As part of our decluttering, I am trying to use up some of my yarn stash, including a very pretty one that I have had for over 4 years. I bought enough (when my daughter was a baby) to make her a cardigan, which never appeared. There isn’t enough to make her one now, at least not a very substantial one, so I decided to use it to make a blanket as I have some white yarn that can be used to make a border and therefore make it big enough.
I bought and downloaded a really beautiful lace baby blanket pattern, which I have seen made successfully using yarn cakes and so I thought my yarn, which has long colour changes, would work. However, this pattern is worked in the round and it became apparent after a few rounds that the colour changes in the middle of rounds didn’t work, and the colours and pattern were almost fighting each other rather than working together.
It is a really pretty yarn, and a stunning pattern, but they just don’t go! It’s not the end of the world-it was only an evening’s work, the square frogged back ok so I could save the yarn, and I still have the pattern in my Ravelry library for when I do have the right yarn.
The question still remained, though, about what I could make. Fellow crocheters on a Facebook group suggested a pattern worked in rows, so I found a corner to corner granny square pattern that I hadn’t tried before. So far, the results are far more pleasing to the eye. The colours are flowing in stripes quite nicely and the pretty pastel shades get to shine in their own right. It makes me think of Easter, mini eggs and spring flowers!
If I’ve learned anything in the last two days, it’s that your yarn and pattern have to complement each other. Variegated yarn seems to be particularly tricky to find patterns to suit it-I made a cardigan using this yarn in a different colourway when my daughter was little and it drove me crackers trying to match the stripes of colour on the sleeves and the two front panels!
Have you ever had a yarn/pattern mismatch (or disaster!)? What did you do about it?
well crazy me doesn’t see anything wrong. All the colors look good to me. Not being able to do what you do I can’t give you any advice. lol
I have stepped out on faith and opened an Etsy shop for my handmade cards.check it out and hopefull give me a thumbs up ( heart ). http://www.etsy.com/shop/latebloomingdesigns
Let me know what you think and I except all advice.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! I’ve just had a quick look at your etsy shop, well done for getting it set up. The geranium card is my favourite, so very pretty. Best of luck with sales!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. My first sell came through today, Two to one lady. Yea! To good to be true…we will see. Like I told someone else..I don’t expect to get rich but it would be nice to recoupe some of the supplies. You understand.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I get it, well done! 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
I totally agree. I’m not a big fan of variegated yarn anyway, but it often looks particularly bad in granny squares. The C2C stripes look so much better.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you 😊 variegated does make nice socks though!
LikeLike
I actually really liked the first one! But i know what your saying i had yarn like this and made a baby cardigan, it looked all odd as the striping was waaaay off. When i use variegated yarn (more often now) I am prone to a granny stripe, C2C, simple HDC or the moss stitch which can be tedious haha. Depending though, if it stripes like this but if its King Cole drifter or caron cake/ boho spirit i aren’t too fussed. Looks nice your granny C2C does, never tried it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, I made a cardi with this one in a different colour and it was such a nightmare lining up stripes and a waste of yarn too.
LikeLike
I had a similar experience with a jumper, I have the correct wool, needles and tension but it wasn’t right. I tried it again with a different wool but couldn’t get the sizing right. I gave up. I still have the wool and the pattern though ! I agree when you feel it’s not right it never will, no matter what other people say.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is exactly it, if they don’t go then you just know. Hope you get to use the yarn and pattern even if not together.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like the look of both of the blankets. It is amazing to see the differences in the look with the different patterns. I look forward to seeing more of your beautiful Spring looking blanket.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, it is coming along nicely.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hate colour change yarn! I made a cardigan for my nephew and the colour changed on one of the front border panels! looked ridiculous! The striped C2C blanket looks beautiful though. I’m glad you found a use for your yarn.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, I like colour change yarn with the right pattern. The cardigan I once made with it was a nightmare with trying to match stripes though.
LikeLike
Agree! The second way is far more appealing – although the first was not offensive.
I have had the same experience, my current knit was frogged from another pattern and I am knitting in a plain colour.
LikeLike
Great decision to do the corner to corner, looks so much nicer. The colours of the yarn are lovely.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, I’m glad I changed it.
LikeLike
It’s amazing how the right pattern can make such a difference. You’d never guess those two were made from the same yarn!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Its weird isn’t it!
LikeLike