Knitting with more than one yarn

[lant...@mi.net]

Hello!
I just found this newsgroup and would appreciate some assistance. I have
recently returned to knitting after the birth of my daughter. I would
like to knit her a sweater that requires carrying yarn across five
stitches throughout the entire sweater as well as a pattern in the
center front. I just finished one that had a small amount of pattern and
it isn't too bad. I sure hope that there is an easier way of doing this
as it is pretty slow going so far ( dropping the main color and picking
up the other each time ). I have knit many things for myself in the past
but this is a first for me. Can anyone help?

Please don't e mail me as this is a borrowed account. I'll check back
later. Thanks in advance for any help.

Sue

[Kirsten Salmon]

In article <31A732...@mi.net>, lant...@mi.net wrote:

> Hello!
> I just found this newsgroup and would appreciate some assistance. I have

[snip]

I'm a little unclear on exactly what your pattern requires,
but yes, there is an easier way to knit with two colours
than constantly dropping one and picking up the other.
Look at a book on Fairisle knitting for this - you can probably
find one in your local library. Alice Starmore is very popular,
I understand, maybe look for one of her books.

Basically, what you do is hold two strands at once, one in each hand.
I normally knit continental, where you are always holding both needles
and the wool is held in the left hand (if you're right-handed), wrapped
around the index finger like if you're crocheting - again, look
for a book for this. When working with two colours, then, you
add the second colour to your right hand, and work it as in
Canadian/English knitting. For me, because I haven't perfected
that little wrap that the experts do with the right index finger,
I do then have to drop the right needle when I use the second
colour, but I don't have to drop the first colour.

This method also makes it easier to wrap the colour you're carrying
across the back into the work, so you don't end up with these long
threads that constantly get caught on fingers, rings, watches, glasses,
etc....

Hope that helped a little. Check out a library, it's probably your
best resource.

Kirsten Salmon
London, Ontario

[Robin Panza]

In article <ksalmon-2605...@ts5-10.slip.uwo.ca>, ksa...@bosshog.arts.uwo.ca (Kirsten Salmon) writes:
> In article <31A732...@mi.net>, lant...@mi.net wrote:
>
>> Hello!
>> I just found this newsgroup and would appreciate some assistance. I have
> [snip]
>
>

> Basically, what you do is hold two strands at once, one in each hand.

What I do (but then, I'm weird when it comes to knitting) is hold both colors
in the same hand, but over two different fingers. Especially if one color is
dominant, I put it over my pointer (first finger) and the secondary color over
my second finger. I find that takes less coordination (a scarce commodity for
me) than 2-handed. I just had such trouble getting the needle properly wrapped
when the yarn was coming from the "wrong" direction.

You might try both versions, and see which feels better for you.

Robin P. pan...@clp2.clpgh.org
[a dyslexic southpaw that knits more-or-less right-handed]

[Heather Smyth]

On 29 May 1996, Robin Panza wrote:

> > In article <31A732...@mi.net>, lant...@mi.net wrote:
> >
> >> Hello!
> >> I just found this newsgroup and would appreciate some assistance. I have
> > [snip]
> >
> >
> > Basically, what you do is hold two strands at once, one in each hand.
>
> What I do (but then, I'm weird when it comes to knitting) is hold both colors
> in the same hand, but over two different fingers. Especially if one color is

> [snip]

And I thought I was the only one who knit in this "weird" way!
I find that holding both colours in one hand, with the main
colour on my first finger aids in controlling my tension, as
well as ensuring that I don't accidentaly leave a hole in my
work because I forgot to pass the second colour of yarn under
the first strand. (Hope that makes sense).

If I happen to be knitting with three colours, I follow the
above method, but have *both* colour 2 and 3 wrapped over
my second finger.

Heather S
(a self-taught knitter, and inveterate yarn collector!)

[Droido]

Heather Smyth wrote:
>
> On 29 May 1996, Robin Panza wrote:
>
> > > In article <31A732...@mi.net>, lant...@mi.net wrote:
> > >
> > >> Hello!
> > >> I just found this newsgroup and would appreciate some assistance. I have
> > > [snip]
> > >
> > >
> > > Basically, what you do is hold two strands at once, one in each hand.
> >
> > What I do (but then, I'm weird when it comes to knitting) is hold both colors
> > in the same hand, but over two different fingers. Especially if one color is
> > [snip]
>
> And I thought I was the only one who knit in this "weird" way!
> I find that holding both colours in one hand, with the main

> colour on my first finger aids in controlling my tension, as[snip]

>
> Heather S
> (a self-taught knitter, and inveterate yarn collector!)

Hmm, and here I was carrying 2 and three colors ALL ON THE SAME FINGER!!! Silly me. Actually,
though, a very experienced knitter in our local group pointed out that by holding the 2nd color in
the opposite hand, it's easier to weave the yarn in back every few stitches, without letting go of
the work. So you don't have to carry over 5 stitches and worry about puckering, or twist the yarn
and wind up tangling your 2 skeins, etc.

Andrea, taught by a friend who knits nothing like I do!

[Brenda and Larry Clough]

I'm self taught too, and I let all the colors, however many there are,
hang down in back. A lot of picking up and putting down, not very
efficient -- but I seem to knit very fast anyway.

Brenda