Self Patterning Yarns

[Ploshkin]

I don't really get self patterning yarns - I don't see how the pattern can possibly come out right unless you are knitting a very specific size with the correct tension.  Patterns designed for those yarns come in multi sizes but surely if you do a bigger or smaller size the colour pattern won't come out as shown.  I had a self patterning yarn for a pair of socks and the dark colour, which was supposed to make diagonal stripes on the light background colour, didn't.  It came out as little random blobs.
I find it a bit annoying that most multi coloured yarns available these days are self patterning when I just want something that will give a random variation in colour.

[Acorn]

I've had mixed results.  I used Sirdar Crofter, which gives a fairisle-ish result and it was great.  But when I made a baby cardigan from a more definitely patterned yarn it was a nightmare.

This is the cardigan: 

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I made the back and front all in one (not as per the pattern) which wasn't too bad, but then I had to work so hard to get the stripes to balance above the armholes and in the hood that I would never touch the stuff again.

[Ellabella]

I too loath self patterning yarns, too much faff to get the stripes right and a horrendous effect if you don't..


Mind you I made socks from WYS self patterning wool and the stripes were fine. I must just have the correct sized foot

[Efemera]

I think they look lovely in the ball but a bit disappointing when they’re knit up

[Ploshkin]

I'm glad it's not just me.

[Renegade Sewist]

I like them. But I can't knit worth $%#@ so it hardly matters. But isn't the concept lovely?

[wrenkins]

My mum knit a waistcoat many years ago and I seem to remember a lot of messing about with two balls of wool to get thicker stripes across the body. Raglan sleeves are a no-no of course!

[BrendaP]

Those yarns always look so nice in the ball, but unless you're knitting a straight scarf they can be a nightmare to get looking good in the finished item.  @Acorn you did a really good job of getting it all symetrical.

[Celia]

I have used them for knitting socks and love the effect you can get, does depend on the make of yarn though

[Ploshkin]

unless you're knitting a straight scarf

That's why I don't get them.  Even with a straight scarf surely you need a multiple of a specific number of stitches for the colours to fall in the right place on each row to form the pattern.

[Flobear]

And even with a specific number of stitches, there's still the fact that people don't all knit to the same tension.

[Ploshkin]

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These were the socks I did, which promptly put me off self patterning yarn.  The pattern came free with the yarn, so it was the right yarn for the pattern and I knitted the  middle size.  The purple bits in the light stripes should be diagonal bars I think but they are just random blobby bits.  It doesn't matter on my socks but I would have been mightily miffed  if I'd got half a dozen balls for a larger garment.