How To Change Yarn Colors When Knitting

Twist-and-Weave Color Alter

A technique to add in a new color without leaving holes or knots in your piece of work.

When starting a new color, virtually techniques leave yous with loose stitches either side of the color change. These not but look ugly just also expand as you piece of work them on the adjacent row, which can be unnerving especially if the tail looks similar information technology might escape completely from the sew below. You could stop knitting later a few stitches and necktie a knot with the yarn tails, simply that stops the flow of knitting, and the knots sometimes work their way through to the front.

If you bring together many new colors in i area, equally you might with intarsia, it can be difficult to make them neater even when you sew in the ends. I take previously institute myself shuffling yarn back towards the join through many stitches to become them to a consequent size.

To avoid all these bug, the bring together I use is a "twist-and-weave", first shown to me in a workshop taught by Jane Crowfoot. The new and erstwhile colors are twisted together and the join is made more than robust by weaving the tail of the new colour into the next sew.

Ugly drop and leave color changes, pretty twist and weave

It's not just for new colors

I use this join almost every fourth dimension I change to a new yarn. For fair-island/stranded knitting it sets you upwards to continue weaving ends in neatly across the outset few stitches of the row. For stripes and intarsia, it keeps the integrity of the cloth as you're working, meaning y'all're not dealing with the loose stitches. Depending on whether the back of my work volition be visible, I often use this method even if I need to join in a new skein of yarn of the same colour. It takes a lot less endeavor than a moisture splice or a Russian or braided bring together (as not bad equally these methods are!)

It takes a footling practice to become the hang of it, but I recall it's worth it. I've non seen it elsewhere since the workshop where I first learnt it (though I'1000 certain it's out there somewhere) and I think information technology deserves to be more widely known!

The technique

The technique differs depending on whether you're knitting or purling and whether you're working in the Throwing/English/American knitting manner or the Picking/Continental style.

Not sure which knitting style you lot use? Generally, if you concur the yarn in your right mitt and take the yarn forward and effectually the needle to form the stitch, you are "throwing". If you hold the yarn in your left manus and collect yarn for the stitch by moving the correct manus needle around the yarn, you are "picking".

Knit stitch, throwing style
Purl run up, throwing style
Knit run up, picking style
Purl stitch, picking style

Alternatively there are two videos: 1 for knitters who concord the yarn in their right hand, and another for those who agree it in their left paw.

Knit stitch, throwing way

1. Work the terminal stitch in the one-time colour and insert the needle into the next stitch. Drop the quondam color to the far side (purl side) of your work.

2. Lay the tail end of the new color betwixt the needle tips, property the tail with the left hand (I clamp it betwixt my first and second fingers).

3. Bring the old yarn color from the far side of the piece of work, over the elevation of the new yarn.

4. Hold the old yarn color firmly with your left thumb, then that y'all have some tension confronting the new color as you choice up the working end ready to knit.

5. Movement the working yarn around the tip of the needle to knit the stitch. Proceed agree of the tail...

6. ...so that it isn't picked upwards by the needle and incorporated into the sew together.

7. Go on concord of the tail equally you work the 2d sew, and permit the working yarn to grab it against the cloth between the two stitches. Pull gently on the ii ends of yarn at the bring together to neaten.

Purl stitch, throwing style

1. Work the final stitch in the quondam color and insert the needle into the adjacent stitch. Drop the old colour to the far side (knit side) of your piece of work.

2. Lay the tail cease of the new color between the needle tips, holding onto the tail with the left paw (I clamp information technology between my showtime and second fingers).

3. Bring the old color from the far side of the piece of work, over the height of the new color, and hold information technology firm with your left thumb.

4. Purl the sew with the working cease of yarn, making sure that the tail terminate is held out of the way...

5. ...so that it isn't picked upward past the needle and incorporated into the stitch.

6. Keep the tail finish of yarn down equally yous work the second stitch, and allow the working yarn to catch it confronting the fabric between the two stitches. Pull gently on the ii ends of yarn at the join to brand it neater and firmer.

vii. Front of the work, with a groovy color change.

Knit stitch, picking style

1. Work the final stitch in the old color and insert the needle into the side by side sew together. Drop the former color to the far side (purl side) of your piece of work.

2. Pick up the tail end of the new color in your right hand and lay the yarn between the ii needle tips. Hold the working end of yarn in your usual fashion.

3. Keeping the tail of the new color in place with your left thumb, bring the one-time color from the far side of the work over the top of the new colour. Agree both in place with the left thumb.

4. Hold the working end of the new yarn above and to the left of the right hand needle, then motility the tail end over then down and around that needle tip. Keep hold of the tail with your right mitt.

v. Motility the working end of yarn over (left to right) and around the right mitt needle every bit if to knit, but instead of forming the stitch...

6 ...bring the tail end of yarn back over the needle (left to right)...

7. ...bringing the working end of yarn with it, which will class the new sew together.

viii. End knitting the stitch in the usual way (i.e. button the worked sew together off the left needle).

ix. Knit the following run up and then neaten the bring together by gently pulling both ends of yarn.

ten. Neat stitches from the front.

Purl stitch, picking manner

one. Work the final stitch in the old color and insert the needle into the next stitch. Drop the quondam colour to the far side (knit side) of your work.

2. Pick up the tail end of the new color in your right hand and lay the yarn between the needle tips. Agree the working cease of the yarn in your usual way.

3. Keeping the tail of the new color in place with your left thumb, bring the quondam color dorsum over the top of the new colour. Hold both in place with the left thumb.

4. Shift the working finish of yarn to the left of the correct needle tip, then motility the tail cease under that needle (left to right). Keep hold of the tail.

v. Move the working end of yarn around the needle equally if to purl, but instead of forming the stitch...

vi. ...pull the tail end of yarn back downwards and around the needle...

...which brings the working yarn circular, ready to go the next stitch.

Consummate the purl run up in the normal manner by pushing the worked run up off the needle, while notwithstanding property the tail out of the style.

Purl the post-obit stitch and so gently pull both yarns at the join to tidy the stitches.

Neat stitches from the front.

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