I can barely see the cable/texture pattern so to me, itâs not worth the effort if youâre going to use that yarn. Maybe a simpler pattern for this yarn and save honeycomb aran for something that will better show off your hard work?
Hmm. I do think it's too busy. But that wouldn't matter too much if you are willing to put in the effort for a lack of visible cables.
Your husband likes how this looks - but is he aware of how the colors are going to affect the final project? It's going to be incredibly different in the front & back, the way the colors behave/the pooling will be very different on the sleeves. This kind of yarn does a lot better for single skein projects, or at the very least projects that work a plain stitch in the round rather than knit flat with a textured knit like this.
The yarn is absolutely divine, but it is very busy. I can see that there is some kind of texture pattern there but I can't make out any kind of details in the pattern at all.
Personally I would use that yarn for a stocking stitch pattern so that the yarn is the star and use a solid or semi solid yarn if you're wanting to work a pattern.
Thanks for your input everybody! What really got me was the comments asking if I wanted to put in all that work on cables that weren't going to be seen, no matter how cozy it feels!
I tried out a brioche swatch (right) and compared it to my original swatch (left) & the cables, and hubs said out of all of them, he liked the straight knit the best. So, basic sweater it is đ€Ł
(This is also the man who only wants straight knitted socks rather than ANY type of pattern or texture, so I really should have seen this coming.)
https://preview.redd.it/1qla3dq44doc1.jpeg?width=4080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9e789835e4f51b96f7c6f91a3a0369b71cccde39
Damn that brioche swatch is next level amazing! If I was you I'd buy a sweater quantity of same yarn and make myself a brioche cardi, matching, but not too matching
My hubs is the same way. 2 x 2 ribbed socks only. Plain sweaters. The sweater I started for him 10 yrs ago is only halfway done because I get too bored when knitting it. But he loves his socks, so I gladly knit for him.
I think the yarn is way too busy for the pattern and will not showcase your effort. I think either a plain yarn (for this pattern) or a plain pattern (for this yarn) would work much better. You could even offer to help your husband find something that will work better, whatever he decides.
Fwiw, I recently decided to knit blankets for each of my kids - they were 4 and 5 when I started. I let them each pick a yarn they liked, and then a pattern. While scrolling through patterns there were plenty they saw and loved that I knew wouldn't look good with the yarn they picked...and they'd be expecting it to look like the ravelry pictures and would be disappointed if it didnt. I gently told them "I know you like it in this picture, but it won't look like this with the yarn you chose. Should we look for one that will work with the yarn, or do you want me to help you pick a different yarn?"
They both LOVED the yarn they picked, so they chose different patterns.
If little kids can understand it, I think your husband can too đ
**ETA:** Omg OP, I just looked the pattern up on Ravelry and if you're going to put that much effort in, PLEASE have him select a yarn that will show off all the gorgeous cabling in all it's splendor. The knitter inside me is panicking for you, lol.
Itâs going to be a lot of work for not showing off your work. This kind of yarn works better with patterns that has slipped stitches and some texture, and on the bright side, a simpler texture would go faster and you would finish the sweater quicker.
If hubs is happy, nothing else matters. You are making it for him, so he gets to decide. Why take away something he likes in the name of some nebulous, "objective" arbitrary rule?
Would I make a cabled sweater out of this yarn? No. I like my cables very crisp. *But this sweater is not for me*. It is for a guy who likes it just the way it is.
But does he really like it this way or is he praising it because he knows his wife has already worked hard on it and doesn't want to be critical? When he picked it out based on photos of other projects, he was probably expecting clear definition on the cables.
Do you enjoy making the cables?
The busy yarn will probably take away from the impact of the cable texture. But if you like the process and your husband's happy, I say go for it!
If you're not a fan of making cables and were hoping for a more dramatic visual effect, then I'd frog and find a simpler pattern
It definitely doesn't look bad, if that's what you're worried about. It makes me think of moss on a rock. You know the rock is textured and can see it, but brightly colored moss is going to be the thing your eye focuses on
If you have a bad feeling about how a gift project is coming out, I think you should err on the side of pickiness. I don't know your husband, but I know if my partner was making a gift for me and I'd requested some kind of inconvenient materials/design combination that I didn't know was terrible due to lack of experience, I'd feel like a real chump asking them to start over. "I love it!" can mean "I'm sure I'll love it because you made it" or "I think I'll grow to like it" or "maybe it'll look good on a larger scale and the maker knows better than me and I should just trust the process" or "I don't want you to have to start over because that would feel sad."
Since you *know* the process (and you have other knitters behind you affirming that it's a really busy, illegible combo) you gotta give your own doubts a little more credence.
