I've been knitting, for 50 years and have never done Fair Isle work. Just thought it was too complex, but, watching this video set me free! I might just give it a try. Does not look difficult at all. thanks!
Thank you! The 2nd method is such a time saver, as I knit all my Fair Isle and Icelandic patterns with yarn in both hands, so this works perfectly. I can't believe how much time I spent twisting one yarn around the other, which meant having to drop the yarns, do the twist, and then pick up the yarns again. I'm flying it now! Thanks again!
Extremely helpful for a senior knitter who is just returning to knitting in my retired years and trying to catch up on new techniques. This is a "jewel" for learning. Karen
This video has changed my life. It’s amazing. My fair isle knitting is so much faster, and much less awkward now. I taught myself to use both hands to hold the yarn when knitting fair isle, but had to do the cumbersome drop and twist to carry floats. Now I don’t anymore and MY LIFE HAS CHANGED. Thank you once again, Staci!
The second option where you pull the yarn in your left hand over the work and knit with the right hand is a lifesaver, or at least saved me an enormous amount of time. Thank you so much.
That IS awesome! Never having done any type color work before, I'm watching all the tutorials I can, to add to my arsenal of tools before I begin. Thanks for sharing!
SUPER helpful! I had done a fair isle hat ages ago and was told to twist for long floats. This way is so much easier and less hassle withput having to plop your yarns back and forth. Thank you!
This has to be one of the best tricks I’ve learned in a long time! This is helping me out immensely with the sweater I’m working on. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Oh that's so much better! I knit in combination, holding the wool in each hand so it doesn't get tangled. However, I was bringing the wool forward before inserting the hook to catch the float and it was disturbing the pattern slightly. I was trying to do it in places the colours would match but I was taking away from that nice neat stockinette stitch pattern having a float run in front on the right side for a single stitch. This is so helpful !!!! I’ve been loving learning to knit recently. I’ve crocheted for many years and made amigurumi. I thought knitting wouldn’t be too difficult after that but it is very different and has been quite challenging to transition. Thanks for the tips!!
OMG!!! Thank you so much for this video. I'm an adventurous novice knitter who is very new to FI knitting. Trying simple patterns, but the tangling was driving me bonkers. This technique helps. Just need to practice the steps so they are smoother.
This is awesome! Can you do a slow motion video of how you are holding your 2 working yarns in your right hand so that you can easily switch between them as you work without having to drop and pick up the working yarn constantly?
Thank you so much for this and so many of your videos! I’m starting a 2 colour pattern in fingering weight and for my gauge swatch I tried 3 different styles of catching floats. Your 2nd technique won Hands Down😅. The blocking showed holes where the floating yarn peeked through, but not on the rows where I did your 2nd technique. I have been so looking forward to knitting this pattern and your video definitely saved the day. Only my dear husband knows the sweat I go through…. You are the very best!!!
This was very helpful. Thank you for showing the technique of pulling the yarn forward and then pulling it back with each color in a separate hand. That was great! I had to slow the video down to watch closely, but it made complete sense to me! Thank you again!
This was so helpful! I was looking at a book that showed how to do this, but I didn’t understand. I went immediately to this video and I got it in seconds! I didn’t realize how easy this was. Now I will continue my color work pillow with my friend.
No way! I did my 1st ever fair isle pattern yesterday and instinctively held my yarns in both hands (English and continental at the same time) and carried my float over like you just showed! I must be a natural 😂
BRILLIANT as usual Staci- I watched this video and have been catching my floats for the first time in my life without ending up with a twisted ball of tangled yarn! Thank you!!!!
My grandma tight me to knit when I was 7. Just love your videos. They look like a very nice set to knit with. Thank you for sharing! Might be fun to try fair isle knitting for some thing new.
thank you so much for the video about how I can secure my floats. When they are loose they can be such a mess. I think this will also help me to keep my tension better. I loooove doing fair isle knitting. It is like watching a picture develop. I do the flicking method of knitting, but when doing fair isle I carry the yarn in both hands. Thanks a bunch
I learned the Continental method so I could fair isle that way, but I have yet to see that particular way to strand. I will definitely be trying that next fair isle project I have! Thank you!
Lovely. I just started fair isle and have never done continental knitting. But as my pattern is two colours im finding it quite easy to english knit my main colour and continental knit my second colour so that i never have to drop a strand to switch colours.
I have always done it this way (taught by my mother who was so expert...but it’s been long enough since doing any stranded color work that I needed a review! Thanks so very much!
