So what do I do? each yarn strand in its own pathway. This is a very secure way to trap the float. No good! I get this question a lot, and its a tricky one to answer. Theres a big difference between a knitted bag youll sew a lining into and a pair of mittens or socks. (Ask me how I know! Stranded colorwork knitting is referred to as such because of these, One thing that is important to keep in mind in stranded colorwork knitting is, There are a number of ways to manage the tension of your floats. When you join a new ball of yarn, just weave it in for 1 1/2 to 2 inches using the tacking technique. Hi Lisa Yep, lots of folks find going up a needle size very helpful! Going up a needles size can help compensate for this tighter tension. knit with US 6 needles, for instance. Mary document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Fervent fiber nerd and frequent baker living in Norway. Insert your right needle into the next stitch like normal. So glad I found you. Now that weve covered when its a good idea to trap floats how do we actually do it? Holding both strands of yarn too tightly can result in fabric that is taut and puckered. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. [] used Dianna Wallas tutorials for dominant strands and trapping floats. 5:56 am. Wanting to try stranded color work or Fair Isle knitting, but feeling a little intimidated? Thank you! Tension is the most difficult aspect to master in colorwork knitting. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. September 29, 2021 @ Pick up the other strand and knit with itand so forth. Below is a video demonstrating my method for knitting colorwork sans floats. The background color/main color is also my working yarn here, while the dominant/contrasting color is being carried across the wrong side of the work. 7:46 am. Knitting colourwork (also known as stranded colourwork or Fair Isle knitting) may seem difficult, but its actually quite simple. Alexa Ludeman Whether you hold the yarn So for knitted fabric thats likely to come into things that may catch on floats, like fingers and toes, we musttraporcatchlong floats to anchor them to the fabric. For keeping those floats nice and loose I recommend trying a longer cord to your circular needle (this spreads out the stitches and forces those floats to be nice and long) and spreading out your stitches on the right hand needle after a long stretch of one colour. Whale woman, Lindy Van Fleet If you are able to take a class on this technique, or self-learn the opposite knitting style from your current preference, I highly recommend giving it a try. This effect is referred to ascolor dominanceand is a result of how the yarns are stranded in relationship to one another on the WS of the fabric as you work. actually a pretty fun experiment to try this, switching which color is dominant and which is not, you 4:42 pm. My blue floating yarn is trapped on either side of the 6th stitch. This positions your float yarn in betweenyour needles. Guides, Stitches & Technique One of the many reasons we love this technique is that it creates a visually intricate fabric, but is deceivingly simple to work. Blocking colourwork isnt really different from any other kind of blocking, but it is CRITICAL! Enjoy! The yarn thats not currently being used is drawn across the back of the work, and those strands are called floats. Go ahead and knit the next stitch normally. Step 1: Put the knitting thimble on like you would a ring so it rests firmly on the first knuckle of your index finger. I found this page which shows a technique for capturing the floats & providing a nice stretch. It there any way to fix this problem? Focus on one section of the fabric at a time and knead it. Laurie Rickward The two-handed method is great because the two yarns do not get tangled. exactly the opposite. Some teachers use hard-and-fast rules, like never carry a float more than five stitches without trapping it. Some teachers tell you not to go more than, That being said, if a rule doesnt jive with your personal preferences, thats perfectly fine! Wrapping Floats To keep the back of your work tidy, you may want to consider securing the longer loose strands, or "floats," by wrapping the two yarns while you're knitting. I'd start with something where there's only a few stitches between colors so you don't have really long floats. Tacking Long Floats. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Thank you so much! The basketweave pattern is reminiscent of fishing nets, so I chose blue and natural colors to accentuate the ideas of sea and shore. *Membership cannot be purchased with Gift Cards. As you work following the chart, the fabric grows to create the pattern shown, so you can look at the colourwork chart and make a fair guess at what the finished product will look like theyre closely related. I have done very little colorwork but am working on a hat with some simple(ish) colorwork. Floats are the yarn thats carried behind the stitches across a row. What's a Knitter To Do? Unknown colorwork with 200 new motifs. A long float would be considered more than 5 stitches in a row of one color before changing. Remember, loose stitches or A long float would be considered more than 5 stitches in a row of one color before changing. It is my goal for this winter to knit my first colorwork sweater. One way is to go up a needle size when working