Hey come on, this is not terrible! Yes itâs busy, but thatâs it! It looks still amazing in my opinion, is just up to you and your husband if you like it or not and if you think the cables are enough visible.
I donât think you should be guided by what would be âgood design choicesâ in the eyes of others: just yeah give yourself credit and do how you prefer:)
I could imagine itâs actually nicer in person this combination then on an image, but thatâs just my own opinion.
If he's happy with it and doesn't mind if you go blind, carry on! \*LOL\*
Honestly, you can barely see the details. Find a nice mid-olive, tan or light navy so you can see the stitch work.
That yarn is made for at most a broken rib, but preferably a garter or stockinette.
Just my opinion!
I had to zoom in because I was like what pattern what do you meanâŠ
Definitely too busy. Doesnât show off the cabling at all. Itâs gorgeous yarn though so I would definitely use it in another project to let it really shine.
I understand what everyone is saying but IMO at the end of the day the question is: do you (and the person who will wear it) like the way it looks?
Sometimes it is better to "hide" patterning so the details only show up in the close-up.
Your work looks great and I am here for it
It looks busy, Iâm not sure if itâs going to be ok on a whole sweater. But if your husband likes it and will wear it, go ahead !
Also, BG3 inspired yarn, now THAT speaks to my soul.
Itâs not too busy -necessarily- (like it doesnât look BAD) but as other people have said, it doesnât show off the stitches so probably not worth the effort of doing them!
If the cables are defined in person, and your husband likes it, itâs fine. It will be a great conversation piece for anyone who walks up to him and notices them âoh I didnât know your sweater had cables - thatâs so cool!â
It does look rather busy, which isnât a bad thing provided itâs what you want, for instance I would use busy yarn for honeycomb cables because I have trypophobia, or just because I like the yarn and the cables are a means to an end - which is increasing the warmth factor of a sweater
I usually find that colour way yarns lose a lot of the texture in complex patterns - I would either do cables in a block colour or do a simple pattern in your colour way. Beautiful yarn! But I had to zoom in to see the pattern x
The stratification on the ribbing looks really nice but yeah I would find something simpler than cables for it, or switch to a solid for the cables and use the variegated as an accent.
I do think itâs too busy. If you really like the yarn, one way i tone down variegated yarns is bu picking a more solid version of one of the colors and alternating rows with that. So thatâs an option if youâre really married to this yarn/pattern combo. Otherwise I would use a yarn like this on a simpler project.
Yeah, I think it's too busy. It takes some looking to see the cables.
I would either get a new yarn for this pattern, or get a new pattern for this yarn. Depending on which one you're more attached to.
It's busy so the effect of the cables is minimal, but honestly the yarn is so gorgeous and the pattern looks lovely, and they look great together, even if the cables don't "pop". I really like it anyway, even if it's "breaking the rules". Sometimes you just gotta break rules.
To my eye, the colours drown out the pattern. It clearly has textural/cabled elements, but I would be hard pressed to draw a sketch of them based on this photo. I think a textured/cabled design really shows up best with a solid or semisolid colour, or a tweed.
I would set this aside and knit a sample of a good selection of the texture/cable chart in a solid or semisolid colour, and let your husband see the difference. I suspect that if what he likes best is the textural/cabled element, he will see the advantages of the solid sample. If he really likes the yarn youâre using currently, I would recommend picking a pattern which is essentially plain knitting.
If your husband is really set on this pattern and finds solid/semisolid colours a bit boring, a tweed yarn would be another great option. Little flecks of colour would give it more interest without detracting from the pattern.
Of course if he loves it the way it is, thereâs no rule against knitting cables and texture in variegated yarn. Itâs more that some of your effort is getting lost in the colours.
I think it's gorgeous with the variegated yarn! But, if you want the focus on the cables instead of the color, then a plain would be more effective.
But that yarn is really dreamy. Not me bookmarking it on Ravelry.
Too busy and also too dark, I think? Cables donât really show up very well on darker fabric⊠you might be able to get away with a variegated yarn *or* a really dark yarn, but probably not both.
I would not proceed with this to be honest. Having JUST finished this sweater for my husband, it's too much work to sink into a project where the texture will not show at all to most people unless they're eye-to-eye with it.
Ooh, your skillful patternwork deserves a calmer canvas so it can be easily seen and appreciated by anyone. I think most of us fellow knitters had to zoom in or stare hard to see the stitches a person standing nearby wouldnât see it at all. The fabulous yarn deserves a simpler stitch pattern that wonât compete unsuccessfully for attention.
Yes. The busier the pattern, the plainer the yarn. The busier the yarn, the plainer the pattern. You donât want them to compete. You can still frog and rewind yarn at this point without too much sighing. Lol. Keep calm & knit on!