I’ll have to give this a try. As a Continental Knitter I use both hands for stranded knitting. I’m not sure how I feel about the second color in my left hand but it’s worth a try! Thanks for sharing!
What a wonderful demonstration. I love knitting fairisle and this is going to make it easier now since the yarns won't tangle as much. Thanks again for a great video. 😉
I love and frequently knit fair isle and never knew this. My mind is blown and I am super excited to carry floats this way from here on out! How much simpler!
I saw someone else demonstrating the second technique but from a bad angle so even though I tried it didn’t work (I’m also a lefty so I was trying to mirror it too lol). This view from above is sooo much better and I can’t wait to try this technique now!
I am an English-style flicker but I knit stranded with my dominant color in my left hand and my background color in my right. There are techniques for catching floats with both colors that vary slightly but keep your hands on the work and keep it flowing very smoothly. The plus to doing it this way is that you never have to untangle your yarn!
Hi that is a great tip...i will definitely try. I do it the same way as you use to and always have to untangle my yarn too often. This way i hope i won’t get soo tangled 😁🧶
I like to comment on your knit companion video. It was very good for visually learning of knit companion. I hope you will be doing more video as you grow with knit companion. Be a visually it was very helpful. Thank you
Thanks for solving this -- what to me has been a -- mystery! I've been trying all kinds of things but couldn't figure this out. NOW, I can't figure out the reverse. I'm doing stranded knitting on a flat piece. So when knitting in one direction I need to carry the floats in the back, but going the other way, I need to carry the floats in the FRONT. I'm trying to do the "mirror" image of the technique you demonstrated, but it isn't working.
This is the way I carry floats, especially since as a continental knitter, I learned how to flick from you, Staci! So, I knit color strandedly pretty fast thanks to you. :) So, just one comment: The video shows the way to carry the non-dominant color under the dominant color, but it’s slightly different wrapping what around what if you want to keep the yarns in each hand without switching from one hand to the other to carry the dominant under the non-dominant. It’s just a little different as far as which you wrap around what. So, if you have a carry of say 8 blue stitches in the hat, you’d do it slightly differently if you want to keep the yarns in the same hands. Maybe this can be another video,and you can share a fun way to remember what you wrap/counter or clockwise, etc.
Hi love love your videos. When I need help or looking for something you always have a video on it. My question I just watched your video on carrying floats where you refer to your previous video on weaving in ends as you go. The second method in this video you do the same method as weaving in the ends but there is a difference and maybe it doesn't matter. In this video you bring the float in front then you finish your stitch and then you bring the floated yarn to the back but in the weaving in ends video you put your needle in then bring the yarn in front put your working yarn around your needle then you bring back the yarn from the front to the back and then you finish the stitch. My question is the end result the same? Thank you!
I'd love to see the difference in appearance from the front. Sometimes when I do the catch the carried colour sometimes shows through on the right side as a little dot of colour. Is this less likely to happen with this alternate method of colour carrying? I guess I'm asking what the benefit is of this method. Thanks for another super interesting video. :)
That happens sometimes if you always catch the float in the same place. It's less likely to happen if you, like she does here, catch the float on the third grey stitch instead of the fourth like she did last round.
Thank you! I am a English knitter but for color work I hold one color in each hand. I used to catch the floats the first way you show, but it was very messy, twisted the yarn, and slow, so I stop doing it. This is much faster. ONE problem: I like to have the main color in the right hand , and the contrast in the left. Depending on the chart, you may need to carry the float of the main yarn as well. I dont like to swithc colors, since it is confusing, but you can do it, just being more careful! Thank you!
I am currently working on my first stranded colorwork project, and since I'm strictly an English-style knitter, I had to find a way to keep my working yarn on top. I purchased two yarn bowls (plastic with rubber bottoms for grip) and placed them on a lazy susan. I set the whole thing on the floor and gave it a half turn counterclockwise with my foot to keep the working yarn on top :) Goofy, I know, but I got tired of taking my hand off my needles to turn the yarn. This way, I can keep going, and my yarn doesn't get all twisted up (except when I want it to 😀) Where there's a will, there's a way, I guess.
I still seem to get puckering with my fair isle and I swear I'm leaving the floats very loose. I'll have to see if this method can help. Thanks for bringing us these videos!
