During writing up the first of my animal patterns it’s been hard to know just how much detail to go into. I didn’t want the patterns to only cover the written knitting instructions with a few lines about assembling the toy almost as an afterthought. Instead I wanted them to include as much detail of the finishing process as possible because I think that is a hugely important part of making them. But there is a limit to what you can pack in to a pattern and so I thought I’d write up some extra notes here on the blog that can be referred to if needed. These extra posts will be categorised under ‘knitting tips’ and the first of these ‘knitting tips’ posts is about Fair Isle/stranded colourwork knitting.
Through chatting with knitting friends it seems that stranded knitting is generally thought to be quite difficult. It really isn’t though. It is a little bit fiddly and takes a little patience and practice to get right but it is perfectly achievable for anyone who can already knit and purl.
There are tons of instructions, diagrams and videos out there on the internet and plenty of books published on the subject and I’m not intending to cover every conceivable aspect of Fair Isle. Instead I’d like to write up notes on the way that I work stranded / Fair Isle and
some tips I’ve learnt along the way to iron out some of the difficulties that are commonly experienced. It is worth pointing out that I knit English style, with both colours in my right hand, so my notes below are written for that way of working. If you knit continental style with a colour in either hand then check out this video or try a search on You Tube as there are lots of other good ones.
Colour dominance:
When you knit a design with two colours you are constantly switching between them and it is really important to be consistent with the order in which you use them. By this I mean which yarn is stranded over the top of the other at the back of the work when it is not the colour being knitted with at the time. It is generally accepted that the yarn stranded beneath will be the more dominant colour in the design.
For example, the two samples below are knitted in the same colours and to the same pattern. The only difference is that in sample A the cream yarn is stranded below the red yarn and in sample B the red yarn is stranded below the cream.
Because of this difference I usually strand the accent colour below the main background colour (as in sample B above). You can choose either way but the most important thing is to be consistent if you want your finished piece to look neat and even.
There is a lovely post here about the perils of ignoring yarn dominance!
Catching up the yarn at the back of the work:
When there are gaps between sections of a pattern worked in the same colour the strands of un-worked yarn that travel across the back of the work are called floats.
It is generally suggested that floats should not strand across more than 7 stitches but my preference is for no more than 4 stitches. If I have to strand yarn across 5 or more stitches I always catch up my floats and usually in the centre of the span.
Lots of people only catch up their floats with a single wrap but I have found that my knitting looks much neater with a double catch up.
How to do double catch ups:
In this sample the darker pink is the main colour and the lighter pink is the accent colour.
Here I need to strand the accent yarn that I’m using for polka-dots across the back of 6 stitches of the main colour. Because it is the accent colour I am stranding it below the main colour (see above note on colour dominance). To catch up a long float first bring the accent colour from underneath the main colour.
Then work the next stitch with the main colour, so catching the un-worked accent yarn up with the loop between the stitches worked in the main colour. Then take the accent colour over the top of the main colour before working the next stitch, so catching the un-worked accent yarn a second time in a downwards direction.
At this point it is good practice to gently tighten the main colour stitch you’ve just worked as it can become a little loose with the extra yarn caught through it. It is important not to tighten the accent colour strand as this will cause the work to pucker and become uneven. Keep the strands of accent colour caught up at the back loose enough to stretch with the work.
Here’s how it looks from the back. You can see the floats of accent yarn are caught up each time by two loops of the main colour yarn.
This technique can be used on both a knit or purl row.
Other rules that I always apply to fair-isle/stranded colourwork
- Try not to catch up your floats in exactly the same place on consecutive rows as this can lead to banding on the front of the work.
- Always take any strands of un-worked colours right to the end of each row and catch them up on the edge by twisting them with the yarn currently being used. If you don’t do this you will end up with gaps in your knitting where the stranded yarn pulls at the fabric.
- If you are working sections of a pattern that don’t include one of the colours, run this un-worked colour up the side of the work by twisting it with the main colour at the end of rows rather than cutting and re-attaching it each time it is needed.
