combatting tight colorwork - Paper Tiger If you dont, its a good bet that youll pull the non-working yarn a little too tight, causing puckering problems. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. An inelastic fabric will not stretch to allow your heel to passthrough or pull in to gently hug your leg. Some patterns, such as the Ajiro Scarf, require that the non-working yarn is carried farther7 stitches in this case (see chart at right). You can see where the working yarns meet the needles: The biggestthing to remember is to be patient with yourself! Managing long floats in Fair Isle knitting | Interweave Happy Monday, everyone! 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. After steaming, the scarf is so cozy and warm! Make a swatch topractice spacing your stitches on the needle until youve had somesuccess and know how much space is too much. The reason for this is that the outer circumference of a tube is larger than the inner circumference perhaps not by much, but with the thickness of colorwork fabric, youd be surprised and turning your work inside out positions the floats on the outside of the tube (i.e. Let's talk about STRANDED COLORWORK | Knitting Q&A | PAPER TIGER Magic Loop Colorwork Knitting Help - Carrying Fair Isle Floats Skeindeer Knits Ep. After youve worked a few inches of the stranded colorworkareas on your sock (either on the leg, if working cuff-down,or on the foot for toe-up socks), its time to measure. User account menu. Colourwork Knitting: An Introduction - tin can knits It's one of our favorite yarns for year-round, Spring officially lands next week, and you know what that means it's the season for, Winter begins to feel interminable around this time of year. According to designer Courtney Kelley, This scarf was inspired by a picture in Handschuhe, a vintage knitting book from Germany by Eva Maria Leszner. Use your best judgment and go with what youre comfortable with! making sure no floats are longer than 1 or something similar). Required fields are marked *. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. You can always try going up a needle size, as well many people need to adjust needle size between stockinette sections and colorwork sections when using the same yarn. Unknown Colorwork and fairisle knitting offer a range of beautiful, unique patterns. It is fun to knit and easy once you get the hang of it. As a result, there are no limitations as to how many stitches a given color block can be wide (a common problem with stranded knitting). Sue Blacker on Woollen vs Worsted mill spinning, how the knitter is holding/carrying the yarns, how much space the knitter leaves between stitches, whether the knitter is working on DPNs or circular needles. I share two methods: 1.) I tried holding one color on each hand, but my tension is awful that way. A long float would be considered more than 5 stitches in a row of one color before changing. Privacy Policy. My blue floating yarn is trapped on either side of the 6th stitch. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Theres a big difference between a knitted bag youll sew a lining into and a pair of mittens or socks. Make it a point to check the gaugeespecially on thecolorwork portionsthroughout yourproject, andmakeadjustmentsif you find yourself getting tighter. Longer stretches with more than one float tends to make the floats tight, but it's easy enough to pull a little. The most important thing is to consider what kind of item youre knitting, and whos going to be wearing/using it. You can read aboutcolor dominance here.). These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. So what do I do? Yarn choice. The colorwork pattern for the Ajio scarf calls for a 7-stitch float. 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. How often to catch floats when working colorwork comesdown to personal preference. How to keep yarn from tangling with stranded colorwork? CraftyGarden: N. 62 Condor's Croft and Garden 22K views 3. Knit.fm episode 6: More Yarn[podcast] Archived post. I hope it helps you or at least entertains you. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. You initially catch the floating yarn by changing its position as you knit, then you go back and make the floats ladder up themselves, in a technique that is somewhat similar in look to the ladderback jacquard technique used in commercial knitting. This is also part of why steeking is so common in these places - sticky wools are unlikely to unravel when the stitches are cut. The charcoal grey isthe working yarnfor that length, while the light blue yarn is being carried across the back (the floating yarn). Not following a pattern, just my rough one I made. How often to catch floats when working colorwork comes down to personal preference. Oneof the questions I get most often from students or knitters working from my patterns is how to trap floats in stranded colorwork. We'll also talk about how to apply this method to all your colorwork projects. Improve Your Stranded Knitting | Interweave Every knitter is different, so while some people knit tighter on wooden needles, others knit tighter on metal needles. How to keep yarn from tangling with stranded colorwork? Stranded colorwork gets its name from these strands of yarn, commonly called floats, that travel through the back of the work. A tightergauge means a tighter sockone that wont fit. Needle type and needle material. It maysoundprecise at first, but when you think about it, gauge makes this an incredibly imprecise way to go about it. Also, if you need to catch floats in a bunch of rows dont catch in the same place every row. Youll be better able to adjust your tension as you go along, and youll catch things that need fixing without having to work backwards too far. Your email address will not be published. But knitting colorwork can be a challenge. (If youre on a budget, dont forget you can alwayscheck your local library for books. If youve tried this out and you still think your colorwork is coming out too tight, roll up your sleeves and get ready to try a few different methods, keeping in mind that some things may work for you and some may not; theres a lot of trial and error in knitting! Lately I've been on a colourwork-knitting kick, and thought I'd share my favorite methods for catching floats. Catching Floats As You Go - YouTube Tension will be easiest to tackle if you choose a pattern that doesnt require long floats. We just don't get along. It just takes about 1/2 hr to let it sink in and then TaaaDaaa!". The bottom swatch will definitely block out to the 8 circumference Im aiming for, but the top swatch will likely be too small. Making mistakes in any technique is inevitable, because were all human! Wool will naturally relax into a smooth, even surface after blocking to improve any tight or loose spots in your knitting. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Enjoy! stranded knitting without floats? : r/knitting - Reddit I really love this scarf. Once you have gone over all the puckered fabric in this manner, repeat from the start - until the floats have stretched sufficiently. In reality, there are a few different methods, but Ill be demonstrating what I think is the most common below. The color changes in Fair Isle are close together. With this weather were all having, doesnt this scarf sound tempting? All Rights Reserved. The guidance suggested catching the floats (the stitches youre carrying of one colour behind the colour youre working with) every [], [] After that I got to start on the yoke and the colourwork. Required fields are marked *. Then move on to the section beside it. These are just my preferred methods. Copyright2023Golden Peak Media. The standard double knitting technique with two colors also creates no floats on the backside. I've tried twisting the yarn less often too. So, dont let the fear of making mistakes stop you from trying a new technique. Lisas List: 10 Reasons Knitting Is Better Than Dating, Spurned Gifts: When Knit & Crochet Gifts Went Wrong. There are other ways to trap floats, but in my experience, this is the most common (and its a pretty simple way to trap floats as youre working, so theres less finishing after the fact). These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. If you find that your sock is still too tight, another trick isto add more stitches, especially to the leg portion. "Floats" are the yarn that's carried behind the stitches across a row. It is an in-depth tutorial perfect for anyone who has no experience knitting colorwork and would like to learn how. The Knitting Man's Tiny Shorts, How to knit stranded colorwork NO FLOATS METHOD - in just 3 minutes - colourwork fairisle techniques tutorial Teaching and g. Contains spam, fake content or potential malware, https://www.interweave.com/store/vintage-modern-knits-ebook, How to Sew Crochet Motifs to Your Clothes, 5 Things That Made Our Yarn-y Hearts Happy at Yarn Fest Loveland 2023, Floral Beaded Jewelry Patterns for Mothers Day, Unique Ways to Have Quality Yarn-Time with Mom. I don't want to have long strands of floats inside the hat, nor do I want it to be too tight. Strandless colorwork eliminates so many of the headaches that some knitters experience with traditional methods. If youre having trouble with tight colorwork you may want to try working with a different type of yarn or wool than youve used before to see if that makes a difference. Someday I may get to this, but as of now Ive never really purled colorwork (beyond a small swatch with short floats). trapping long floats in stranded colorwork. *Membership cannot be purchased with Gift Cards. Because Im a continental knitter and I carry both yarns in my left hand, that series of photos is first, but if you scroll down youll also find a series of photos demonstrating the same technique in the two-handed method, with one yarn carried in each hand. Tutorial: How to Catch Colourwork Floats - YouTube It may sound crazy, but many folks solve the tight colorwork issue by working their colorwork tubes inside out! Please allow a few minutes for this process to complete. Im going to queue it up today and start looking through my stash for appropriate yarn (or I may just have to spring for the luscious Fibre Company Road to China Light thats used in the book!). Crafty Confessions: Do You Make a Gauge Swatch? Personally, I dont like this approach. Please confirm you want to block this member. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Please note: UFO to WIP: Can This Crochet or Knitting Project Be Saved? Try out some of these techniques in the evening with a glass of wine or whatever else relaxes you. If youmustuse a general rule, going by length in inches or cm is a better way to go (e.g. Overly loose stranding and a bigger gauge are preferableto short floats and tight knitting. Thegreatest benefit of working this way is you cant inadvertently cutthe corner between needles. Knitting In the Round 3 Ways: DPNs, Two Circulars, or Magic Loop? Fair Isle knitting, also known as stranded colorwork knitting, is a technique for working two (or more) colors of yarn in the same row. The only Marie Wallin garment Ive knit, I adapted to be knit in the round and I steeked the armholes and front neck. 3. I am doing two mittens at a time on magic loop and each of the four balls of yarn is placed in it's own ziplock bag to keep them all apart but after every line, I find myself having to untangle them, which makes for very tedious, cumbersome knitting. Posted by 3 years ago. Knitting on an Airplane and Other Travel Tips for Makers, Why You Shouldn't Buy a Knitter Yarn as a Gift. In this example, the dominant color, carried in my left hand, is the contrasting color (blue), while the background color, carried in my right hand, is the main color (charcoal). Socks fit our legs and feet through a combination of shapingand negative ease. This tutorial shows you how to knit colorwork. With practice, youllfind the right balance. This is also part of why steeking is so common in these places sticky wools are unlikely to unravel when the stitches are cut. Now my tension is perfect every time! Knit.fm episode 1: Gauge[podcast] For more information, please see our Enjoy! and it also allows you to evenly space out your stitches. Copyright2023Golden Peak Media. I am starting my second color work project. The basketweave pattern is reminiscent of fishing nets, so I chose blue and natural colors to accentuate the ideas of sea and shore. 