Thank you. I gave up on a Penelope (movie) scarf bc of that tension despite giving those floats a lot of slack. Can't wait to dig out that pattern and yarns now. ^_^
trying to knit a heart shape into my work with a different colour yarn .. and can’t seem to work out how to increase and decrease without creating a hole … do you have a video which shows how to do this ? thank you 🙏🏼
You suggest catching roughly every 5 st. What if you're working at a gauge of 30 st/4" where those same 5 st would make a shorter float than a 20 st/4" gauge. Can you twist every 7 or 8 st. instead?
You can do whatever you feel is enough, but I still catch every 5th stitch, regardless of the gauge. The thing to think about is how the knitted item is going to be used. If you are knitting fair isle mittens, you want to catch the float often, so that the wearer's fingers don't get caught. In a hat, it is maybe less important.
I am having a difficult time with tension and a float that goes the whole length of the piece while doing garter stitch, could you do a video? Too tight.
Perfect timing as I’m in the middle of making Julekuler Christmas ornaments. I’ve now just tried this method and it worked perfectly. Thank you so much. Staci I noticed you keep your two Yarns to the right. Is that just for demonstration purposes? Can you show how you keep them from getting twisted up? I do not use bobbins, just two balls of yarn. I knit English style. Thanks so much. 💕💖 Edit: I did watch your video Knitting help Fair Isle tricks ( I think that’s the name). Where you showed a bit of two hand English/continental. It was a bit fast so I didn’t quite catch on but I’ll give another go. Maybe if you have another. I get a bit twisted up and it’s a tad slow going. Thanks again.
So if I’m knitting with four or five colors and I need to catch all of those floats, can I catch all the colors in one float or how would I do that without making a mess?
I loved your "Weaving in ends as you go" video and have worked it into every project since (I do loads of stripes and colourwork, so this has been invaluable to me!). I have also used this method to attach a new yarn in the middle of a row - I knit the first 6 or so stitches as if I was weaving the start of the new yarn in as an end, then it gave me the perfect tension to start knitting with! You have taught me everything I know about knitting, you're my first port of call when I come across something new I'd like learn. Just as a small end note, have you done a video about making bobbles in knitting &/or substitutes to them? They were in a pattern I want to try, but the instructions weren't written very well. Thank you so much for all your help and hard work! Much good luck and brightest blessings for your future (from a fellow Ravenclaw, too) 💙💙💙
Just got fair isle patterns and some yarn from my daughter, so undertaking my first project. Your videos and instruction are so helpful! Want your hat pattern too. Just noticed this cider is 5yrs old. Do you still get the comments?
Yes, it's an active channel and I get all the comments. :) That hat pattern can be found here: verypink.com/2011/01/13/learn-to-knit-fair-isle-baby-or-adult-cap/
Hi, Staci. I am fairly new to stranded knitting but enjoy doing it. Today I went to my local yarn shop and discovered a handy gadget called a Yarn Guide by Clover. It slips on your index finger and holds several yarns and keeps them tidy. I love it but can't figure out how to carry floats with it. Are you familiar with it and could you do an instructional video? Thank you. You are always my go to site for knitting quandaries.
for colour work as I am not a Continental knitter. So seeing you here, I wonder how to solve the Problem of the yarns beeing twisted while knitting by throwing. Do you perhaps have you a solution for this ???
I catch the float in every stitch. The float scare me as I'm clumsy and I'm sure my work would be ruined through normal use. It does stiffen the work ALOT. There is no stretch horizontally but there is still vertical stretch.
I learned a method similar to this from an article in Interweave Knits, Spring 2014, by Daniela Nii "Holding Yarn for Stranded Colorwork" In this method you leave the long float, making sure it's not taut and finish the round. On the next round, when you get to the point where you want to trap the float, Put the needle into the stitch, scoop up the float from the round below and knit the stitch and the float together, trapping the float. It hardly slows you down, is really easy and it keeps the yarns from getting twisted.
Serious question I would like to know if you have the answer to: why not trap every stitch? Is it just to save time? Wouldn't it look better on the back to trap all of the stitches? Thank you, Danielle Sample
PS I just tho't of a suggestion for new video: If it's possible please make video for Fair Isle knitting with MAGIC LOOP, so that you show specifically how to carry floats over from one needle to other when at end of row where pull out one needle around to knit on other needle...is this possible? (I've gotten so used to ML don't want to knit in round anymore, haha)
I love your videos! I’m self taught through TH-cam and your videos are a go-to for me! Thank you for sharing your skills with all of us! I have a question I hope you or someone out there can answer- I’m starting my first colorwork project and I don’t quite get how to switch from one color to the next when holding one color in each hand. When I use one hand for both colors it’s easy to twist the two yarns to switch colors, but it’s slow and messy (drop color A, twist with color B, pick up and knit with color B etc). I’d rather knit holding each color in a different hand but when I do that I get the hole that occurs when you don’t twist the yarn one over the other... how do you do it so seamlessly without having to drop the yarn to twist it and then pick it back up again?