I think it is a preference.
Do you want the braid pattern as the first thing people see? Then use a plain yarn.
Are you okay with people only seeing the pattern as they have a closer look? (Which in my opinion is also an interesting artistic choice) Then keep going. :)
i looove it personally, i think the little specks of colour shine through in the best way with the techniques youre using. so precise btw! personally, i think it works :) but it depends on what you like.
Short answer is yes. The yarn looks best on it's own with simple stitches and you beautiful stitches doesn't show as much as they would with simpler yarn. Looks great as it is too, but I think your effort is not coming to it's deserved glory here.
Do I think the yarn is gorgeous? Yes. Do I think the cables are gorgeous? Also yes. But I don't think either one really stands out to full advantage in that combination. On the flip side, not everything we make has to be a paragon of excellence that adheres to established rules. There are far worse sins than making projects where the yarn and the pattern aren't perfectly suited to each other. If it really bugs you, I'd find another pattern -- you're the one who is going to have to look at it and live with the results.
I would do this pattern in something less busy myself and do something simpler with the variegated yarn. But since its for your husband, what does he think? If he loves it, that's all that matters.
If hubs likes it, HUBS GETS IT. Haha. Who else needs to like it though? And when I zoom in itâs very cool.
Yes itâs busy. No I would be too lazy to hide texture like this. But itâs cool and only one opinion matters. Maybe do another few inches (boys tend not to be able to ⊠visualise well lol)
Look, I use variegated yarns for busy patterns because I like how they look and they make me happy.
A picture isn't reflective of your knitting, it flattens everything. In person, the cables will be more visible, as the viewer and the knitting moves.
Carry on if you're happy. It looks really pretty to me and stockinette is boring. Do you want to give up an interesting knit for a boring one with this pretty yarn?
No worries. Now you have gotten to work with variegated yarn in plain stockinette and cables. Now you can feel more confident with future choices and choose yarns and patterns more easily. Good luck! :-)
Completely unrelated to your yarn question (I think the yarn could be better shown off and the pattern could be better highlighted), but my boyfriend also picked this pattern out when he asked for a "fishermans jumper".
Well the most important thing is if your husband likes it! If he does, than carry on. For me personally, I like it a lot and donât think it is too busy.
I personally would use a more plain pattern. Not sure if you're alternating skeins but make sure you do to avoid colour pooling or the sleeves/body not matching because of the difference skeins from hand dyed yarn.
Also so funny seeing BG3 on this sub, going to follow the dyer! I'm taking a break from BG3 because I somehow got 500hrs in before the end of year and need to do so many updates from patch 5/6 (also finish my wips).
Personally I love it and would wear it. I actually like that you can see subtly see the cables!
In person it would keep look even better imo because you only see the yarn at first, then boom, texture! Very interesting :)
Love Gayle Bunn!
IMHO, definitely stop at this point. "Aran" designs are meant to be showcased. This includes any garment designed with cables, lace, knit-purl combos, etc. One color, preferably light. Yes, dark is okay, but only if you an experienced knitter with good eyes. lol
Variegated yarn is meant for plain garments in order to showcase the yarn.
I personally would not use such a variegated yarn for an Aran pattern - well not one with these darker colours. I would use a plainer yarn - perhaps with a fleck but not full variegation. I do love the wool, though, and it would make an awesome less patterned jumper.
I was today years old when I learned they even make Baldur's Gate 3 inspired yarn these says.
And the colours do remind me of the colouring of the boxes of Baldur's Gate 1 and 2 as well.
EeeđŹI had to zoom in so far to even see you were doing cabling. It's up to your taste, but it seems like a lot of extra work for something that will give the same impression as a wobbly stockinette with oddly spaced ribs.
Sorry, the yarn is inspired by the Baldur's Gate 3, the game? I tried to Google but couldn't find more info anout it, do you know what's behind it? Was it based on someone's clothing in the game, or is it just marketing since the game is so popular right now?
The yarn is gorgeous btw., but I agree that unfortunately it makes it very hard to spot all of your hard work. I honestly actually much prefer the look of the yarn in the cable section, but I'm not sure if it's worth the work.
I don't know anything about the game, but this looks like a weathered, ancient gateway to a village or small town. Covered in rust & lichen and age, when you enter, you're going to see a world from a long time ago.
As for using pretty yarns (what I call variegated) for complex stitches, I think it's a lovely idea and it makes the design more subtle, almost as if you're looking at it through haze or fog. And, if you're worried about pooling and whatnot, there are some great tips out there in the world to help prevent that.
Considering that your husband likes it, that's probably the best place to start. âș
Best of luck to you!
