Tag Archives: Yarn Snob

Knitting break

Posted on June 14, 2026 | 1 comment

I’ve been knitting/working a LOT. Last week I had 3 designs in test knitting, and I was knitting/finishing versions of two of them. One of them is for the helix knitting class next weekend; that one was at the tech editor. All my knitting is done, so it was time to pick something new to knit.

I’m away for the weekend, and I want to knit a little summer top for myself, that I don’t have to design. I just want to follow someone else’s instructions!

My options: a little brioche top from Knit Graffiti (Mist), Ranunculus in fingering weight linen if I abandon something I started several years ago and will probably never finish, and Luminos Tee.

I discovered that I didn’t have enough yarn for the brioche top. Poot.

This is the linen top that I was freestyling, that I don’t feel inspired to pick up again. I started it in 2022. I may have knit some in 2023 and 2024, up to the armhole. The lace pattern is the same as the one I used in Kittiwake, which was Aran weight linen. I think Kittiwake is more appealing.

But I wasn’t ready to frog the fingering weight piece.

Last year I bought this kit from Yarn Snob. It’s superwash merino, silk, and cashmere, for the Luminos Tee.

Luminos Tee by Yamagara, photo from their Ravelry page

Winner winner!

The construction of this is so interesting. It starts with the two triangles at the bottom. I finished one last night. Working on the second one, and then I get to join them and start the stripes going up the body. Super fun, and the instructions are very well written so far. The side triangles are a great social knit; the increases are very regular.

What’s on your summer needles?

1 Comment

Posted in Knit, yarn

Tagged Luminos Tee, Yarn Snob

Reclaiming my yarn

Posted on August 14, 2024 | 2 comments

This colorway, Bellina from Yarn Snob/Knits All Done, is one of my favorites, ever. It made me want to try to combine assigned pooling with my favorite technique brioche.

The assigned pooling doesn’t really show up in Trailing Leaves (currently in test knitting phase). The brioche leaves are beautiful, but where’s the assigned pooling? I thought the issue was because the leaves are front and center, and the pooling is on the side, so I knit a small cowl with the same theme.

I know I’ll never wear the little cowl shown above, so why not reclaim the yarn?

The yarn was pretty kinky since I had wet blocked the cowl, so I wanted to smooth it out. (The last time I knit with previously blocked yarn, it really showed in the finished object. Lesson learned.)

I wound it on my niddy-noddy (had to google how to use it; it’s been a while). Look at that kink! I tied it off and soaked it, then squished it in a towel and gave it a nice snap to straighten it up.

Much better! It’s currently drying (not on the mannequin; that’s just for a nice picture). And then I’ll move on to attempt number 365 or so to see if I can successfully combine brioche and assigned pooling, without bobbles (not my fave look). Wish me luck!

2 Comments

Posted in Knit, pattern design, yarn

Tagged Bellina orchid colorway, Knits All Done, trailing leaves, trailing leaves cowl, Yarn Snob

Yarn, beautiful yarn

Posted on November 16, 2023 | 4 comments

I’m planning to make a sample of my Starfall cowl with Keith Leonard’s fingering weight Yarn Snob yarn. I love his yarns for assigned pooling. We’re planning to do kits.

The fronts, Wine Mom and Irresistible Bearded Iris

The backs, Wine Mom and Irresistible Bearded Iris

He sent two skeins, so I could choose. That’s a difficult choice when they’re both utterly gorgeous. Which one sings to you?

We started talking about kits when I told him how quickly I sold the extra yarn from my assigned pooling class.

A Wondrous Worsted in Times Square colorway

He’s waiting for a shipment of worsted to dye, so this kit is on hold for now. Soon!

4 Comments

Posted in Knit, yarn

Tagged assigned pooling, starfall cowl, Yarn Snob, yarn snob yarns

Assigned pooling kits!

Posted on October 17, 2023 | 20 comments

Update: I have requests for more yarn than I have left. I’ll go through my email and let everyone know if I have yarn for them. Thanks so much your interest!

