If you like variegated yarn knit flat, you should knit variegated yarn knit in the round! I pull out 2 yards of the yarn and check to see how long it takes for the colors to repeat. If there is a repeat within the 2 yards, you can make some beautiful spiral striped hats! I cast on with a size 6 -16" needle until I have reached and overlapped the repeat. I usually do the ribbing for a spiral striped hat with a solid color and then start with the body of the hat.
OMG! I’m sitting in my Toronto-area hotel room, going to Knit City Toronto tomorrow. And I’m working on a kit I purchased at Fibre Spirit Festival in Barrie Ontario back around 2018…the Shusui! So funny to be working on this and have it pop up in your episode! I had to start over after about 20 rows, as I’m not very experienced in brioche. I ended up rewriting some of the pattern, ie breaking up the lengthy row instructions. I had been finding it exhausting to keep my place in all that alphabet soup! Everything is going fine now😊
This series has been amazing! I took your advice on variegated yarn and using specific stitch patterns and I just made the most amazing hat with yarn I really was unsure about and it turned out wonderfully. Thank you so much!
This has been an excellent series. Very detailed starting off with definition of terminology before delving deeper into patterns and then showing the yarns in action through swatches. Immensely beneficial. Thanks for taking the time to put this playlist together. It has provided me with ideas on how to knit my skeins of variegated yarn. Happy knitting!
This was great! I buy the pretty variegated yarns, but don't use them for anything but socks because I'm not a huge fan of pooling and I hate having to use two balls and switch back and forth. I like the idea of pairing variegated with a solid for stripes.
Thank you for all your great work on the variegated yarns! This was super. I was very lucky to have been able to take a class with Margaret Radcliff at the John C. Campbell Folk school in Brasstown NC. I only live a few hours away from there. She also is a WEALTH of knowledge! We covered variegated yarns and knitting them. All different kinds of dyeing methods with an acid dye brand. She does a yearly retreat on a sloop for people from Maine I think it is? It should be on her website.
Love the great lesson about variegated yarns. Personally, I love flashing and pooling in socks but not in most garments. Moss stitch is my go to for breaking up weird globs of color in hats and cowls. Thanks for all the fun examples.
Timely video, thank you. I just learned the hard way about quirks of varigated yarn from choosing 3 varigated skeins to work a colorwork sweater yoke, which the designer did as well, but while mine had great contrast and showed the chart pattern beautifully in my swatch, it got completely lost when working the actual yoke and just like stockenette with 1 variagated skein so I frogged half way through, chose my favourite of the 3 and worked a lace chart instead which shows off the beautiful colors without that flat chaotic stripping effect of plain stockenette.
Ha! I have Radcliffe's book but haven't used it yet. I definitely will now so thanks for the encouragement ( or push 😄). As I have quite a lot of variegated skeins, or sounds as if it will be useful. This has been a great series, thank you!
My not-a-knitter husband has been watching this series with me, and he told me this morning that he has never been impressed with variegated yarn, but you have now convinced him that it can be quite beautiful. I’ve learned so much from this series, and will be referring back to it when I tackle some yarns in my stash. It might be fun for you to watch at least the first bit of Summer Lee’s video that was released this morning. She was knitting a sock in a variegated yarn. I chuckled at the coincidence. 😊
@@jatraveler1277 I liked it, too AND it’s in my LYS at the moment BUT I have a low-buy goal for this year and I’m still working through sock yarn I already have!
Another great video in the series! i have the Essentials book in my cart now. I really liked that short variegated yarn you showed with the travelling blue. It can make a project look so interesting!
Fabulous video! I learned so much and appreciate that you approached the instruction by using so many different examples. Keep teaching so we can keep learning!
This has been such a wonderful series of educational videos. We have all probably fallen victim to buying a commercial or indie dyed skein because the colors are just beautiful and pop. However, I’ve learned quickly to only purchase variegated yarn when I have a specific plan for it. Also ravelry isn’t always helpful. I’ve noticed so many people do not indicate the yarns they’ve used. Take care. Thanks for another great lesson.