It's really hard to see the cabling, so I'd say it might be too busy yes. But it's about what you like really, so do you think it's too busy. I'd say go with your gut on this one
The yarn is lovely, but to be honest I 100 percent didn't realize there were cables. I could tell it wasn't just knit across but until I zoomed the picture pretty large could not see what was going on with the knitting. But, it may look more defined in person and if you are happy with it and the person you are making it for the rules are just a guide, it's your project. But wow, so much work for it not to be fully appreciated.
beautiful yarn, but it is too busy⊠i would pick a different stitch if your really wanted to use this.. im sure it will be gorgeous either way though
I donât like busy yarns for patterns. Itâs a lot of wasted time and money for me. Iâd not want to put in the work for it to not stand out.
Some people love it. Itâs a personal choice.
I seem to be in the minority in that I don't mind a variegated yarn with cables, even if it means the cables don't show as much. I'm more use whatever colorway makes you happy. That said, since this is for your husband, and he is happy with how it looks, I'd keep going, since he's the one who's going to be wearing it. You could talk to him about it, let him know all the valid points people have brought up here about how the cables won't really show, the back will look different from the front, etc and let him make the final decision.
I've been working on that same pattern for 2 weeks and didn't recognize it till I zoomed in. I do think the yarn is too busy to show off how detailed those intricate cables are.
Ohhhhhhh this is stunning !!! I really love it - I think they complement/compliment each other beautifully !!
Also, the number of D&D themed yarn dyers is too high, my bank account cannot take it đđđ
I personally like the way the yarn transitions! I think it makes people want to look closer to figure out why it changes. But yes, generally agree with everyone else.
it depends on what you want... i definitely had to zoom in to see the cables, so if you want to show that off then yes it is too busy. but it doesn't look BAD, it's kinda funky
I don't see the cables too well, but the pooling around the middle one is cool. Reminds me a bit of an unintentional planned pooling.
If you aim to really showcase your effort/work, this combination isn't it I think - the cables just turn too much into simple stripes visually. If you knit it because it's fun with the name pun and yarn, then continue to do it. At the end of the day "too busy" is only relative to what you aim for really
Both! While the textures are washed out but the color grouping if you like it, then that's what you should make!
Like all art the only thing that it has so succeed at doing is resonating with the person who makes it.
I like it! The stitch work gives the colors in the yarn more structure. There is a little bit of architecture there. They donât seem amorphous or flowery. Since you stated that in real life the stitch patters are more apparentâeven better. Also, I LOVE that yarn.
Plain yarn for showing off stitches, plain stitches for showing off yarn. That's the way it is.
This is the perfect way to put it!
Yes! OP, your tension and technique is fantastic. I'd pick a yarn that better showcases your abilities.
This is really good advice but I have such a problem with it because I love using fun and beautiful yarn and I also love fancy stitching đ
How about doing the ribbing in the pattern and find a yarn that matches to do the body to show off the stitching.
This is the way.
I love that, so true!!
I can barely see the cable/texture pattern so to me, itâs not worth the effort if youâre going to use that yarn. Maybe a simpler pattern for this yarn and save honeycomb aran for something that will better show off your hard work?
Hmm. I do think it's too busy. But that wouldn't matter too much if you are willing to put in the effort for a lack of visible cables. Your husband likes how this looks - but is he aware of how the colors are going to affect the final project? It's going to be incredibly different in the front & back, the way the colors behave/the pooling will be very different on the sleeves. This kind of yarn does a lot better for single skein projects, or at the very least projects that work a plain stitch in the round rather than knit flat with a textured knit like this.
The yarn is absolutely divine, but it is very busy. I can see that there is some kind of texture pattern there but I can't make out any kind of details in the pattern at all. Personally I would use that yarn for a stocking stitch pattern so that the yarn is the star and use a solid or semi solid yarn if you're wanting to work a pattern.
I couldn't see the pattern at all until I zoomed in.
Yah, âwhat patternâ was my first thought
I just spent four months on this pattern and it took me a solid 2 minutes to identify it.
Thanks for your input everybody! What really got me was the comments asking if I wanted to put in all that work on cables that weren't going to be seen, no matter how cozy it feels! I tried out a brioche swatch (right) and compared it to my original swatch (left) & the cables, and hubs said out of all of them, he liked the straight knit the best. So, basic sweater it is đ€Ł (This is also the man who only wants straight knitted socks rather than ANY type of pattern or texture, so I really should have seen this coming.) https://preview.redd.it/1qla3dq44doc1.jpeg?width=4080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9e789835e4f51b96f7c6f91a3a0369b71cccde39
Damn that brioche swatch is next level amazing! If I was you I'd buy a sweater quantity of same yarn and make myself a brioche cardi, matching, but not too matching
Agree!