If you have a longer float (many stitches), you do have to drop the yarns to catch or twist them. Otherwise, it's just practice, and finding how it is most comfortable in your hands.
VeryPink Knits, Thank you! Actually, that was very helpful. I know now I just need to practice and keep at it. It’s comforting to know I’m doing it right, just need to keep at it. I don’t want to learn incorrectly and then have to unlearn bad habits. I’m working on a free yarnspirations pattern for a cute googly-eyed baby hat in the shape of an owl head for a baby shower (actually I’m making three of them for 3 babies... interesting how pregnancies tend to come in threes) and the googly eyes section has varying floats of up to ten stitches at a time. It’s not looking too bad so far, so I’ll just keep on clickin’ on!
I use both hands; one knitting English and one Continental. There is a way to catch floats both ways. No twisting and yarns stay in position. Catching from Continental is a little more complicated but doable.
That is the way I was taught to handle floats. But I was overly ambitious & tried 1 color in each hand right away - my 1st fair isle pattern - it was a disaster. I pulled the work in too much.
so how would you recommend adapting this for continental? or does it absolutely have to be held in the left hand? could you hold both in the left hand and just carry forward the yarn you want to float?
I have a pattern that says "knit stitch, purl on wrong side and keep colorwork floats on the right side of the work" Curious to find out how to actually achieve this? Seems like all the tutorials are for floats on the wrong side of the work. Would appreciate any tips!
I've been knitting, for 50 years and have never done Fair Isle work. Just thought it was too complex, but, watching this video set me free! I might just give it a try. Does not look difficult at all. thanks!
Did you? End up trying Fair Isle?
@@SilenceYesify Sadly, no... not yet. I guess during these times I want totally simple in front of the tv!
@@psdumas You can do it! Maybe try a swatch, just to prove it to yourself? Good luck :)
@@c0ldcity thankyou!!
You are the best knitting teacher on the Internet. I have been teaching a younger person and I always send her here for help. Thank you!
Awesome! Love your videos! I’ve been knitting since I was 8 years old and still learning ! I’m now 79! Thanks for always sharing your help!
Thank you! The 2nd method is such a time saver, as I knit all my Fair Isle and Icelandic patterns with yarn in both hands, so this works perfectly. I can't believe how much time I spent twisting one yarn around the other, which meant having to drop the yarns, do the twist, and then pick up the yarns again. I'm flying it now! Thanks again!
Extremely helpful for a senior knitter who is just returning to knitting in my retired years and trying to catch up on new techniques. This is a "jewel" for learning. Karen
This video has changed my life. It’s amazing. My fair isle knitting is so much faster, and much less awkward now. I taught myself to use both hands to hold the yarn when knitting fair isle, but had to do the cumbersome drop and twist to carry floats. Now I don’t anymore and MY LIFE HAS CHANGED. Thank you once again, Staci!
The second option where you pull the yarn in your left hand over the work and knit with the right hand is a lifesaver, or at least saved me an enormous amount of time. Thank you so much.
That IS awesome! Never having done any type color work before, I'm watching all the tutorials I can, to add to my arsenal of tools before I begin. Thanks for sharing!
SUPER helpful! I had done a fair isle hat ages ago and was told to twist for long floats. This way is so much easier and less hassle withput having to plop your yarns back and forth. Thank you!
I often refer to your videos when I need a refresher or a hand with something new... Clear and informative thank you
This has to be one of the best tricks I’ve learned in a long time! This is helping me out immensely with the sweater I’m working on. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Portuguese knitter here! Loved this vídeo.Thank you! I follow your channel for years now, and it's a reference for me.
You made it sooooo easy. Still on my knitting journey snd I'm doing my first CW. Thank you do much!
Oh that's so much better! I knit in combination, holding the wool in each hand so it doesn't get tangled. However, I was bringing the wool forward before inserting the hook to catch the float and it was disturbing the pattern slightly. I was trying to do it in places the colours would match but I was taking away from that nice neat stockinette stitch pattern having a float run in front on the right side for a single stitch. This is so helpful !!!! I’ve been loving learning to knit recently. I’ve crocheted for many years and made amigurumi. I thought knitting wouldn’t be too difficult after that but it is very different and has been quite challenging to transition. Thanks for the tips!!