So informative to see your swatches! I thought the yarn with long repeats would work the best with slip stitches, seed stitch, etc., but i really liked the short repeat yarn better. With stockinette in my opinion, longer repeat yarn doesn't look so bad as the pooling in the short repeat yarn. That kind of pooling, the zigzagging, i hate. I always use a knit/purl stitch with socks, never stockinette. I will check out some of the patterns you showed also. I enjoyed this video the most of the variegated yarn series.Thanks so much!
Really excited to knit with more variegated yarns, thanks to this series. The Pressed Flowers cardi maybe my big fall project. Currently knitting colourwork mittens with a more gradient yarn. However, I have new plans for some variegated which were destined for socks. Now, they are possible colourwork mittens and brioche cowls. Many thanks!
Thank you so much for this very helpful information about variegated yarn. I have avoided knitting with variegated yarn even if I love the colors because I don't particularly like the effects in the finished project. I will take note of the advice and recommendations in your video and launch myself into a project sometime soon! Many blessings to you! :)
@@NerdyKnitting I bet! And I can definitely say your channel has added more projects to my list than any other. I might need to take 6 months off work to make a dent in the list 😂
Thanks for all this great food for thought. Another book that seems to have a lot of helpful insights is Artful Color, Mindful Knits by Laura Militzer Bryant.
This video was so well put together. Your presentation is very very good too (are you trained as a public speaker? Lol you have none of those annoying speech patterns so many people seem to have, me included). I’ve learned so much and was almost to the point of giving up on variegated yarns because they never looked very good imo. (I love stockinette so soothing!) Now I’m ready to grab some out of my stash and give it another go!
I'm glad you found the video helpful! I did take one public speaking course in college but that was a long time ago! 🤣 And thank you, it's always nice to hear when a presentation is done well. ❤️
Also, if you are using several color of the same yarn, don't assume that the strips will be similar from one color to another. Source : Me ; I bought 9 colorways of the same yarn, I am making squares for a blanket (60 stitches by 100 rows) ; 3 have larges strips, like 4-5 rows long, and 1 have barely 2-rows long strips
I didn't really think about where the colors were when I started each swatch - that would have been a good idea to really see how the stitch patterns affected the color patterning!
We discussed that in the first video in the series - it's when one color will 'pool' together and create an unexpected pattern in the project. Flashing is similar - except it has more hard edges (like a lightening bolt).
When I say lace I mean intricate lace patterns - think Shetland shawls. The patterns in Radcliffe's book are all fairly simple and textured - not really intricate lace.
I have been so not interested in variegated yarns I didn't watch your previous videos covering the topic. I have 6 more rows to go before I will have finished the shawl, I'm working on. So, I decided to watch this video. This is the best class I've ever seen covering variegated yarns. I've paid for two different classes (instructors) to learn more about this topic but not a one of them ever made me interested in trying to use this type of yarn for anything other than socks. Your explanation/swatches on how to use the yarn so that it worked for you, has never been explained more clearly to me. Throw in the different patterns you added to the class and now I'm interested in using variegated yarn. Great job!
Thank you! I'm so glad you found it helpful.
I am truly enjoying these episodes about how to use variegated yarns. Thank you!
StitchedbyMimi
Glad you like them!
I love knitting socks with varigated yarn...it is like a mystery quilt...the surprise pattern is fun and makes me want to knit faster to see the pattern develope.
exactly. pooling or flashing is not a problem and is what makes knitting with variegated yarn fun. It keeps interest while knitting. Especially on large swaths of stockinette for garments.
Wow! Cannot believe how much the 2 stripe slipped stitch changed the look of that variegated yarn. Thank you for demonstrating. ❤
Dropped stitch patterns look great in variegated yarns with quick color changes. Seed stitch is another winner. I only avoid lace projects with these yarns. The work gets lost. Great series, Tonia.
Thank you! Oh, I especially love the slip stitch/mosaic knitting patterns, and the purple stripe looks surprisingly good with the pastel colors. Who knew?
I know! I was surprised at how well they looked together.
If you like variegated yarn knit flat, you should knit variegated yarn knit in the round! I pull out 2 yards of the yarn and check to see how long it takes for the colors to repeat. If there is a repeat within the 2 yards, you can make some beautiful spiral striped hats! I cast on with a size 6 -16" needle until I have reached and overlapped the repeat. I usually do the ribbing for a spiral striped hat with a solid color and then start with the body of the hat.
That's a really good tip, Joan (and thanks for the email with more details!).