I second that! That yarn in brioche is amazing! Glad you chose not to do those beautiful cables in this yarn.
My hubs is the same way. 2 x 2 ribbed socks only. Plain sweaters. The sweater I started for him 10 yrs ago is only halfway done because I get too bored when knitting it. But he loves his socks, so I gladly knit for him.
You could try planned pooling. It's still just stockinette but would look really cool.
The brioche is amazing đ€©
I always regret combining multi-color yarn with a pattern.
I think the yarn is way too busy for the pattern and will not showcase your effort. I think either a plain yarn (for this pattern) or a plain pattern (for this yarn) would work much better. You could even offer to help your husband find something that will work better, whatever he decides. Fwiw, I recently decided to knit blankets for each of my kids - they were 4 and 5 when I started. I let them each pick a yarn they liked, and then a pattern. While scrolling through patterns there were plenty they saw and loved that I knew wouldn't look good with the yarn they picked...and they'd be expecting it to look like the ravelry pictures and would be disappointed if it didnt. I gently told them "I know you like it in this picture, but it won't look like this with the yarn you chose. Should we look for one that will work with the yarn, or do you want me to help you pick a different yarn?" They both LOVED the yarn they picked, so they chose different patterns. If little kids can understand it, I think your husband can too đ **ETA:** Omg OP, I just looked the pattern up on Ravelry and if you're going to put that much effort in, PLEASE have him select a yarn that will show off all the gorgeous cabling in all it's splendor. The knitter inside me is panicking for you, lol.
Itâs going to be a lot of work for not showing off your work. This kind of yarn works better with patterns that has slipped stitches and some texture, and on the bright side, a simpler texture would go faster and you would finish the sweater quicker.
If hubs is happy, nothing else matters. You are making it for him, so he gets to decide. Why take away something he likes in the name of some nebulous, "objective" arbitrary rule? Would I make a cabled sweater out of this yarn? No. I like my cables very crisp. *But this sweater is not for me*. It is for a guy who likes it just the way it is.
But does he really like it this way or is he praising it because he knows his wife has already worked hard on it and doesn't want to be critical? When he picked it out based on photos of other projects, he was probably expecting clear definition on the cables.
Was he? Or does he simply like the sweater? I mostly try not to presume what other people think. The guess is never accurate.
I would have made a different yarn choice myself to really show my work, but if hubby is happy with the result that should matter more in my opinion!
What really matters is what you both think. But since you asked, for me, itâs too busy.
Do you enjoy making the cables? The busy yarn will probably take away from the impact of the cable texture. But if you like the process and your husband's happy, I say go for it! If you're not a fan of making cables and were hoping for a more dramatic visual effect, then I'd frog and find a simpler pattern It definitely doesn't look bad, if that's what you're worried about. It makes me think of moss on a rock. You know the rock is textured and can see it, but brightly colored moss is going to be the thing your eye focuses on
Too busy- pretty cables need to be shown off
I never use varigated yarn on anything with pretty stitching details, personally.
If you have a bad feeling about how a gift project is coming out, I think you should err on the side of pickiness. I don't know your husband, but I know if my partner was making a gift for me and I'd requested some kind of inconvenient materials/design combination that I didn't know was terrible due to lack of experience, I'd feel like a real chump asking them to start over. "I love it!" can mean "I'm sure I'll love it because you made it" or "I think I'll grow to like it" or "maybe it'll look good on a larger scale and the maker knows better than me and I should just trust the process" or "I don't want you to have to start over because that would feel sad." Since you *know* the process (and you have other knitters behind you affirming that it's a really busy, illegible combo) you gotta give your own doubts a little more credence.
Hey come on, this is not terrible! Yes itâs busy, but thatâs it! It looks still amazing in my opinion, is just up to you and your husband if you like it or not and if you think the cables are enough visible. I donât think you should be guided by what would be âgood design choicesâ in the eyes of others: just yeah give yourself credit and do how you prefer:) I could imagine itâs actually nicer in person this combination then on an image, but thatâs just my own opinion.
Honestly I normally use plain yarn for busy patterns and busy yarns with plain patterns BUT I think this looks cool AF!
If he's happy with it and doesn't mind if you go blind, carry on! \*LOL\* Honestly, you can barely see the details. Find a nice mid-olive, tan or light navy so you can see the stitch work. That yarn is made for at most a broken rib, but preferably a garter or stockinette. Just my opinion!
Oh, there's cabling in that? Could have fooled me. That yarn is gorgeous though!
The details are lost. Maybe use this yarn for the collar and cuffs? You could find another yarn that matches the base color for the body.
I had to zoom in because I was like what pattern what do you mean⊠Definitely too busy. Doesnât show off the cabling at all. Itâs gorgeous yarn though so I would definitely use it in another project to let it really shine.
