Assigned Pooling Interruption

You know how I had all those plans to finish my vest and make a bunch of summer knits?

Well, I ‘fess up in the next episode, but you’ll understand when you see why. I mean, aside from life happenings, I had the opportunity to test Dawn Barker’s Murder of Crows sweater. Wouldn’t you drop everything to make this?

I saw a sample at Hill Country Weavers a few months ago and kind of dismissed the idea of being able to test it. I’m committed to other stuff, I am always out of the loop and find out about testing calls weeks after they’ve closed, and lots of people will be clamoring to test this one. But then I saw the call, replied quickly enough, and that was that. The pattern isn’t quite out yet, so I’m not going to talk details here or show much. I mostly just wanted to admire the design and Dawn’s creative genius. 

One of the things that drew me to assigned pooling was the potential for using it with older stash yarn I had that pooled in a way I found difficult to knit with, unless I was making a sock. And I like socks, as you will soon see, but geez! not three or four skeins worth in the same color. So I used some of my stashed Knit Picks yarn for Dawn’s Mend shawl (which I guess I still haven’t posted here) and I loved the result. That opened up doors for several other stashed colorways I had purchased on sale and then floundered when looking for a pattern to match them.

She teaches a class on the assigned pooling method, which she came up with, and various ways to use it. I have yet to get a spot in that one, though after seeing this sample, I am dying to take the class. So this technique really appeals to the side of me that wants to use what I have, save money, and find a way to make things work. However, it also appeals to the side of me that would like to have every one of Dawn’s AP colorways to use for her growing AP pattern collection. I reached a compromise with myself and bought enough of her yarn to knit two of her patterns and resolved to use stash for a few more.

A couple of those earmarked for stash were taught in her Mighty Remnants class at Hill Country Weavers. She gave me a gentle push to tackle a more complicated scrap project than my granny stripe blanket: from tips on combining yarn color and type to plotting amounts. But even for the simpler scrap projects, she gave us tricks to make them as methodical or haphazard as we choose. She will be offering this class again at the upcoming Knitting in the Hills Retreat and I recommend it if you’re looking for inspiration. 

This latch hook pillow, above, is one of the remnant scrap projects she brought. It’s made entirely of skein ties which, as a dyer, she has tons of. It has a luxe, flokati-like look while still being funky and scrappy. I left so inspired and excited to make her Jawbreaker sweater and her scrappy Only the Good Bits bag. But first, I wanted to do Murder of Crows. I’mm so pleased with it and will share more soon.

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