Thursday, February 10, 2011

Knitting: Two Colors, Same Row, Continental Method


As I promised a post on how to use two colors in the same row without making the backside look like the inside of a sweater. In the videos you will see me working a different project - same technique though so don't fret.


The photo above is the washcloth swatch I did showing the front side. Notice there are two types of red and white rows. One looks like heathering the other is like stripes. You can do it one way or the other through out your work. If you want the heather look, make sure you purl the opposite color into the stitch you are picking up. For stripes always use the same color. If you cast on an odd number of stitches and do stripes, the color you start with is the color you end with, you can alternate in the next two color row or keep it the same through out, that makes both edges of your work the same color, a nice look.



Practice this pattern on a washcloth sized swatch using cotton yarn - Sugar and Cream is a good choice. This is a good time to practice what the two colors worked as stripes or as rows looks like.


Pick up three solid colors, decide which will be a stripe all on its own "A" and which ones will make the two color rows "B" & "C".


Decide if you like the two colors to make stripes in their row or if you like the heathered row. Or like I said before, this could be a great place to practice.


Cast on 35 stitches with A


Rows 1& 2 K1 with A, rep. to end


Now you add both B & C,


Make a shortish tail 2-3 inches, hold both yarns as you usually do for a knit stitch and


Row 3 K1 with B, *K1 with C, K1 with B* rep. from to the end. As you work the two colors always move the just worked yarn to the front of the new working yarn just behind the needle. (See video below)



turn your work and prepare to purl. If you want stripes with your two colors always purl the stitch with the same color. If you want the colors heathered always purl the stitch with the opposite color.


Heather Row 4- P1 with C, *P1 with B, P1 with C* rep from* to the end.


Stripe Row 4 - P1 with B, *P1 with C, P1 with B* rep from* to the end.


Twinning the yarn like this does make it wind around itself, but when we purl stitch it goes backward and undoes itself. Knit winds it one way, purl winds it the other way.


On a washcloth sized piece it is no big deal, you knit the row with the two colors, turn your work, purl the next row with the two colors and out all the twinning comes!


When you do a bigger project like the afghan it is a lot of twinning up, to make it not so much and to help keep the twisted yarn out of my work way, half way through the first knitting with the two colors, stop and un wind the two working ends of the yarn. Then continue to the end, turn your work and begin the purl row with the two colors. Half way in the row all your twists will be un-twisted and you'll begin twisting the opposite way until your done with your purl row. But we'll talk about that again when we get to the whole afghan thing.


Rows 5 &6 K1 with A, rep. to end.


Okay, that will help you get started with your practice swatch dishcloth. I will post a Part Two when we're ready to get you started on that afghan.

1 comment:

  1. Hi Lanny, Good tutorials! It was fun to hear your voice..I suppose you don't have an accent! me neither:)

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