OMG!!! Thank you so much for this video. I'm an adventurous novice knitter who is very new to FI knitting. Trying simple patterns, but the tangling was driving me bonkers. This technique helps. Just need to practice the steps so they are smoother.
Ugh, the mystery is finally solved! Thank you so much for this, I can now enjoy doing fair isle patterns!
It is so GREAT you appreciate a comment idea and then share it!! So thank you and to the one who shared with you.
This is awesome! Can you do a slow motion video of how you are holding your 2 working yarns in your right hand so that you can easily switch between them as you work without having to drop and pick up the working yarn constantly?
I watched 5 other videos and could not get it to work. First try after watching yours, and I'm carrying my colors like a boss. Thank you.
Thank you so much for this and so many of your videos! I’m starting a 2 colour pattern in fingering weight and for my gauge swatch I tried 3 different styles of catching floats. Your 2nd technique won Hands Down😅. The blocking showed holes where the floating yarn peeked through, but not on the rows where I did your 2nd technique. I have been so looking forward to knitting this pattern and your video definitely saved the day. Only my dear husband knows the sweat I go through…. You are the very best!!!
Thank you. I have done the snowflake to try fair isle knitting it came out perfect.
And we students appreciate your videos and podcasts! Thanks Staci! 😍
This was very helpful. Thank you for showing the technique of pulling the yarn forward and then pulling it back with each color in a separate hand. That was great! I had to slow the video down to watch closely, but it made complete sense to me! Thank you again!
I love your tutorials. You have made me such an accomplished knitter. You're the best!
Thanks for sharing! My tension was always off with fair isle, but I think just watching how you do the floats will improve it tremendously!
This was so helpful! I was looking at a book that showed how to do this, but I didn’t understand. I went immediately to this video and I got it in seconds! I didn’t realize how easy this was. Now I will continue my color work pillow with my friend.
No way! I did my 1st ever fair isle pattern yesterday and instinctively held my yarns in both hands (English and continental at the same time) and carried my float over like you just showed! I must be a natural 😂
BRILLIANT as usual Staci- I watched this video and have been catching my floats for the first time in my life without ending up with a twisted ball of tangled yarn! Thank you!!!!
I'm just starting with Fair Isle and I thank you for this video. Can't wait to give each method a try.
My grandma tight me to knit when I was 7. Just love your videos. They look like a very nice set to knit with. Thank you for sharing! Might be fun to try fair isle knitting for some thing new.
Yay! Now I will try Fair Isle with confidence! Love your videos!
thank you so much for the video about how I can secure my floats. When they are loose they can be such a mess. I think this will also help me to keep my tension better. I loooove doing fair isle knitting. It is like watching a picture develop. I do the flicking method of knitting, but when doing fair isle I carry the yarn in both hands. Thanks a bunch
I learned the Continental method so I could fair isle that way, but I have yet to see that particular way to strand. I will definitely be trying that next fair isle project I have! Thank you!
Lovely. I just started fair isle and have never done continental knitting. But as my pattern is two colours im finding it quite easy to english knit my main colour and continental knit my second colour so that i never have to drop a strand to switch colours.
I have always done it this way (taught by my mother who was so expert...but it’s been long enough since doing any stranded color work that I needed a review! Thanks so very much!
I love watching you knit! You have such a smooth snappy way if throwing that yarn, it is great!
Thank you for your tutorials, so informative.
I’ll have to give this a try. As a Continental Knitter I use both hands for stranded knitting. I’m not sure how I feel about the second color in my left hand but it’s worth a try! Thanks for sharing!
Thea Stewart o
What a wonderful demonstration. I love knitting fairisle and this is going to make it easier now since the yarns won't tangle as much. Thanks again for a great video. 😉
Thank you I am so excited to see that you can Do fair isle knitting English style .
Just brilliant 😁 thank you so much made knitting those stranded mittens so much easier. Xx
I love and frequently knit fair isle and never knew this. My mind is blown and I am super excited to carry floats this way from here on out! How much simpler!
I hear the clicking! This technique is cool. I will try this when I do my first fair isle project. I’m not sure I can do it.
