Yearning for that special Yarn
September 11, 2012 2:09 PM Subscribe
I've lost my favorite scarf! I'm looking to commission someone to make a replacement for me, but finding the yarn is the first step.
I got the scarf at Burlington Coat Factory many years ago, so I assume it was machine-knit, it was very flat and smooth, small stitches, with no unusual texture (ala cable knit) to it at all. The problem is finding the yarn it was made of. It was as if each stitch was a different color, no rows or stripes, no discernible pattern, just seven basic bright colors all mixed up. I assume that to make each stitch a different color, the yarn would have to shift color along the strand every half-inch or so, and the colors would be completely random.
The words 'confetti' or 'pixels' come to mind with no predominant color at all. There was nothing subtle about the colors either - right out of the crayon box: red, yellow, orange, blue, green, purple, etc.
Do you know of any small-gauge yarn that matches that description?
I got the scarf at Burlington Coat Factory many years ago, so I assume it was machine-knit, it was very flat and smooth, small stitches, with no unusual texture (ala cable knit) to it at all. The problem is finding the yarn it was made of. It was as if each stitch was a different color, no rows or stripes, no discernible pattern, just seven basic bright colors all mixed up. I assume that to make each stitch a different color, the yarn would have to shift color along the strand every half-inch or so, and the colors would be completely random.
The words 'confetti' or 'pixels' come to mind with no predominant color at all. There was nothing subtle about the colors either - right out of the crayon box: red, yellow, orange, blue, green, purple, etc.
Do you know of any small-gauge yarn that matches that description?
What immediately comes to mind is sock yarn, something like Skacel Trampoline. Your best bet would be to get a ravelry account, then look for examples of scarves made from sock yarn -- find one that's close, then see what yarn it's made from.
On preview, what sparklemotion said, with a different example.
posted by OrangeDisk at 2:19 PM on September 11, 2012
On preview, what sparklemotion said, with a different example.
posted by OrangeDisk at 2:19 PM on September 11, 2012
It's probably a slip stitch or linen stitch pattern on a highly variegated yarn, rather than a yarn that actually changes color every half inch.
Was it reversible, same stitch texture on both sides? Because plain knitting doesn't lay flat.
posted by jacquilynne at 2:20 PM on September 11, 2012 [5 favorites]
Was it reversible, same stitch texture on both sides? Because plain knitting doesn't lay flat.
posted by jacquilynne at 2:20 PM on September 11, 2012 [5 favorites]
One search term you may find useful for finding yarns in the colorway you're looking for is "clown barf". No insult to your color choices meant, that's a term of endearment as much as it is a term of distaste, just depends on context. But brightly colored yarns in primary colors are apt to be called that by people, so it might help you find them.
posted by jacquilynne at 2:25 PM on September 11, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by jacquilynne at 2:25 PM on September 11, 2012 [2 favorites]
Also! You say that your first step is finding the yarn -- I'm not sure that's necessarily true in this case. I'd talk to whichever knitter you are paying to recreate the scarf for you, I betcha that he or she will know exactly what you are talking about.
And if he or she was anything like me in my initial yarn shopping days, probably has some "clown barf" in the stash already which may not fit your bill exactly, but which may help set you on the path to something closer.
And while jacquilynne is right that "plain knitting" (usually known as stockinette) doesn't normally lay flat, it possible that your scarf was knit in the round, or was actually 1x1 ribbing. Again, an actual knitter will probably be able to show you examples of what those mean and you can see if they fit your memory.
posted by sparklemotion at 2:35 PM on September 11, 2012
And if he or she was anything like me in my initial yarn shopping days, probably has some "clown barf" in the stash already which may not fit your bill exactly, but which may help set you on the path to something closer.
And while jacquilynne is right that "plain knitting" (usually known as stockinette) doesn't normally lay flat, it possible that your scarf was knit in the round, or was actually 1x1 ribbing. Again, an actual knitter will probably be able to show you examples of what those mean and you can see if they fit your memory.
posted by sparklemotion at 2:35 PM on September 11, 2012
Response by poster: Clown barf! Hilarious! And that's exactly what I'm thinking of. Thank you, jacquilynne.