colorwork (but do, When working stranded fabric with two or more colors, one color (the Dominant Color) will always be more prominent on the right side (RS) while the other (the Background Color) recedes to the background. Traditional Fair Isle (or stranded knitting) color knitting specifies no more than two colors per row and sequences of no more than six stitches of one color. Keeping your Dominant Color and Background Color consistent will ensure that your colorwork motifs pop rather than recede into the background. If the floats are too tight, they will draw your fabric in, causing puckering which will change the look and fit of your finished item. My blue floating yarn is trapped on either side of the 6th stitch. If you dont, its a good bet that youll pull the non-working yarn a little too tight, causing puckering problems. I havent written it up in a blog post, but I covered trapping the non-dominant float in my video on Youtube about stranded colorwork. 1:35 pm. you get. In the words ofJune Hemmons Hiatt, the most successful method is as much a matter of anatomy as it is of dexterity, so keep swatching, experimenting, and practicing to find what works best for you. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. to you and that allows you to get the most even tension in your knitting. Theres only what you prefer. Someday I may get to this, but as of now Ive never really purled colorwork (beyond a small swatch with short floats). Please note: KnitChats - Tip to Keep Loose Floats in Stranded Knitting KnitChats 473 subscribers Subscribe 54 Share 5.6K views 3 years ago Here's a demonstration of one way to keep your "floats" loose when. Some motifs, however, involve longer floats and long floats are exceptionally good at catching on fingers, jewelry, or other things that can work their way between the knitted fabric and the float. The charcoal grey isthe working yarnfor that length, while the light blue yarn is being carried across the back (the floating yarn). Like Alex I am interested in tidy float catching, working on a sock flat heel (stranded patterning a feature on it) ..so purling involved. There are a multitude of techniques used to carry two strands of yarn across a row of knitting. We recommend a tool called a Yarn Guide that slips How to catch floats when knitting stranded colour work by ARNE & CARLOS ARNE & CARLOS 161K subscribers Subscribe Share 161K views 4 years ago This week we take a close look at the back of our. the other, you may need to readjust your tension frequently as you pull from one strand more than the Youll definitely want to block your colourwork piece after you complete it, and regular wet blocking works just fine. rightand you should keep this consistent throughout the whole project. This was only in two colours, and I caught the floats every other stitch because I like having a neat back to my work and less things to catch on when [], Your email address will not be published. Most often, knitters will "lock" these floats if they become longer than 3 or 4 stitches. Firstly:what is a float, and why would I need to trap it? Thank you for the idea of tying ends and letting them felt themselves over time. Thanks! Oneof the questions I get most often from students or knitters working from my patterns is how to trap floats in stranded colorwork. pattern), the first stitch is worked in C1, the next in C2, and the following two stitches are worked in C1. Our Jeanette Scarf is a nice choice because its knit in a small tube in the round (its also available as a free download when you sign up for our newsletter!). Here's a video from Tiara the Unicorn explaining three different ways to catch floats, followed by written directions below that. I am a knitting chicken. Thank you. Here they are in order of relative usefulness (just my opinion! September 29, 2021 @ While you Check out the pics below for a little inspiration and click your favourite to get the pattern! We believeswatchingis an important part of the process of beginning any project. knitting words, by repeating the same word in a row, but then stacking the words in a quote, phrase or sentence. This action will also remove this member from your connections and send a report to the site admin. And vice versa hold the Background Color in your right hand and strand it above the Dominant Color on the WS of the fabric. This past week I was thinking, Maybe if I had someone really break it down for me . This distinguishes it from other colorwork methods like mosaic knitting or intarsia. Hold your float yarn away from your working yarn as you knit yournext stitch. My blue floating yarn is trapped on either side of the 6th stitch. through, push the left-hand yarn strand back off the working needle. When doing more than 4 stitches in a row, just flip the unwanted color over the correct color. The Japanese word ajiro describes a herringbone pattern in basketry, which seems fitting for a country known for its long fishing traditions and bold graphic representations of natural elements. There are about as many ways to knit colourwork as there are ways to knit, so feel free to experiment and find the technique that works for you. Finally, spread out your sweater and leave it to air-dry. strands in I often stick with what I know instead of trying new things. So what do I do? We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. In reality, there are a few different methods, but Ill be demonstrating what I think is the most common below. Think of the dominant color as the one creating the design rather than the one creating the background. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. I really love this scarf. Your great presenation has take the fear out of at lease trying colorwork. We just don't get along. Great tutorial. When working a stranded pattern, you never want to carry the non-working yarn across the back of the work for more than about 5 stitches, or whatever constitutes about a inch at your gauge. The only Marie Wallin garment Ive knit, I adapted to be knit in the round and I steeked the armholes and front neck. This is perfect timing. Use your best judgment and go with what youre comfortable with! When flipped to be a Background Color (right), these Hammock stitches become smaller and less distinct. accidentally pick or throw the wrong one. Switching which strand is held to the left or right of the other creates knitting your multi-color project. Tears. Even if you dont struggle with tension or gauge when knitting with one color, knitting colorwork with Nothing wrong with that, but it would slow you down a bit. If youmustuse a general rule, going by length in inches or cm is a better way to go (e.g. Holding the CC as the dominant color, then, makes sure this is the look Stretch Gently stretch out the stitches on your right needle as you strand the unused yarn across the back of these stitches (Photo 1 below). Bringyour working yarn betweenthe needles as though you are going to knit but don't complete the stitch. Weve got some handy tips on making this dream a reality. Colorwork garments are extremely warm because of Next, wrap the right-hand strand of yarn around the working needle to knit itbut before you pull it Hi Julie The key to tension in colourwork is keeping those floats nice and loose. When knitting colourwork patterns, you use two colours (sometimes more) in a single row or round. A quick little video showing how to cable without a cable needle. What Im gathering is that the ease of the floats comes with practice. yarns at a time. I know: slow and steady, right? Enjoy! Some patterns, such as the Ajiro Scarf, require that the non-working yarn is carried farther7 stitches in this case (see chart at right). Are there any other pages/videos showing this technique? Plus, use your imagination to modify, deconstruct, and combine the unique motifs to create your own designs. This creates floats, where yarns pass across the back for several stitches. Youll see the left-hand yarn strand is wrapped behind that stitch, keeping it tame. Hi Elizabeth Thanks so much for your kind words! Stranded colorwork knitting, recognizable by allover patterning or bands of color motifs, is prominent in many knitting traditions around the world and continues to inspire countless more iterations of creative colorplay today. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Sometimes the toughest bit is casting on :), askcarolynwarren > >, Knitting on an Airplane and Other Travel Tips for Makers, Why You Shouldn't Buy a Knitter Yarn as a Gift, Reasons to Take Your WIP to a Sporting Event, A Free Bracelet Beading Pattern for Valentines Day. colourwork, techniques colourwork, tutorial. This pulling can also really tighten your gauge and make garments too small. Once youve knit a project or two, youll be ready to tackle any colourful knit. Really enjoyed your Q & A youtube video, very useful as a newbie to stranded knitting making the most of lockdowns in UK to experiment! But, as crafters, we have, The new year is a fantastic time to reflect on last year's accomplishments. 1999-2023 Crafts Americana Group, Inc. All rights reserved. I hope it helps you or at least entertains you. September 24, 2021 @ September 28, 2021 @ Ill be using myHearth Slippersto demonstrate in the photos, as this pattern involves a very long float the first time you work Chart C. Im working the Large size, and the float is carried across 21 stitches. thistheyre twice as thick! Fantastic information and lots of great resources,,,and 2 free patterns to get started! These cookies do not store any personal information. Twist your float yarn around your working yarn. ): While all this can seem like a lot of info, you wont figure any of it out unless you get going. Whichever camp you fall into, note that you must have normal (non-wrapped) This looks like a really fun project, and the authors have included a little tutorial about how to deal with long floats, too, which is one of the challenges lots of Fair Isle knitting projects. Method 2 - Working Yarn in Left Hand Use this method when your WORKING yarn is in your LEFT hand and your FLOAT yarn is in your RIGHT hand. :). What are your thoughts on this? Im working on it and I realize no matter which method I use for trapping the longer floats, Ill sometimes have to loosen the yarn. Dive into stranded colorwork with confidence with a section on reading charts, working floats, and choosing . You want to have the right side facing you at all times rather than messing with purling on the wrong side. For more information, please see our All Rights Reserved. Some folks will tell you to trap floats every 3, 5, 7, 10+ stitches, but we almost never do (mittens are the exception). September 30, 2021 @ Cut off the excess yarn, leaving about a 1/2-inch tail. If youd like to stick to carrying the yarn with only one hand but youre having trouble keeping the yarn October 28, 2021 @ When you come to the stitch you want to wrap, put your working needle into the stitch on the Thank you!! See our post on selecting color palettes for color inspiration. 