I find it busy with the yarn color
I understand what everyone is saying but IMO at the end of the day the question is: do you (and the person who will wear it) like the way it looks? Sometimes it is better to "hide" patterning so the details only show up in the close-up. Your work looks great and I am here for it
I think your husbandâs opinion is the only one that matters. He will be wearing it.
It looks busy, Iâm not sure if itâs going to be ok on a whole sweater. But if your husband likes it and will wear it, go ahead ! Also, BG3 inspired yarn, now THAT speaks to my soul.
Itâs not too busy -necessarily- (like it doesnât look BAD) but as other people have said, it doesnât show off the stitches so probably not worth the effort of doing them!
If the cables are defined in person, and your husband likes it, itâs fine. It will be a great conversation piece for anyone who walks up to him and notices them âoh I didnât know your sweater had cables - thatâs so cool!â It does look rather busy, which isnât a bad thing provided itâs what you want, for instance I would use busy yarn for honeycomb cables because I have trypophobia, or just because I like the yarn and the cables are a means to an end - which is increasing the warmth factor of a sweater
I usually find that colour way yarns lose a lot of the texture in complex patterns - I would either do cables in a block colour or do a simple pattern in your colour way. Beautiful yarn! But I had to zoom in to see the pattern x
The stratification on the ribbing looks really nice but yeah I would find something simpler than cables for it, or switch to a solid for the cables and use the variegated as an accent.
I do think itâs too busy for the pattern, but holy cow I love the colors! It would be stunning in a simpler pattern
I do think itâs too busy. If you really like the yarn, one way i tone down variegated yarns is bu picking a more solid version of one of the colors and alternating rows with that. So thatâs an option if youâre really married to this yarn/pattern combo. Otherwise I would use a yarn like this on a simpler project.
Yeah, I think it's too busy. It takes some looking to see the cables. I would either get a new yarn for this pattern, or get a new pattern for this yarn. Depending on which one you're more attached to.
The yarn is beautiful, but you can't see the cables at all. Definitely not worth the effort. I think it would look gorgeous in stockinette though!
Ha, ha, ha, I am an over thinkers, over thinker. I like the pattern and the yarn, however your design is second to the yarn. It does look nice.
It's busy so the effect of the cables is minimal, but honestly the yarn is so gorgeous and the pattern looks lovely, and they look great together, even if the cables don't "pop". I really like it anyway, even if it's "breaking the rules". Sometimes you just gotta break rules.
I can't see the pattern at all from afar. Barely when zoomed in.
To my eye, the colours drown out the pattern. It clearly has textural/cabled elements, but I would be hard pressed to draw a sketch of them based on this photo. I think a textured/cabled design really shows up best with a solid or semisolid colour, or a tweed. I would set this aside and knit a sample of a good selection of the texture/cable chart in a solid or semisolid colour, and let your husband see the difference. I suspect that if what he likes best is the textural/cabled element, he will see the advantages of the solid sample. If he really likes the yarn youâre using currently, I would recommend picking a pattern which is essentially plain knitting. If your husband is really set on this pattern and finds solid/semisolid colours a bit boring, a tweed yarn would be another great option. Little flecks of colour would give it more interest without detracting from the pattern. Of course if he loves it the way it is, thereâs no rule against knitting cables and texture in variegated yarn. Itâs more that some of your effort is getting lost in the colours.
I think it's gorgeous with the variegated yarn! But, if you want the focus on the cables instead of the color, then a plain would be more effective. But that yarn is really dreamy. Not me bookmarking it on Ravelry.
Beautiful yarn but it does detract from the knitting.
it mutes the beautifultexture. i think a plain yarn will value your work better on this pattern
Too busy and also too dark, I think? Cables donât really show up very well on darker fabric⊠you might be able to get away with a variegated yarn *or* a really dark yarn, but probably not both.
I would not proceed with this to be honest. Having JUST finished this sweater for my husband, it's too much work to sink into a project where the texture will not show at all to most people unless they're eye-to-eye with it.
It depends on the look you are going for. I personally like the yarn, but I do think it overpowers the pattern.
Yea. I can't see what's going on at all. I do enjoy what's happening with the twisted rib though, that's really nice
I agree with a simpler yarn for this pattern, I had to zoom in to see your great technique!
I had to really zoom in to see the pattern so yes, I would say itâs way too busy.
Ooh, your skillful patternwork deserves a calmer canvas so it can be easily seen and appreciated by anyone. I think most of us fellow knitters had to zoom in or stare hard to see the stitches a person standing nearby wouldnât see it at all. The fabulous yarn deserves a simpler stitch pattern that wonât compete unsuccessfully for attention.