OMG! I’m sitting in my Toronto-area hotel room, going to Knit City Toronto tomorrow. And I’m working on a kit I purchased at Fibre Spirit Festival in Barrie Ontario back around 2018…the Shusui! So funny to be working on this and have it pop up in your episode! I had to start over after about 20 rows, as I’m not very experienced in brioche. I ended up rewriting some of the pattern, ie breaking up the lengthy row instructions. I had been finding it exhausting to keep my place in all that alphabet soup! Everything is going fine now😊
Hope you had fun at Knit City!
Thank you so much you did loads of work for this which is much appreciated !!
This series has been amazing! I took your advice on variegated yarn and using specific stitch patterns and I just made the most amazing hat with yarn I really was unsure about and it turned out wonderfully. Thank you so much!
Wonderful! I'm so glad the series helped you with your project! 😍
This has been an excellent series. Very detailed starting off with definition of terminology before delving deeper into patterns and then showing the yarns in action through swatches. Immensely beneficial. Thanks for taking the time to put this playlist together. It has provided me with ideas on how to knit my skeins of variegated yarn. Happy knitting!
I'm glad you enjoy it!
Yes! 💯
Such good info. Thanks
This was great! I buy the pretty variegated yarns, but don't use them for anything but socks because I'm not a huge fan of pooling and I hate having to use two balls and switch back and forth. I like the idea of pairing variegated with a solid for stripes.
Thank you for all your great work on the variegated yarns! This was super. I was very lucky to have been able to take a class with Margaret Radcliff at the John C. Campbell Folk school in Brasstown NC. I only live a few hours away from there. She also is a WEALTH of knowledge! We covered variegated yarns and knitting them. All different kinds of dyeing methods with an acid dye brand. She does a yearly retreat on a sloop for people from Maine I think it is? It should be on her website.
Someday I'd love to attend her classes! I have all of her books - she's such a wealth of knowledge.
Great series! I've saved several of the patterns you referenced in the series to my favorites.
I'm always happy to help knitters add more patterns to their to-knit list! 😁
Love the great lesson about variegated yarns. Personally, I love flashing and pooling in socks but not in most garments. Moss stitch is my go to for breaking up weird globs of color in hats and cowls. Thanks for all the fun examples.
Yes - moss stitch is a great choice for adding some texture!
I have made the baby surprise jacket. I highly recommend it! Made it with Berroco sesame.
Timely video, thank you. I just learned the hard way about quirks of varigated yarn from choosing 3 varigated skeins to work a colorwork sweater yoke, which the designer did as well, but while mine had great contrast and showed the chart pattern beautifully in my swatch, it got completely lost when working the actual yoke and just like stockenette with 1 variagated skein so I frogged half way through, chose my favourite of the 3 and worked a lace chart instead which shows off the beautiful colors without that flat chaotic stripping effect of plain stockenette.
Ha! I have Radcliffe's book but haven't used it yet. I definitely will now so thanks for the encouragement ( or push 😄). As I have quite a lot of variegated skeins, or sounds as if it will be useful. This has been a great series, thank you!
I was really inspired by this episode, a little of great ideas that can be used so many different ways. Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
Fantastic information! I love using slip stitches with variegated yarns.
My not-a-knitter husband has been watching this series with me, and he told me this morning that he has never been impressed with variegated yarn, but you have now convinced him that it can be quite beautiful. I’ve learned so much from this series, and will be referring back to it when I tackle some yarns in my stash. It might be fun for you to watch at least the first bit of Summer Lee’s video that was released this morning. She was knitting a sock in a variegated yarn. I chuckled at the coincidence. 😊
I'm so glad you (and your husband!) found it helpful!
watches Summer Lee's podcast, that yarn was gorgeous. She can send it to me... I would add a tonal cuff, heel and toe
@@jatraveler1277 I liked it, too AND it’s in my LYS at the moment BUT I have a low-buy goal for this year and I’m still working through sock yarn I already have!
These variegated yarn videos have been so informative. How about speckled yarn? How is it different? Thank you for your videos.
I discuss that in the first video in this series! But basically, it's just 'speckles' of color on a skein of yarn.
Another great video in the series! i have the Essentials book in my cart now. I really liked that short variegated yarn you showed with the travelling blue. It can make a project look so interesting!