I saw someone else demonstrating the second technique but from a bad angle so even though I tried it didn’t work (I’m also a lefty so I was trying to mirror it too lol). This view from above is sooo much better and I can’t wait to try this technique now!
this is great thank you …. what about when you’re knitting purl and the yarn is at the front ?
I am an English-style flicker but I knit stranded with my dominant color in my left hand and my background color in my right. There are techniques for catching floats with both colors that vary slightly but keep your hands on the work and keep it flowing very smoothly. The plus to doing it this way is that you never have to untangle your yarn!
I really love your tutorials!! I have learned so much! I have a pillow to try and make with this technique, I can't wait to get started. Thank you!!
Thank you so much!! I’ve learned so much from you - you’re a great teacher.
Hi that is a great tip...i will definitely try. I do it the same way as you use to and always have to untangle my yarn too often. This way i hope i won’t get soo tangled 😁🧶
Honestly that was a game changer for me! Thank you!
You do such a beautiful work , thank you for sharing with all of us and for the tutorial ! 😊💗
I like to comment on your knit companion video. It was very good for visually learning of knit companion. I hope you will be doing more video as you grow with knit companion. Be a visually it was very helpful. Thank you
Thanks for solving this -- what to me has been a -- mystery! I've been trying all kinds of things but couldn't figure this out. NOW, I can't figure out the reverse. I'm doing stranded knitting on a flat piece. So when knitting in one direction I need to carry the floats in the back, but going the other way, I need to carry the floats in the FRONT. I'm trying to do the "mirror" image of the technique you demonstrated, but it isn't working.
Very helpful thanks, do find that your blue yarn coming from over the white and white over blue, makes your stitches sit flat?
This is the way I carry floats, especially since as a continental knitter, I learned how to flick from you, Staci! So, I knit color strandedly pretty fast thanks to you. :) So, just one comment: The video shows the way to carry the non-dominant color under the dominant color, but it’s slightly different wrapping what around what if you want to keep the yarns in each hand without switching from one hand to the other to carry the dominant under the non-dominant. It’s just a little different as far as which you wrap around what. So, if you have a carry of say 8 blue stitches in the hat, you’d do it slightly differently if you want to keep the yarns in the same hands. Maybe this can be another video,and you can share a fun way to remember what you wrap/counter or clockwise, etc.
I was wondering this too. She shows 1 colour only, so I’m kinda even more confused if that’s possible lol
Hi love love your videos. When I need help or looking for something you always have a video on it. My question I just watched your video on carrying floats where you refer to your previous video on weaving in ends as you go. The second method in this video you do the same method as weaving in the ends but there is a difference and maybe it doesn't matter. In this video you bring the float in front then you finish your stitch and then you bring the floated yarn to the back but in the weaving in ends video you put your needle in then bring the yarn in front put your working yarn around your needle then you bring back the yarn from the front to the back and then you finish the stitch. My question is the end result the same? Thank you!
I'd love to see the difference in appearance from the front. Sometimes when I do the catch the carried colour sometimes shows through on the right side as a little dot of colour. Is this less likely to happen with this alternate method of colour carrying? I guess I'm asking what the benefit is of this method. Thanks for another super interesting video. :)
That happens sometimes if you always catch the float in the same place. It's less likely to happen if you, like she does here, catch the float on the third grey stitch instead of the fourth like she did last round.
You always have the very best instruction. Thank you!
this was great thank you. i am too uncordinated. Is it ok to just twist the yarn like you showed in the beginning to carry the yarn?
Thank you! I am a English knitter but for color work I hold one color in each hand. I used to catch the floats the first way you show, but it was very messy, twisted the yarn, and slow, so I stop doing it. This is much faster. ONE problem: I like to have the main color in the right hand , and the contrast in the left. Depending on the chart, you may need to carry the float of the main yarn as well. I dont like to swithc colors, since it is confusing, but you can do it, just being more careful! Thank you!
This is so useful! I've practiced and it works! Thank you so much 🙏
I am currently working on my first stranded colorwork project, and since I'm strictly an English-style knitter, I had to find a way to keep my working yarn on top. I purchased two yarn bowls (plastic with rubber bottoms for grip) and placed them on a lazy susan. I set the whole thing on the floor and gave it a half turn counterclockwise with my foot to keep the working yarn on top :) Goofy, I know, but I got tired of taking my hand off my needles to turn the yarn. This way, I can keep going, and my yarn doesn't get all twisted up (except when I want it to 😀) Where there's a will, there's a way, I guess.
