|
Work in a new ball
of yarn or another colour at the beginning
of a row, if possible. With a new ball
of yarn, the ends of both the old and
the new yarn can then be darned neatly
into the edge of the back of the work.
When working with additional colours,
the yarn can either be broken off and
darned in, or carried up the side of
the work until it is needed again.
When knitting with
more than one colour, you will find
it necessary to adopt various techniques
to keep the back of the work neat and
to prevent holes appearing. There are
three basic methods of working: stranding,
weaving and crossing. Stranding and
weaving yarns produces a thicker fabric.
To prevent the different
yarns getting tangled when weaving or
stranding, the strands must be caught
up in the back of the work, but it must
be done in such a way that they do not
interfere with the pattern or produce
undesired effects such as tightening
tension.
Winding bobbins
To help keep different
yarns separate when working complicated
colour patterns, wind manageable lengths
onto bobbins, yarn holders or spools.
Replenish as necessary. Or, keep yarns
in individual plastic bags secured at
the "neck" with an elastic
band.
Adding yarn at the
beginning of a row
 |
|
|
1
Insert your right hand needle
through the first stitch on your
left hand needle and wrap the
old yarn, and then the new yarn
over it. Knit (or purl) the stitch
using both yarns. |
|
2
Leaving the old yarn at the back,
knit (or purl) the next two stitches
using the double length of the
new yarn. |
| |
|
|
|
|
3
Discard the short end of the yarn
and continue to knit as usual.
On the following row, threat the
three double stitches as single
stitches.
|
Adding yarn in the
middle of a row
 |
|
|
1
Insert your right hand needle
through the first stitch on your
left hand needle. Wrap the new
yarn over, and knit (or purl)
the stitch with the new yarn.
Leave the old yarn at the back
of the work. |
|
2
Knit (or purl) the next two stitches
using the double length of the
new yarn. |
|
 |
|
3 Discard the
short end of the new yarn and
continue to knit as usual. On
the following row, treat the two
double stitches as single stitches.
|
Stranding Yarn
Use this method for
working narrow stripes, small repeats
of colour such as Fair Isle, and other
patterns requiring only two colours
in a row. Strand yarn over a maximum
of five stitches only.
 |
|
|
In
a knit row
With both yarns at the back of
the work, knit the required number
of stitches with yarn A (in this
case two), and then drop it to
the back. Pick up yarn B and knit
the required number of stitches
and then drop it to the back.
Both yarns should be stranded
loosely along the back of the
work. |
|
In
a purl row
With both yarns at the front of
the work, purl the required number
of stitches with yarn A (in this
case two), and then drop it. Pick
up yarn B and purl the required
number of stitches and then drop
it. Both yarns should be stranded
loosely along the front (side
facing you). |
Stitch
Gauge |
Casting
On |
Casting
Off |
Holding
the needle & yarn |
Basic Stitches
|
Increasing
Stitches |
Decreasing
Stitches |
Cables
|
Knitting
in the Round |
Working
with More Than One Yarn Colour
|
Button
Holes |
Edges
|
Seams
|
Finishing
Techniques |
Abbreviations
|
