Jen of Knitting Sutra recently wrote about a pooling issue she is having with a pair of socks for her MIL. Jen doesn’t like pooling, not even a little, and is having a contest to search for a pool-defying pattern for the offending yarn. Go over and check it out. I’ll wait.
You back? Anyway, I read the post, having my own opinion about pooling in variegated yarns, decided not to enter the contest, and promptly forgot about it. That is, until I ran into this
while working on the jaywalkers for my FIL. Ordinarily, I could care less if the colors pool. In fact, I think it can be attractive. But this… Well, it ain’t pretty, that’s for sure.
As I re-read Jen’s post today, I remembered being amazed that there could be a debate in the knit community about something like color pooling and I thought, “Why not do a survey?” So, what’s your opinion? The survey is over there in the side bar if you want to cast your vote.
As for my FIL’s sock, I’m feeling rather stumped. Should I frog it and try to start over at another point in the yarn’s stripe pattern? Will that make a difference? Should I use a different stitch pattern? I don’t know. I’ve never thought about how to defeat color pooling because I always thought it was kind of neat. But now…. Any ideas?
Knitting Interrupted 
Ick. It doesn’t look good in that pattern, IMHO. Try another yarn or another pattern?
Yuck. Try a different needle size, stitch count or pattern.
Great idea for a survey. I don’t dislike it completely, but the black splotches bummed me way out. I’m thinking yarn maybe shouldn’t have black stuff that can splotch like that. hehe
Wow, I’m one who actually likes pooling, but that picture is not like any pooling I’ve ever seen. I guess it’s different when you’re working on a small piece, and when the colors are visually blendable. That’s just a big dark blotch in the middle of everything. I’d not use the yarn for socks, I think.
Try a more monochromatic color scheme. Pooling effect would be weakened and not be so obvious.
so Jen, don’t tell me what pooling is cause I wont use the information but I actually like that yarn, looks like a sweater to me. . .Mom
At first I thought a different stitch would fix your “issue” but I think that you will still get the pooling beause of the small size. (they are BIG pools!) Want to be daring and exciting and double your yarn and adjust needle size? Likely to be a waste of time but it could be fun!