I still seem to get puckering with my fair isle and I swear I'm leaving the floats very loose. I'll have to see if this method can help. Thanks for bringing us these videos!
Vanessa LaFleur Did it help? I have the same problem. I’m trying a knit inside out method.
Thank you. I gave up on a Penelope (movie) scarf bc of that tension despite giving those floats a lot of slack. Can't wait to dig out that pattern and yarns now. ^_^
trying to knit a heart shape into my work with a different colour yarn .. and can’t seem to work out how to increase and decrease without creating a hole … do you have a video which shows how to do this ? thank you 🙏🏼
I think I’ll try fair isle now because this makes sense! Thanks!
Do you have a video showing how to do this on the purl side or with more than two strands?
Just found this video and it’s great. Thanks a million!
Saludos. Tengo las extensiones de esa marca. Vivo en Guatemala y no hay de esas agujas. Como puedo hacer para obtenerlas?
Can you suggest what would be the best number of floats to carry in the back of a piece with two colors BUT not working in the round?
You suggest catching roughly every 5 st. What if you're working at a gauge of 30 st/4" where those same 5 st would make a shorter float than a 20 st/4" gauge. Can you twist every 7 or 8 st. instead?
You can do whatever you feel is enough, but I still catch every 5th stitch, regardless of the gauge. The thing to think about is how the knitted item is going to be used. If you are knitting fair isle mittens, you want to catch the float often, so that the wearer's fingers don't get caught. In a hat, it is maybe less important.
I am having a difficult time with tension and a float that goes the whole length of the piece while doing garter stitch, could you do a video? Too tight.
Perfect timing as I’m in the middle of making Julekuler Christmas ornaments. I’ve now just tried this method and it worked perfectly. Thank you so much.
Staci I noticed you keep your two Yarns to the right. Is that just for demonstration purposes? Can you show how you keep them from getting twisted up?
I do not use bobbins, just two balls of yarn. I knit English style. Thanks so much. 💕💖
Edit: I did watch your video Knitting help Fair Isle tricks ( I think that’s the name). Where you showed a bit of two hand English/continental. It was a bit fast so I didn’t quite catch on but I’ll give another go. Maybe if you have another. I get a bit twisted up and it’s a tad slow going. Thanks again.
Could you please do a video on what you do when you're doing a magic loop hat and carry yarn across the needles?
That's a good idea - thank you for the suggestion!
Is there any way of carrying the yarn like in crochet - the yarn is completely in between the stitches and hidden on the back?
So if I’m knitting with four or five colors and I need to catch all of those floats, can I catch all the colors in one float or how would I do that without making a mess?
I have done the second version also for purling in fair Isle.
I loved your "Weaving in ends as you go" video and have worked it into every project since (I do loads of stripes and colourwork, so this has been invaluable to me!). I have also used this method to attach a new yarn in the middle of a row - I knit the first 6 or so stitches as if I was weaving the start of the new yarn in as an end, then it gave me the perfect tension to start knitting with!
You have taught me everything I know about knitting, you're my first port of call when I come across something new I'd like learn. Just as a small end note, have you done a video about making bobbles in knitting &/or substitutes to them? They were in a pattern I want to try, but the instructions weren't written very well.
Thank you so much for all your help and hard work! Much good luck and brightest blessings for your future (from a fellow Ravenclaw, too) 💙💙💙
I don't have a video on bobbles, it's a good idea! Thank you!
@@verypinkknits th-cam.com/video/5o47kLkqXLU/w-d-xo.html
Just got fair isle patterns and some yarn from my daughter, so undertaking my first project. Your videos and instruction are so helpful! Want your hat pattern too. Just noticed this cider is 5yrs old. Do you still get the comments?
Yes, it's an active channel and I get all the comments. :) That hat pattern can be found here: verypink.com/2011/01/13/learn-to-knit-fair-isle-baby-or-adult-cap/
Hi, Staci. I am fairly new to stranded knitting but enjoy doing it. Today I went to my local yarn shop and discovered a handy gadget called a Yarn Guide by Clover. It slips on your index finger and holds several yarns and keeps them tidy. I love it but can't figure out how to carry floats with it. Are you familiar with it and could you do an instructional video? Thank you. You are always my go to site for knitting quandaries.
I do something like your first wrap except every other time I wrap the other direction so I'm not getting the yarns tangled.
Love this! Thank you! Your videos taught me how to knit!
Does the colourwork stretch the same as the one colour knitting?