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. This method is great for Continental and Combined knitters who tension the yarn by holding it with the left hand, and use the needles to "pick" the working yarn and draw it through the stitch. Although you also dont want loose, wobblystitches, remember that even if some stitches look large when youfirst try it, youll be able to wear the socks. Intro to Stranded Colorwork // Technique Tuesday Tutorials Catching / Trapping Floats Invisibly. A pattern likePine Bough Cowlis worked in a tube and then grafted together, so the floats on the inside of the tube will never be exposed one its finished theres really nothing they can get caught on. You want to have the right side facing you at all times rather than messing with purling on the wrong side. Cutting the corner pulls the floatshorter than the span of the stitches it should relax against on thebackside. Please note: You dont want to snarl your toes in floats when youput on your socks. And remember to alternate where you catchyour floatscatching them in the same place every round willmake a noticeable blip of color going up your sock (Photos 5 and 6 above). Weve got some handy tips on making this dream a reality. 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. Omit them, of course! If you happen to know both styles of knitting (I do know both because I learned to knit English-style and then converted to Continental-style), work one strand in your right hand to throw and one strand in your left hand to pick. Please allow a few minutes for this process to complete. The pattern can have a million different colors included, but only two are used within a single row. free download when you sign up for our newsletter! The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. After knitting this stitch, I have 7 stitches of my 21-stitch span knit. This gives you a chance to check your floats are they too long? 4. These cookies do not store any personal information. 22:34 Jessica McDonald 3.6K. And you can see these steps in action here: trapping long floats carrying both yarns in your left handfromDiannaonVimeo. Firstly:what is a float, and why would I need to trap it? Some wools are grabby or sticky and some are much smoother (the method used to spin the yarn also affects this worsted spunyarns are much smoother thanwoolen spunyarns). But because sticky wools are more likely to stay in place and the yarn is less likely to slide smoothly past other strands, the finished fabric is generally less elastic than it would be with smooth wools (and it can be tricky for colorwork beginners to achieve smooth results without puckering). New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. wood, metal, plastic) andneedle type(e.g. This post took a little bit longer to put together than I wanted, but its finally ready to go! Omit them, of course! Its possible to trap those long floats as youre weaving in ends after the fact (and if there isnt a long end to weave in where you need to trap a float, you can take a spare bit of leftover yarn and just weave it into the wrong side of the fabric as if it were an end, trapping the floats as you go). *Membership cannot be purchased with Gift Cards or PayPal. For me, lifes too short to purl in colorwork! the larger circumference). 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. Next: choose a natural, non-superwash wool yarn. Carrying yarn. This tutorial video demonstrate. This action will also remove this member from your connections and send a report to the site admin. . Knitting on an Airplane and Other Travel Tips for Makers, Why You Shouldn't Buy a Knitter Yarn as a Gift. Don. Now that weve covered when its a good idea to trap floats how do we actually do it? With two hands, color work is both addictive and soothing. The duplicate-stitch weaving closely mimics the pathof the yarn and will stretch almost the same amount as the originalstitches. Colorwork without stranded floats? 5: My stranded knitting history Easy Trick. Fair Isle/Stranded Knitting Tutorial - The Spruce Crafts Thanks! If you finish knitting something and onlythenrealize that you should have trapped the long floats dont worry! Knitting Colorwork Inside Out | Technique Tuesday - YouTube I get this question a lot, and its a tricky one to answer. Three-Color Stranded Knitting - YouTube For more information, please see our Archived. [] used Dianna Wallas tutorials for dominant strands and trapping floats. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. (Wondering what the dominant yarn is? Learn to keep perfect colorwork tension - every time, Learn how to adapt any pattern to use the strandless method, Learn how to read charts with strandless knitting in mind, Start with the basics and practice as you learn, Take your skills to the next level with progressive lessons that make it easy to apply what you learn, Practice right along with me as we knit a strandless project together - step by step, Learn from the comfort of home - on your favorite device, Your lessons never expire - you'll have ongoing access to the workshop if you need a refresher. CARRYING YARNS WITH THE TWO-HANDED METHOD. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Floats can get in the way in the finished project because they can snag and, they can mess with the tension of the knit stitches around them. If you havent tried more than one method, you may not have found your perfect match yet! When you join a new ball of yarn, just weave it in for 1 1/2 to 2 inches using the tacking technique. Ive made it pretty clear to the knitting world that when it comes to colorwork, floats and I are incompatible. Since different colors of yarn are used throughout thepatterned areas of socks (sometimes for only one round! Although these tricks may sound intimidating, strandedcolorwork isreally funto knitand the results are incrediblyrewarding. How to knit colorwork - YouTube I have always loved the look of all those traditional colorwork sweaters but they can take so much time and worried that in the end all that effort would be wasted because of my tension. Kelley Hobart from Alpaca Direct shares tips for knitting colorwork inside out to see if it improves the tension of your floats + new Free Giveaways! Next, measure the circumference of your knitting while stretchingit out as much as possible. Knitting Colorwork and Color Dominance Theory explained