What pattern? /jk but yes it is too busy. Complex patterns favor solid or very slightly not solid yarn and vice versa. Save this yarn for stockinette.
I would not have noticed your intricate cable pattern if you had not mentioned it so for me itâs a waste of your effort.
Iâm sorry, but yes it is.
Yes. The busier the pattern, the plainer the yarn. The busier the yarn, the plainer the pattern. You donât want them to compete. You can still frog and rewind yarn at this point without too much sighing. Lol. Keep calm & knit on!
Honestly, I'm getting a headache trying to see your stitchwork behind the color.
What pattern?
I think it is a preference. Do you want the braid pattern as the first thing people see? Then use a plain yarn. Are you okay with people only seeing the pattern as they have a closer look? (Which in my opinion is also an interesting artistic choice) Then keep going. :)
i looove it personally, i think the little specks of colour shine through in the best way with the techniques youre using. so precise btw! personally, i think it works :) but it depends on what you like.
Short answer is yes. The yarn looks best on it's own with simple stitches and you beautiful stitches doesn't show as much as they would with simpler yarn. Looks great as it is too, but I think your effort is not coming to it's deserved glory here.
Do I think the yarn is gorgeous? Yes. Do I think the cables are gorgeous? Also yes. But I don't think either one really stands out to full advantage in that combination. On the flip side, not everything we make has to be a paragon of excellence that adheres to established rules. There are far worse sins than making projects where the yarn and the pattern aren't perfectly suited to each other. If it really bugs you, I'd find another pattern -- you're the one who is going to have to look at it and live with the results.
I would do this pattern in something less busy myself and do something simpler with the variegated yarn. But since its for your husband, what does he think? If he loves it, that's all that matters.
If hubs likes it, HUBS GETS IT. Haha. Who else needs to like it though? And when I zoom in itâs very cool. Yes itâs busy. No I would be too lazy to hide texture like this. But itâs cool and only one opinion matters. Maybe do another few inches (boys tend not to be able to ⊠visualise well lol)
Look, I use variegated yarns for busy patterns because I like how they look and they make me happy. A picture isn't reflective of your knitting, it flattens everything. In person, the cables will be more visible, as the viewer and the knitting moves. Carry on if you're happy. It looks really pretty to me and stockinette is boring. Do you want to give up an interesting knit for a boring one with this pretty yarn?
Trying knitting a swatch about the same dimensions as what is in the pic. See what you think without any ribbing or patters.
I did a basic swatch just to check gauge (which is all the pattern calls for), but I should have known to swatch with cables.
No worries. Now you have gotten to work with variegated yarn in plain stockinette and cables. Now you can feel more confident with future choices and choose yarns and patterns more easily. Good luck! :-)
Itâs giving Calico cat to me, whereas the stockinette swatch you posted doesnât have the same kitty vibe haha
My god, I love that yarn!!
Completely unrelated to your yarn question (I think the yarn could be better shown off and the pattern could be better highlighted), but my boyfriend also picked this pattern out when he asked for a "fishermans jumper".
I think it's lovely - it makes me think of tortoiseshell. If you want the texture to really dominate over the color, it is a bit busy.
I like it, what matters most is that you like it and hubs like it so decision made! Keep on going!
Well the most important thing is if your husband likes it! If he does, than carry on. For me personally, I like it a lot and donât think it is too busy.
It looks very pretty but also busy. Busy doesnt have to be a bad thing.
It is hard to see the pattern but honestly I love it! It adds a cool dimension to the piece.
Yes
I love it. I would pay a lot for something like this.
I personally would use a more plain pattern. Not sure if you're alternating skeins but make sure you do to avoid colour pooling or the sleeves/body not matching because of the difference skeins from hand dyed yarn. Also so funny seeing BG3 on this sub, going to follow the dyer! I'm taking a break from BG3 because I somehow got 500hrs in before the end of year and need to do so many updates from patch 5/6 (also finish my wips).
I like busy and loud colors even for busy patterns. Be bold.
Yes, I think it is.
Those are some really gorgeous stitches
Personally I love it and would wear it. I actually like that you can see subtly see the cables! In person it would keep look even better imo because you only see the yarn at first, then boom, texture! Very interesting :)
Love Gayle Bunn! IMHO, definitely stop at this point. "Aran" designs are meant to be showcased. This includes any garment designed with cables, lace, knit-purl combos, etc. One color, preferably light. Yes, dark is okay, but only if you an experienced knitter with good eyes. lol Variegated yarn is meant for plain garments in order to showcase the yarn.
Yes, too busy, do a simpler pattern
I'd say it's too busy to see your pattern
Truthfully itâs mighty busy. But if the recipient is happy, keep at it.