I figured that the flatness and suppleness was due to being machine-knit (look at me, like I know what I'm talking about). The 'in the round' is an interesting idea. Barring that, the linen stitch looks really interesting. Thanks for the links, sparklemotion, I found a couple of possibilities there.
The original scarf looked the same on both sides.
I guess I'm looking for the yarn first so I can speak intelligently about it to my prospective knitter. Better to get this new argot down.
Looking forward to more - thanks everyone.
posted by DandyRandy at 2:45 PM on September 11, 2012
I figured that the flatness and suppleness was due to being machine-knit (look at me, like I know what I'm talking about). The 'in the round' is an interesting idea. Barring that, the linen stitch looks really interesting. Thanks for the links, sparklemotion, I found a couple of possibilities there.
The original scarf looked the same on both sides.
I guess I'm looking for the yarn first so I can speak intelligently about it to my prospective knitter. Better to get this new argot down.
Looking forward to more - thanks everyone.
posted by DandyRandy at 2:45 PM on September 11, 2012
Variegated is the search term you want.
Your best bet on all of this is to commission an experienced knitter to do the whole thing for you, from picking yarn to the finished item. An experienced knitter will know the right weight and fiber type, how much yarn to buy (more complicated than it sounds), tricks for getting it to look the way you want, etc.
posted by Sara C. at 2:47 PM on September 11, 2012
Your best bet on all of this is to commission an experienced knitter to do the whole thing for you, from picking yarn to the finished item. An experienced knitter will know the right weight and fiber type, how much yarn to buy (more complicated than it sounds), tricks for getting it to look the way you want, etc.
posted by Sara C. at 2:47 PM on September 11, 2012
Sock yarn is going to take a lllloooooong time to knit into a scarf, unless you have the knitter hold it double, which may muddy the color effect. There are a lot of ravelry pages here, so you either need an account or someone with an account to help you view some of these pages. It's worth the hassle, I promise, because you can see different kinds of projects made in the same yarn. Multi yarns knit differently in scarves than they do in sweaters and visual aid is better than me trying to explain it.
Before ravelry, This Etsy Shop hand spins rainbow variegated yarn. Contact them and they can talk to you about length and gauge.
Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock Mediumweight in Spawn of Braun. Blue Moon Fiber Arts Lightweight, Electric Kool Aid Acid Test
Red Heart SuperSaver worsted in color "Mexicana," Projects on Ravelry
This Koigu Sock Yarn KPPPM P104 seems to have a lot of variation from one dye lot to another.
You might be able to get your hands on this discontinued yarn from Joann's called It's a Wrap
Maybe more stripey than you want, Premier Garden colorway "gems"
In worsted weight yarn, there is a variegated Patons Canadiana, here are the project pages for it on Ravelry.
Here is the Project page for Plymouth Encore color 7136, which is bright rainbow.
Here's a project made in what looks like a small producer type of yarn. Alpaca.
I see you've updated, so I'm going to stop now. There are many..more pages of clown barf on ravelry.
posted by bilabial at 2:47 PM on September 11, 2012 [3 favorites]
Before ravelry, This Etsy Shop hand spins rainbow variegated yarn. Contact them and they can talk to you about length and gauge.
Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock Mediumweight in Spawn of Braun. Blue Moon Fiber Arts Lightweight, Electric Kool Aid Acid Test
Red Heart SuperSaver worsted in color "Mexicana," Projects on Ravelry
This Koigu Sock Yarn KPPPM P104 seems to have a lot of variation from one dye lot to another.
You might be able to get your hands on this discontinued yarn from Joann's called It's a Wrap
Maybe more stripey than you want, Premier Garden colorway "gems"
In worsted weight yarn, there is a variegated Patons Canadiana, here are the project pages for it on Ravelry.
Here is the Project page for Plymouth Encore color 7136, which is bright rainbow.
Here's a project made in what looks like a small producer type of yarn. Alpaca.
