Yarns that Color Pool the Argyle Print
How can you tell when a skein of variegated yarn will color pool to create an argyle print? Deborah Bagley gave us some guidelines in her article Crochet Color Pooling 101: Argyle Print:
1. The yarn needs to have a color sequence that repeats.
2. Each color should be at least 7–10 inches long.
3. The color sequence should contain three to eight colors that repeat at regular intervals.
4. You should be able to make at least one single crochet and chain one per color, although three or more single crochet and chain ones is better.
Yarns that Color Pool
Yarns that have some elasticity are easier to color pool than yarns that don’t. However, sometimes you want a specific fiber content or yarn weight to match the project you’re making(dishcloths and hot pads, for instance, make better sense worked in cotton yarn than acrylic). Here is a short list of yarns in a variety of weights and fiber that produce good color-pooling results. Try swatching with a few of these to get a feel for what will work best for your project.
Fingering-Weight Wool Blend
• Plymouth Yarn Reserve Fingering: Americana, Apple Orchard, Aqua Parakeet, Cider Lane, Island Time, Poppy Passion, Teal Harbor, Reef
DK/Light Worsted-Weight Acrylic
• Lion Brand Yarns Color Waves: Rainbow
DK / Light Worsted-Weight Wool
• Ancient Arts Fibre Crafts 100% Superwash Merino DK / Light Worsted: Kitsch
Worsted-Weight Acrylic
• Caron Simply Soft Paints: Sunset Variegated
• Lion Brand Yarns Vanna’s Choice: Autumn Print, Charcoal Print
• Red Heart Soft: Garden, Greyscale
• Red Heart Super Saver: Bright Mix, Earth & Sky, Mistletoe, Pink Camo, Zebra
• Red Heart with Love: Fruit Punch, Waterlily
• Universal Yarn Uptown Worsted: First Down, Full Speed
Worsted-Weight Acrylic Blend
• Berroco Comfort: Color 9830
Worsted-Weight Cotton Blend
• Premier Yarns Deborah Norville Collection Cotton Soft Silk Multi: Stained Glass
Bulky Acrylic Yarns
• Bernat Blanket any specific colorways?
• Bernat Softee Chunky: Shadow, Summerset Ombre
Want more yarns that color pool? Check out Ann Mancini-Williams’ list at Glamour 4 You blog.
More Color Pooling Tutorials
If you don’t know how to crochet the argyle pattern, first read Color Pooling 101 and make a few swatches.
Color Pooling 102 teaches you how to crochet a zigzag print, or half of an argyle/crisscross.
Color Pooling 103 explains how to make wider argyle patterns with multiple Xs.
Color Pooling 104 shows you how to color pool in the round.
Color Pooling 105 will bring you along through the possibility of stripes.
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