Thank you Staci. Just in time. About to start my very first fair isle project (Arne and Carlos' Christmas balls)
Yes I also come to you to learn what I need explained. Now I need to know how I hold the yarn
for colour work as I am not a Continental knitter. So seeing you here, I wonder how to solve the Problem of the yarns beeing twisted while knitting by throwing. Do you perhaps have you a solution for this ???
Amiga tendras los patrones de los dibujos que puedas comprtir por favor
I catch the float in every stitch. The float scare me as I'm clumsy and I'm sure my work would be ruined through normal use. It does stiffen the work ALOT. There is no stretch horizontally but there is still vertical stretch.
Mine has no stretch, I'm a beginner and decided to use 2 colours
I learned a method similar to this from an article in Interweave Knits, Spring 2014, by Daniela Nii "Holding Yarn for Stranded Colorwork" In this method you leave the long float, making sure it's not taut and finish the round. On the next round, when you get to the point where you want to trap the float, Put the needle into the stitch, scoop up the float from the round below and knit the stitch and the float together, trapping the float. It hardly slows you down, is really easy and it keeps the yarns from getting twisted.
Patricia Phythian screenshotted your comment, sounds like a great method! Thanks you for sharing
Serious question I would like to know if you have the answer to: why not trap every stitch? Is it just to save time? Wouldn't it look better on the back to trap all of the stitches? Thank you, Danielle Sample
PS I just tho't of a suggestion for new video: If it's possible please make video for Fair Isle knitting with MAGIC LOOP, so that you show specifically how to carry floats over from one needle to other when at end of row where pull out one needle around to knit on other needle...is this possible? (I've gotten so used to ML don't want to knit in round anymore, haha)
I love your videos! I’m self taught through TH-cam and your videos are a go-to for me! Thank you for sharing your skills with all of us!
I have a question I hope you or someone out there can answer- I’m starting my first colorwork project and I don’t quite get how to switch from one color to the next when holding one color in each hand. When I use one hand for both colors it’s easy to twist the two yarns to switch colors, but it’s slow and messy (drop color A, twist with color B, pick up and knit with color B etc). I’d rather knit holding each color in a different hand but when I do that I get the hole that occurs when you don’t twist the yarn one over the other... how do you do it so seamlessly without having to drop the yarn to twist it and then pick it back up again?
I can see that you’re able to do it in the video, but it’s so fast I can’t see how.
If you have a longer float (many stitches), you do have to drop the yarns to catch or twist them. Otherwise, it's just practice, and finding how it is most comfortable in your hands.
VeryPink Knits, Thank you! Actually, that was very helpful. I know now I just need to practice and keep at it. It’s comforting to know I’m doing it right, just need to keep at it. I don’t want to learn incorrectly and then have to unlearn bad habits. I’m working on a free yarnspirations pattern for a cute googly-eyed baby hat in the shape of an owl head for a baby shower (actually I’m making three of them for 3 babies... interesting how pregnancies tend to come in threes) and the googly eyes section has varying floats of up to ten stitches at a time. It’s not looking too bad so far, so I’ll just keep on clickin’ on!
How do you carry/catch long floats Portuguese technique?
I use both hands; one knitting English and one Continental. There is a way to catch floats both ways. No twisting and yarns stay in position. Catching from Continental is a little more complicated but doable.
That is the way I was taught to handle floats. But I was overly ambitious & tried 1 color in each hand right away - my 1st fair isle pattern - it was a disaster. I pulled the work in too much.
so how would you recommend adapting this for continental? or does it absolutely have to be held in the left hand? could you hold both in the left hand and just carry forward the yarn you want to float?
The technique is the same, regardless of which hand you use to hold the working yarn.
Can’t wait to try this trick!
Would you please make a video for * no stitch * in patterns. Thanks
I explain "no stitch" in this video, decreasing in a charted pattern: th-cam.com/video/8n88rzwEpsk/w-d-xo.html
Can you do it continental? Main color on the left and color B on the right.
I'm a beginning knitter. Doing my first sweater. "Easy". But it just says "change colour"!! Thanks for helping my first project come together!
I have a pattern that says "knit stitch, purl on wrong side and keep colorwork floats on the right side of the work"
Curious to find out how to actually achieve this? Seems like all the tutorials are for floats on the wrong side of the work. Would appreciate any tips!
I can't be sure of what the designer means by that. Please contact the designer directly for support.
I'd love to see a ladderback jacquard float video some day ;)