Saturday, March 17, 2007

To Frog or not to Frog: help!!



See these cute lil needles? I picked them up at my LYS yesterday in order to start in on my new Socks that Rock Club yarn, Monsoon. Take a close look at the packaging....doesn't it just scream 'I've been in this store since 1978, please take me home!'?


I decided to not use the pattern sent with the shipment as a. it it didn't grab me at all as I hate slouchy socks that make you look like you have thick ankles, even though my grandmother said that thick ankles were sign of beauty (?) and b. I didn't feel like knitting a penis (see YH's entry and pic here). Oh and then there's also the 'I think I'm special and I have to be different' element. In any case, I decided to do the Retro Rib socks from the IK Favorite Socks book. I love the pattern but am not loving the pooling. Everything was fine on the top part of the cuff as there was a nice little striping thing going on--but just look at the hideous pooling that soon follows. My question: should I send this item back to the frog pond, or just leave it? Does pooling make you insane, or am I being unreasonable? Please note: frogging always feels like total defeat to me and I tend to take it really hard. Be gentle with me!

24 comments:

Prof. Knitwit said...

Hmm...that's a tough one. There's not really much that you can do about the pooling..and it's not your fault. So, no reason to take it to heart. I would say to keep going - most likely, no one else will notice the pooling except for you - especially if the pooling is at the back..no one will notice!

knittingphilistine said...

Put your new Phildar needles down immediately. It is time to FROG. There's no shame in it; you can't control the wiles of variegated yarn. But you CAN control just what sort of abuse you'll allow from variegated yarns. It's pretty yarn, don't spend the time making a sock you are sort of okay with, but don't necessarily like. Take a little extra time to find a pattern that is suitable for that particular variegated. Pooling = bad! Challenge of properly matching variegated yarn and pattern = good.

Karen said...

Well, I think pooling is really a personal choice. Some people don't mind it, some people absolutely hate it. In my opinion, there is good pooling and bad pooling. My Daisy socks had pooling that I liked - it made a white spiral around the sock. My frogged STR socks had pooling that I hated - it was downright fugly and I frogged. So, the best thing to do is just go with your gut. If the pooling won't make you crazy, continue on. If deep down you know you hate the pooling, bite the bullet and frog. Trust me, in the long run you'll be happier.

Unknown said...

Sent these needles back and decide if you want to lieve with that pooling in the sock. If not--frog it

Sonya said...

I agree about good pooling and bad pooling. I have a pair that pooled pleasingly, but the pair that pooled badly bugs me every time I wear them. BTW, that penis-shaped sock pattern is just scary.

schrodinger said...

I love the packaging for the needles. Now on to your question, I think that if YOU don't like the pooling then you should frog. I've had pooling that works and pooling that doesn't, but it's definitly personal.

Melissa said...

What size needles are you using? For my first attempt at "Inside Out", I had a nice striping happening (US 0 was in use). Because the needles were not fun for me, and I had too many errors to ignore, I ripped and used US1 needles. I now have larger stripes, and my second sock is pooling a little more than the first.

If your sock was mine... I would rip it. But that's just me. You have less time invested now than you do for entire project. But more important... how do you feel about the pooling? If it doesn't bother you, I wouldn't bother ripping!

nicole said...

I would send that baby back to the frog pond faster than you can say ribbit. Hey, it's not easy being green, but I absolutely think finding a non-pooling pattern is worth it. My motto: "the yarn deserves better".

But I do sympathize, I'm constantly frogging.

Anonymous said...

Good pooling and bad pooling...in your opinion, which one does this sock fall into to? If you're not going to be happy with the finished socks, start ripping. Go with your gut. I just ripped out the retro ribs from the gusset because the stockinette on the bottom of the foot was too beautiful to ignore. If you look at knitting as a process, you won't be defeated. The yarn is just screaming for a different pattern. How about the waving lace socks in the same book? I used Lornas Laces for mine, and I actually liked the stripes that came about.

Anonymous said...

I always say, a pool is a perfect place for a frog!


Gotta be done, sorry!

Janet said...

i have to tell you that i'm knitting the "penis socks" and i think that your decision to seek another pattern was wise... but the pooling! oh, the pooling! so frustrating!
i would probably frog, because i think that there is no sense finishing something you're not entirely satisfied with, but on the other hand i also have many an imperfect knitted item that i still love, so it's probably a personal choice! good luck and let me know if you find a more suitable pattern. i may be frogging the penis...

Lone Knitter said...

Well, the yarn looks lovely, but the pooling might bother me. I hate to frog anything, so I usually just keep on going. Hmmmm....I wonder if you might just frog up to the cuff and then continue in that rib pattern? I don't know. I think I might be mighty mad if I had to frog anything. It's a hard decision.

Anonymous said...

Pooling ? Yukkkk. No question!
(But that's the Frogging Freak speaking out here ;-)

Anonymous said...

That's a tough one indeed - the pooling is definitely not your fault, that's for sure, and there's not much you could do against it. I'd say go for it - no one will notice it but you!

Amanda said...

I think the pooling is pretty in what you show there, I've actually wanted a pair of my socks to pool with no such luck. If it's really bothering you and will continue I say frog it but it might give them that extra character that the other socks that don't pool have.

Anonymous said...

Oh, too bad about the pooling! It seems like you're not diggin' the yarn for this pattern at all, so I'd find something else. I agree with others, sometime I like the way a yarn pools, but it's definitely a personal thing. No reason to put all that effort into a knit, if you won't enjoy wearing and showing off the finished product! :)

Melissa said...

I think the pooling pretty bad. I for one don't normally object to pooling because I totally hate frogging, but you aren't almost done with it or anything, so if you want to frog, you'd better do it now.

gradschoolknitter said...

I'm in the same conundrum with the hood for my bf's sweater vest... to frog or to fix? I'm worried that if I attempt to fix and it gets worse I'll have to frog even MORE. Ugh. Good luck!

~Kristie said...

You've received so much great advice I don't know what I could contribute that would be better than what's already being said.

Personally I'd frog them and choose a different pattern.

Anonymous said...

That is about as serious as pooling gets, I must admit.

If it were me, I would frog. It'll suck when you're doing it and immediately after, but two weeks from now you'll have a sock you love and you'll never even remember the pain of frogging.

It took me a long time to embrace frogging (and I still don't always do it terribly graciously), but I have learned to accept that when I'm wondering whether it's the right thing to do, it probably is.

Stephanie said...

I'm a little weird --- but I like pooling. It gives your eye a chance to rest and see any stitch patterns.

Also, I love having socks that don't exactly match!

Alison said...

I got sound phildar needles with ancient looking packing from ebay a while back. Well, I like their patterns more than I like their needles, but oh well... I'm using a set right now on a little hat, they're no Addi's, but they're already bought, right?!
ali
www.skeinsherway.com

Terhi said...

If you use the words "hideous pooling", I think you should rip. You won't enjoy knitting these socks, and I think you should - the yarn is really pretty after all.

Anonymous said...

First let me say that is a beautiful yarn for the socks! Second, is taht a size 0 needle? Third, frog it. If pooling bothers you that much, then you won't enjoy knitting the socks and it'll go right in the bottom of your stash and disappear.