8:53 am, This is fantastic! (We found that for this reason, colorwork charts are quite helpful forlearning how to read knitting charts.). November 1, 2021 @ This is a great email, which I just found because it went to spam. September 28, 2021 @ Learn how stranded colorwork can be used in design with five accompanying projects including mitts, cowls, and sweaters. youre ready to go. colorwhether on one finger, in a Yarn Guide, or in your left hand while the other strand is in your You may have heard of trapping floats, but Ill let you in on a little secret: Emily and I almost never trap our floats! Insertyour right needle into the next stitch, making sure to go BEHIND your float yarn. 8:01 am. needle and wrap the yarn from your right hand around the working needle as if to knit itbut It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Who are we: Scandinavians Arne Nerjordet and Carlos Zachrison are highly regarded designers, textile artists and authors. (Wondering what the dominant yarn is? I dont enjoy trapping floats very much, as it slows down my knitting and can affect the look of my knitted fabric, and Ill avoid it if I can get away with it. can make the fabric look strange. And before embarking on a sweater-sized project, its wise to do a swatch first. September 26, 2021 @ the colorwork portions of a garmentusing US 9 needles on a colorwork yoke of a sweater thats otherwise ), Heres the tutorial for you! This scarf will keep you warm even on the coldest windswept shore.. September 27, 2021 @ For example, in Round 1 of the colorwork chart below (adapted from the Lucernepattern), the first stitch is worked in C1, the next in C2, and the following two stitches are worked in C1. would you do one on catching floats in purl side?Im knitting a Marie Wallin pattern in pieces and Im trying to find the best way to trap the floats in purl. CARRYING YARNS WITH THE TWO-HANDED METHOD. ARNE \u0026 CARLOSHow to catch floats when knitting stranded colour work by ARNE \u0026 CARLOS__Hi and welcome to our channel! left-hand They are best known for their craft books and their original, colourful and visually striking designs. Heres a closer look at what that looks like from the wrong side of the fabric: You can see how the float is trapped at the sixth charcoal grey stitch. Here is a nice tutorial from Jimmy Beans Wool on how to catch floats. These patterns are particularly well-suited for practicing stranded colorwork as they're smaller projects, worked in the round, and feature motifs that don't require working with more than two strands or colors of yarn in the same round. making sure no floats are longer than 1 or something similar). You can see in the photo abovethat Ive worked the first 5 stitches of my 21-stitch span. Its important to draw this yarn LOOSELY across the back of the work. For stranded colorwork knitting in particular, swatching may be even more invaluable, as it allows for the opportunity to practice stranding techniques, get acquainted with the mechanics of working with multiple strands of yarn, and test color combinations before committing to a larger project. You cant avoid them, but they need to be loose so they arent causing your fabric to pinch in. . You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. When you go from knitting one stitch in the MC to one in the CC, they dont sit as perfectly as they might if they were done in the same colour. When you knit colourwork, the stitches sit a little differently than in regular stockinette. Insert your right-hand needle into the next stitch, but dont wrap your working yarn around the needle yet. holding one strand in each hand is the easiest way to knit colorwork. I may seem biased in encouraging you to knit with wool, but seriously the natural barbs in wool fiber will cling together, helping the stitches to stay in place. Thank you so much! I am sort of figuring it out as I go but it is a little wonky. 9:47 am, Anna Buchholtz Most color work patterns use a light to medium weight wool yarn our Nature Spun Fingering, Nature Spun Sport, Lanaloft Sport, and Prairie Spun DK are ideal for color work projects. 9:04 am. I have a question, how loose should I knit when changing colors ? I like to knit stranded colourwork holding one yarn in each hand. But after a couple of hours of practice, everybody manages to get the hang of it. Or, you can be a lazy ass like me I just tie them to the next colour, trim them fairly short, and then hope that, with plenty of time and wear, theyll eventually felt themselves together into a nice, solid, woolly mess. get more info on choosing a colourwork sweater size here, Check out our tutorial on swatching for colourwork here, Week of Colour: Strategies for Designing a Palette, Applying Colour to Stranded Knitting Motifs, design your own Strange Brew colourwork yokes, like these ones, The Three Needle Bind-off: A Bind-off and Seaming Method, Blocking: how to finish your hand-knit hat, First, you knit a stitch (or several) in one colour lets call it the, Then you knit a stitch (or several) in another colour lets call it the.