Day 13: Do you have yarn that you love but can't find a project for?
Yes, I've had that problem-- mostly with variegated yarn. It looks so pretty in the skein, but I often find it ugly worked up in crochet or knitting (but especially crochet), unless it's just the right sort of pattern.
I had trouble finding a use for my lovely Mosaic Twist yarn, until I saw how beautiful the Chickadee Cowl pattern looked in a number of variegated yarns.
That pattern taught me to love the linen stitch for making harmony among a number of colors. One of these days, I'm going to make a linen stitch scarf with odds and ends of leftover yarn. (There are several patterns on Ravelry; search for "linen stitch scarf".)
I may also use a linen stitch-based pattern for some other variegated yarn I've had for several years-- Yarn Bee Soft Delight Pomp in the Ladybug colorway. (I may need to make another cable so I'll have one long enough to make a scarf lengthwise... I think my longest cable is a bit short for the job.)
I have some pretty Patons Grace (100% mercerized cotton) in the Tangelo and Spearmint colorways-- bought on clearance, as almost always-- that I don't know how to use. It's pretty, and the Tangelo is uniform enough that it might not be hard to find an attractive use for it, but there's such a big contrast between the white and the blue in the spearmint...
So, boldly variegated* yarn is my biggest stumbling block, when it comes to pairing yarn with patterns. (*Slight variations, as in kettle-dyed yarns, give me no pause.)
Yes, I've had that problem-- mostly with variegated yarn. It looks so pretty in the skein, but I often find it ugly worked up in crochet or knitting (but especially crochet), unless it's just the right sort of pattern.
I had trouble finding a use for my lovely Mosaic Twist yarn, until I saw how beautiful the Chickadee Cowl pattern looked in a number of variegated yarns.
That pattern taught me to love the linen stitch for making harmony among a number of colors. One of these days, I'm going to make a linen stitch scarf with odds and ends of leftover yarn. (There are several patterns on Ravelry; search for "linen stitch scarf".)
I may also use a linen stitch-based pattern for some other variegated yarn I've had for several years-- Yarn Bee Soft Delight Pomp in the Ladybug colorway. (I may need to make another cable so I'll have one long enough to make a scarf lengthwise... I think my longest cable is a bit short for the job.)
I have some pretty Patons Grace (100% mercerized cotton) in the Tangelo and Spearmint colorways-- bought on clearance, as almost always-- that I don't know how to use. It's pretty, and the Tangelo is uniform enough that it might not be hard to find an attractive use for it, but there's such a big contrast between the white and the blue in the spearmint...
So, boldly variegated* yarn is my biggest stumbling block, when it comes to pairing yarn with patterns. (*Slight variations, as in kettle-dyed yarns, give me no pause.)