I’m back from Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival; I enjoyed teaching and a quick spin through the market and exhibits. But first: I have a bit of extra yarn from my pooling class, and wanted to offer it in kits with my patterns that go with it. The kit includes 1 skein of Yarn Snob’s A Wondrous Worsted in the Times Square colorway and download codes for my TWO patterns that were designed with it. You get to choose which project to knit!

The kit is $36 including shipping to USA addresses. The retail value of this kit before shipping is $43 (yarn and two patterns). Interested? Please leave a comment and I’ll email you back. (You can tell that kits are not my usual business; I’m not set up to do this automatically.)

Pooling really is a cinch! Here’s longtime OFFF volunteer Sue, happily pooling away during class. You can do it, too!

More on OFFF when I catch up with myself…

20 Comments

Posted in events, Knit, yarn

Tagged assigned pooling, OFFF, Oregon Flock & Fiber Festival, Yarn Snob

Introducing Firefly Trails

Posted on March 14, 2023 | 1 comment

Firefly Trails is a loop cowl, designed to be knit with one skein of worsted weight yarn that has been dyed for assigned color pooling. When I finished my Pooling is a Cinch cowl/hat, I couldn’t resist playing with one more skein of this fun yarn to design something else. Firefly Trails is the result.

I pulled more of the color pop into the gathered stitches for Firefly Trails; Pooling is a Cinch uses just the center of the color pop. This yarn is Yarn Snob’s A Wondrous Worsted in the Times Square colorway. I love that the color pop is more than just one color.

The pattern is available on Ravelry and Payhip. Use coupon code GLOW for 15% off through March 21.

Have you tried assigned pooling? I like it so much more than planned pooling, where I have to watch my gauge. In assigned pooling, you just have to use the fancy stitch when the color pop shows up. That makes the knitting much more relaxing!

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Posted in Knit, pattern design

Tagged A Wondrous Worsted, assigned pooling, firefly trails, Yarn Snob

Introducing Pooling is a Cinch!

Posted on February 6, 2023 | 1 comment

Pooling is a Cinch is a convertible piece that will please both hat and cowl lovers. The stockinette stitch body is a perfect canvas for playing with assigned pooling. Worsted weight yarn knits up quickly for a fun introduction to this technique. Choose a yarn that is meant to pool; you’ll want 6 to 8 inch (15-20 cm) runs of your pooling color.

Knitting begins and ends with a reverse stockinette rolled edge. A knit cord is threaded through a round of eyelets near the top. The cord is tied in a decorative knot on the cowl. The cord can also be cinched to convert the cowl to a hat.

The pattern is now available through Ravelry here, and through Payhip here. It’s 15% off through February 14, no coupon code needed. If you’re in my Pooling class at Red Alder Fiber Arts Retreat, the yarn and pattern is included in your class packet. (I think there are 2 spots left; come knit with me!)

I used Yarn Snob’s A Wondrous Worsted in the Times Square colorway, and it pooled beautifully. Calvin approves!

1 Comment

Posted in events, Knit, pattern design, yarn

Tagged Pooling is a Cinch, Red Alder Fiber Arts, Yarn Snob

Everybody into the pool!

Posted on January 30, 2023 | 5 comments

What’s in a name? You may recall that I asked for help naming this pattern. There were a lot of suggestions on the blog and Facebook and Instagram! I didn’t want the name to be color specific, because the piece is meant to work with many color pooling yarns. And the color may or may not spiral, depending on the individual knitter’s stitch count and gauge.

Sue suggested Pooling’s a Cinch, which honored both the pooling and the cinch detail from cowl to hat. Winner! I ultimately decided that “Pooling Is A Cinch” would work better on the internet, and here we are. Congratulations to Sue; I’m sending her a pattern when it’s published next week.

I had so much fun with this yarn from Yarn Snob/Knits All Done. I wasn’t ready to stop, so I’m designing one more piece with it. I absconded with one of the skeins meant for my pooling class at Red Alder, which means there are only 2 spots left. Come knit with me and this amazing yarn! Register here, class is Friday February 15.

You’ll note from the yarn wrapped around the yarn in the yarn bra (do you use these? I love them) that there has been some frogging and re-knitting as I decide how I want this to look. I think I’m on track now, but I thought that the first three times, too. That’s how I design…try it, frog it, try it, frog it, BINGO!