Fabulous video! I learned so much and appreciate that you approached the instruction by using so many different examples. Keep teaching so we can keep learning!
I'm glad you found it helpful!
This has been such a wonderful series of educational videos. We have all probably fallen victim to buying a commercial or indie dyed skein because the colors are just beautiful and pop. However, I’ve learned quickly to only purchase variegated yarn when I have a specific plan for it.
Also ravelry isn’t always helpful. I’ve noticed so many people do not indicate the yarns they’ve used.
Take care. Thanks for another great lesson.
I'm glad you found it helpful!
So informative to see your swatches! I thought the yarn with long repeats would work the best with slip stitches, seed stitch, etc., but i really liked the short repeat yarn better. With stockinette in my opinion, longer repeat yarn doesn't look so bad as the pooling in the short repeat yarn. That kind of pooling, the zigzagging, i hate. I always use a knit/purl stitch with socks, never stockinette.
I will check out some of the patterns you showed also. I enjoyed this video the most of the variegated yarn series.Thanks so much!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Really excited to knit with more variegated yarns, thanks to this series.
The Pressed Flowers cardi maybe my big fall project. Currently knitting colourwork mittens with a more gradient yarn. However, I have new plans for some variegated which were destined for socks. Now, they are possible colourwork mittens and brioche cowls.
Many thanks!
I'm so glad you found some inspiration from this series!
Such a great and informative video. Thank you very much. I will now look at variegated yarn in a different way. 😊
Thank you!
fascinating! Thank you for making this video.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you so much for this very helpful information about variegated yarn. I have avoided knitting with variegated yarn even if I love the colors because I don't particularly like the effects in the finished project. I will take note of the advice and recommendations in your video and launch myself into a project sometime soon!
Many blessings to you! :)
Glad it was helpful!
Fantastic video! And I am definitely adding a few of these cardigans to my future project list. Thank you ☺️
I know! Every time I make one of these videos I find more patterns I want to knit!
@@NerdyKnitting I bet! And I can definitely say your channel has added more projects to my list than any other. I might need to take 6 months off work to make a dent in the list 😂
Thanks for all this great food for thought. Another book that seems to have a lot of helpful insights is Artful Color, Mindful Knits by Laura Militzer Bryant.
Thank you for the book recommendation - I'll have to look for that one!
Thank you very informative 😀
Knitting in the round, as for socks, creates a COMPLETELY different swatch
This video was so well put together. Your presentation is very very good too (are you trained as a public speaker? Lol you have none of those annoying speech patterns so many people seem to have, me included).
I’ve learned so much and was almost to the point of giving up on variegated yarns because they never looked very good imo. (I love stockinette so soothing!) Now I’m ready to grab some out of my stash and give it another go!
I'm glad you found the video helpful! I did take one public speaking course in college but that was a long time ago! 🤣 And thank you, it's always nice to hear when a presentation is done well. ❤️
Hi There.
I love the information about the variegated yarn. Do you have videos about crochet and these variegated yarns?
No, sorry, I don't really cover crochet.
Also, if you are using several color of the same yarn, don't assume that the strips will be similar from one color to another. Source : Me ; I bought 9 colorways of the same yarn, I am making squares for a blanket (60 stitches by 100 rows) ; 3 have larges strips, like 4-5 rows long, and 1 have barely 2-rows long strips
did you start on the same color for each swatch (at beginning of navy each time )
I didn't really think about where the colors were when I started each swatch - that would have been a good idea to really see how the stitch patterns affected the color patterning!
I want 2 learn 2 make a cable jersey but don't know how 2 start please help me
I’d like to know what flashing and pooling are
We discussed that in the first video in the series - it's when one color will 'pool' together and create an unexpected pattern in the project. Flashing is similar - except it has more hard edges (like a lightening bolt).
I don't know how to do a colour work swatch, counting stitches
Why avoid lace?
The pattern will get lost with a lot of variegated yarns.
I checked Radcliffe's book. She suggests several laces: Seafoam stripes, Daisy Stitch, Background Lace, Lace Rib - both sides, Vine Lace, Feather Lace...
When I say lace I mean intricate lace patterns - think Shetland shawls. The patterns in Radcliffe's book are all fairly simple and textured - not really intricate lace.