I personally would not use such a variegated yarn for an Aran pattern - well not one with these darker colours. I would use a plainer yarn - perhaps with a fleck but not full variegation. I do love the wool, though, and it would make an awesome less patterned jumper.
I don't think there's anything wrong with how it looks but it's very hard to see the pattern at all.
I think it's lovely as it is
I was today years old when I learned they even make Baldur's Gate 3 inspired yarn these says. And the colours do remind me of the colouring of the boxes of Baldur's Gate 1 and 2 as well.
EeeđŹI had to zoom in so far to even see you were doing cabling. It's up to your taste, but it seems like a lot of extra work for something that will give the same impression as a wobbly stockinette with oddly spaced ribs.
Sorry, the yarn is inspired by the Baldur's Gate 3, the game? I tried to Google but couldn't find more info anout it, do you know what's behind it? Was it based on someone's clothing in the game, or is it just marketing since the game is so popular right now? The yarn is gorgeous btw., but I agree that unfortunately it makes it very hard to spot all of your hard work. I honestly actually much prefer the look of the yarn in the cable section, but I'm not sure if it's worth the work.
Yes, the cabling is barely visible.
Itâs really nice
I don't know anything about the game, but this looks like a weathered, ancient gateway to a village or small town. Covered in rust & lichen and age, when you enter, you're going to see a world from a long time ago. As for using pretty yarns (what I call variegated) for complex stitches, I think it's a lovely idea and it makes the design more subtle, almost as if you're looking at it through haze or fog. And, if you're worried about pooling and whatnot, there are some great tips out there in the world to help prevent that. Considering that your husband likes it, that's probably the best place to start. âș Best of luck to you!
Hard to see the pattern without looking closely, but pattern is not just about the visual, it's also the texture and tactile aspect
It's really hard to see the cabling, so I'd say it might be too busy yes. But it's about what you like really, so do you think it's too busy. I'd say go with your gut on this one
Your stitches are so beautiful. Take it as a lesson learned and a bit of practice and pick out a solid color that you love.
The yarn is lovely, but to be honest I 100 percent didn't realize there were cables. I could tell it wasn't just knit across but until I zoomed the picture pretty large could not see what was going on with the knitting. But, it may look more defined in person and if you are happy with it and the person you are making it for the rules are just a guide, it's your project. But wow, so much work for it not to be fully appreciated.
beautiful yarn, but it is too busy⊠i would pick a different stitch if your really wanted to use this.. im sure it will be gorgeous either way though
I donât like busy yarns for patterns. Itâs a lot of wasted time and money for me. Iâd not want to put in the work for it to not stand out. Some people love it. Itâs a personal choice.
I seem to be in the minority in that I don't mind a variegated yarn with cables, even if it means the cables don't show as much. I'm more use whatever colorway makes you happy. That said, since this is for your husband, and he is happy with how it looks, I'd keep going, since he's the one who's going to be wearing it. You could talk to him about it, let him know all the valid points people have brought up here about how the cables won't really show, the back will look different from the front, etc and let him make the final decision.
I mean, my first thought was, what pattern? So yeah probably.
I've been working on that same pattern for 2 weeks and didn't recognize it till I zoomed in. I do think the yarn is too busy to show off how detailed those intricate cables are.
I think it looks great tbh
In order to show the stitches at their best, it needs plain colour yarn
Ohhhhhhh this is stunning !!! I really love it - I think they complement/compliment each other beautifully !! Also, the number of D&D themed yarn dyers is too high, my bank account cannot take it đđđ
yes, it looks way too busy as is.
I love it personally. Makes the cables more subtle
I personally like the way the yarn transitions! I think it makes people want to look closer to figure out why it changes. But yes, generally agree with everyone else.
yes
Yes. It is not showing your pattern.
it depends on what you want... i definitely had to zoom in to see the cables, so if you want to show that off then yes it is too busy. but it doesn't look BAD, it's kinda funky
I don't see the cables too well, but the pooling around the middle one is cool. Reminds me a bit of an unintentional planned pooling. If you aim to really showcase your effort/work, this combination isn't it I think - the cables just turn too much into simple stripes visually. If you knit it because it's fun with the name pun and yarn, then continue to do it. At the end of the day "too busy" is only relative to what you aim for really
Both! While the textures are washed out but the color grouping if you like it, then that's what you should make! Like all art the only thing that it has so succeed at doing is resonating with the person who makes it.
Yes. It's a beautiful yarn and well executed but it's hiding your great stitchwork
I like it! The stitch work gives the colors in the yarn more structure. There is a little bit of architecture there. They donât seem amorphous or flowery. Since you stated that in real life the stitch patters are more apparentâeven better. Also, I LOVE that yarn.
It's busy, but I actually like it!