I see you've updated, so I'm going to stop now. There are many..more pages of clown barf on ravelry.
posted by bilabial at 2:47 PM on September 11, 2012 [3 favorites]
Nthing variegated yarn, but I want to point out that if the scarf you had had each individual stitch in one color and only that color, basically if each stitch was completely color-discrete, you will not be able to get the same effect with variegated yarn. I've seen machine knit fabrics that are like that, but it's not a technique I've been able to discern. You can come close with variegated yarn, but there will always be at least a few stitches that are partially one color, partially another.
Also, it could have been K1P1 ribbing instead of stockinette. Especially at small gauges, it can look deceptively like stockinette, and it's a lot flatter and effectively reversible.
posted by The Master and Margarita Mix at 3:00 PM on September 11, 2012
Also, it could have been K1P1 ribbing instead of stockinette. Especially at small gauges, it can look deceptively like stockinette, and it's a lot flatter and effectively reversible.
posted by The Master and Margarita Mix at 3:00 PM on September 11, 2012
I highly recommend yarn that has a speckled look to it; you get little bits of color all over and low risk of pooling (i.e. when the colors group together and you get unexpected stripes or blobs or even plaid patterns). Koigu KPPPM has a few speckled colorways, like this one, and some Etsy dyers specialize in speckled colors (Cakewalk Yarns is my favorite).
The usual term for this look in commercial garments is "space dyed"; that might help you find a pre-made scarf you like.
Find your knitter before you buy the yarn; if you approach him/her with your desired length, width, and yarn weight; they can often recommend yarns and calculate how much you'll need. If you can, find someone who machine knits; hand-knitting a scarf with sock-weight yarn can take a long time.
posted by Metroid Baby at 3:03 PM on September 11, 2012 [2 favorites]
The usual term for this look in commercial garments is "space dyed"; that might help you find a pre-made scarf you like.
Find your knitter before you buy the yarn; if you approach him/her with your desired length, width, and yarn weight; they can often recommend yarns and calculate how much you'll need. If you can, find someone who machine knits; hand-knitting a scarf with sock-weight yarn can take a long time.
posted by Metroid Baby at 3:03 PM on September 11, 2012 [2 favorites]
Your description made me think of the Koigu Linen Stitch scarf, or the Scrappy Lengthwise Scarf. They use multiple solid colour (perhaps semi-solid or tonal) yarns to create the variegation. Linen stitch will lie flat and makes a really nice scarf fabric--it is knitted, but I think it looks woven. Neither of these would be a difficult pattern for anyone above an absolute beginner knitter.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 3:06 PM on September 11, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 3:06 PM on September 11, 2012 [2 favorites]
Hurdy gurdy girl's suggestions are what I was thinking, too. if you're looking for heavier yarn, Malabrigo makes great, soft, variegated yarns. Something like that in linen stitch would make a great scarf.
posted by sarcasticah at 3:43 PM on September 11, 2012
posted by sarcasticah at 3:43 PM on September 11, 2012
Linen stitch is so boring to do, though. Did it look like t-shirt fabric, or like it was woven? Because I bet it was a tiny rib, too.
Putting in a vote for Zauberball! I'm secretly coveting something made out of that rainbow colourway myself.
posted by thylacinthine at 3:44 PM on September 11, 2012
Putting in a vote for Zauberball! I'm secretly coveting something made out of that rainbow colourway myself.
posted by thylacinthine at 3:44 PM on September 11, 2012
Linen stitch is really, really boring to do... but it looks pretty!
posted by sarcasticah at 3:52 PM on September 11, 2012
posted by sarcasticah at 3:52 PM on September 11, 2012
Your question reminded me immediately of this scarf. The colors are very vibrant, but not really clown barf. The pattern itself isn't what you're looking for, but it does show off that particular yarn's qualities quite well -- might be the look you're going for. The yarn in question is Madelinetosh tosh dk in the colorway Mansfield Garden Party.
posted by telegraph at 8:00 PM on September 11, 2012
posted by telegraph at 8:00 PM on September 11, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
An example sock yarn: Imagination Hand Painted from Knit Picks
An example lace weight yarn: Morehouse Merino
Is that along the right lines? if so, I'm sure the Venn intersection of Metafilter and Ravelry can come up with lots more indie dyer suggestions.
posted by sparklemotion at 2:16 PM on September 11, 2012 [2 favorites]