Have you played with color pooling yarn?

5 Comments

Posted in Knit, pattern design, yarn

Tagged color pooling, Pooling is a Cinch, Yarn Snob

Name this cowl hat!

Posted on January 20, 2023 | 12 comments

Remember this yarn?

It’s now a cowl.

Or a hat. It’s both! I’ve designed this for my assigned/planned pooling class at Red Alder Fiber Arts Retreat next month. There are a couple spots left in class. Yarn is included in the materials fee. It’s A Wondrous Worsted from Yarn Snob, in the Times Square colorway. I’m in LOVE. Better pictures on a human soon; it’s finally stopped raining here.

In the meantime, please help me name this cowl/hat! I’ve been calling it Bossy Cowl Hat, in a nod to the yarn telling you when it’s time to do the exciting stitch, and the idea of Bossy the Cow(l). Ha! But it doesn’t sound very inviting, or very pretty. What should I call it?

If I pick the name you suggest, you’ll get a free copy of the pattern, which should work with any worsted weight color pooling yarn. Fire away!

Have you tried planned pooling or assigned pooling? What did you think of it?

Unrelated PS: The Nautical Knitting cruise on the schooner Zodiac is sold out! But if you’re interested, sign up for the waiting list; there can be changes between now and the end of July. Ahoy!

12 Comments

Posted in Knit, pattern design, yarn

Tagged A Wondrous Worsted, assigned pooling, Red Alder Fiber Arts, Yarn Snob

Color pooling yarn

Posted on January 6, 2023 | 2 comments

Calvin was very interested in this box, even before I opened it. Did it smell like freshly dyed yarn? Or did it smell like Teddy, Keith Leonard’s orange tabby cat? (Keith AKA Yarn Snob)

Inside the box: 16 skeins of A Wondrous Worsted in the Times Square colorway. Keith usually dyes his pooling colors on fingering weight, but I like worsted for teaching. The knitting goes more quickly, so we can cover more in class. I find this worsted to be a little lighter in weight than the worsteds I usually knit with, more like a DK, which is great.

This yarn is meant to pool! I bought it for my Jump Into the Pool! Planned and Assigned Pooling class at Red Alder Fiber Arts Retreat next month. All students will begin a skein of this yarn, so we can have a successful pooling experience together. I’m about to knit up a sample cowl using assigned pooling, and then write up a pattern that will work with any color pooling yarn.

I had Keith dye Cabana Boy with a longer center color for my Knit Maine class last September. I wrote up instructions specifically for this hat and headband and this yarn, but I want to write more general instructions for a central colorburst of varying lengths.

There are a few spots left in my class. Red Alder Fiber Arts Retreat is in Tacoma, Washington February 16-19, and this class is on Friday afternoon. Come knit with me!

2 Comments

Posted in Knit, pattern design, yarn

Tagged A Wondrous Worsted, assigned pooling, planned pooling, Yarn Snob

Done and undone

Posted on July 1, 2022 | 8 comments

I finished my assigned pooling hat with the sunbursts/flowers. It’s cute! I tried it on, and it’s a little snug on me. It measures 17” around; those sunbursts do pull in the fabric a bit. The hat in the above picture isn’t blocked; blocking will make the sunbursts prettier.

Calvin’s already good-looking enough!

I haven’t blocked the hat yet because I also want to knit a hat using this criss cross stitch I used in my Criss Cross accessories and Tilt Shift Wrap. I needed to know if I have enough yarn to do that.

Now that I’ve started, I’m pretty sure I don’t have enough yarn to knit both, and I think I’m more likely to wear the criss cross stitch, so I’m frogging the sunburst hat while I knit the criss cross version.

I don’t mind re-knitting; the yarn is ridiculously entertaining. I’ll knit a sunburst headband with the yarn that’s left from the skein. It’s been fun figuring out how big (how many wraps, how many stitches) I need to make the sunbursts and criss crosses look their best. This will vary depending on your yarn! I’m teaching this very fun class at Knit Maine in September. We’ll be using this exact same yarn in class; it’s Wonderful Worsted from Yarn Snob yarns in Cabana Boy.