This week I’m working with FIBRA NATURA Cobblestone yarn which is a soft, 2-ply 100% merino wool yarn. One ply is variegated, featuring a variety of beautiful colours, and the second ply is a solid colour.
Yesterday I mentioned that Cobblestone yarn had several unique characteristics with one being the 2-ply color configuration and another being how the yarn seemed to range from a Sport to a DK weight. Today, I’ll put that to the test by knitting a swatch using 3 different needle sizes.
Close up view of Cobblestone in color Blacklight
Instead of knitting 3 different swatches, one with each needle size, I opted to knit one continuous swatch, changing the needle size after 4”. This means that each section of the swatch is using the same number of stitches and rows with the only difference being the size of needle.
Beginning with the smallest needle size of US 4 [3.5mm], I cast on 29 sts and knit to 4”, then knit a garter st row before going to the next sized needle of US 5 [3.75mm]. I repeated the process and ended the swatch with a US 6 [4.0mm] needle. What a difference the needle size makes!
My knitted swatch using 3 different needle sizes
The pooling of the variegated colors was so different between the 3 needle sizes. Beginning with the US4 [3.5mm], there was columnar pooling of the colors. It almost looked like I was doing intentional color pooling, which I was not.
The US5 [3.75mm] needle created somewhat blurry patches of color pooling that were randomly spread out across the fabric.
The US6 [4.0mm] needle dispersed the pooling even more which gave a very interesting effect.
My gauge was very close and I like the drape of all 3 fabrics, but which version do I like better? It depends on a lot of factors. For instance:
- What I’m making.
- The number of stitches
- Knit in the round or flat (back and forth).
- The stitch pattern
If knitting a sweater, the stitch count will vary greatly from a swatch, which is extremely difficult to determine how it will look ahead of time. If knitting in the round, the stitch count also varies between the sleeves and the body which means you’re likely to get a different effect between the two.
The color pooling on a stitch pattern can also affect the overall look. If it’s a lovely cable pattern, the pooling can distract from the pattern. But if the pattern is more textured or free form, the pooling can add to the attractiveness of the finished product.
Which leads to my next experiment. For the balance of the week, I’ll explore different patterns, techniques and hints on when to embrace, and how to downplay the pooling effect of the yarn.
Please join me tomorrow as I knit a cowl with a lot of texture that will embrace the variegated effect of FIBRA NATURA Cobblestone in Blacklight.