- If you are mattress seaming your piece try to sew through the strands of both yarns when they are both present on the same row rather than just the main colour as this will give a much neater and more robust seam.
- You can mix different brands of yarn but stick to the same weight category and yarn composition – for instance don’t use a 4ply cotton yarn with a 4ply wool yarn as they will have different stretching properties.
These notes are not intended as an exhaustive guide but just a mention of the techniques that I like to use. A search on google or You Tube will give you many more tips and techniques if you want to know more.
If you have an aspect of knitting that you’d like me to write about in more detail please let me know and I’ll do my best to help.
Thanks x
little cotton rabbits 
Thank you so much for this – it is extremely helpful, and very timely for me as I’ve just started to knit a Fair Isle hat for the first time!
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A wonderfully helpful post, just the thing
Clare x
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What a wonderful tutorial Julie ….. thank you.
I have started knitting your bunny girl, head done and looking like a very friendly girl, I am on her body at the moment and LOVING the top of her stripy tights, but in my head I have been having niggly little worries about the spotty dress, I am worried no longer. You are a wonder x
thank you
love jooles xxx
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Great post Julie, very helpful indeed!
Thanks for sharing. 🙂
V xxx
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Thank you for this Julie, it’s a very helpful aid to stranded work. Your Ravelry group has really taken off, good for you.
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I’m so glad you did this write up tutorial! I’ve dabbled a tidge in the stranded work but as usual, just dove in with no idea what I was doing. 🙂 This is so clear and the photos are wonderful so I can see exactly what you are showing us. Not to mention I love seeing photos of your thumb ring. 🙂 It endears me even more to you. 😀
xxx
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Julie: thank you so much for sharing the pattern. Can I ask how you make the “sleeve” for the bunny dress? It seems the dress pattern you included in the pattern is sleeveless. I also would like to know if you would share how you make bunny slippers? Love those stuff! You are wonderful!!!
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Hi Deb. I will share the pattern for the sleeved dress soon. It is more complicated so I decided to keep to the simple sleeveless dress pattern to start with. I plan to write up the dress pattern with the sleeve along with lots of charts for various different designs and an option for a lace edged dress but you will have to be patient with me – there is a lot vying for my attention at the moment 🙂
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Thanks Rachel. I started wearing it when Toby after Toby was born – for me the 3 strands stand for the 3 loves of my life: H, Amy and Toby
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Julie… No problem. I understand… it’s just all that excitement I have and wanting to learn and do more. I am in HEAVEN!! Will the bunny slippers be included, too?
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This is so helpful. I had never realised the significance of how the stranding is done. Who would think that something happening at the back could have that effect on the appearance of the work. A lightbulb moment for me! I can’t wait to try it our for myself.
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Julie, it is greatly appreciated that you have taken time from your busy day to display a tutorial of fair-isle instructions. I’m a self taught knitter and have been knitting for eight years and I still have a lot to learn. Information for your blog will help me a bunch. Thank YOU.
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Gosh, I wish I’d read this before starting my fair isle jumper…now I know why it’s uneven. Ugh, and I’ve done the whole yoke that way too! Thanks for all the detailed tips! xxx
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Oh Julie, thank you for a wonderful tutorial! I’ve always felt like my stranded work looks so sloppy – now I have some great tips to help me out!
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Thanks so much for this tutorial , so clear, so helpful. You talk about “blocking” in your patterns, any tips on this would be helpful. Thank you.
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Strands of life joined together. Love the post. I got the needles, I’m off into pattern following. Thank you Julie. The book is writing itself, chapters created one post at a time. X
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I want to thank you so much for taking your valuable time to create your patterns and now this wonderful tutorial! This is making me excited to try fair isle again. Thank you!!
Jill
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Fabulous tutorial – thank you for sharing. 🙂
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Thank you so much for this tutorial. I have never attempted fair isle before but certainly will now.
Your instructions are perfect, not sure my first attempt will be however!
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Thank you so much for taking the time and energy to write this up. Such helpful information, and I’m off to buy your patterns now. So excited you’ve decided to start offering them. Yay!
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Thank you so much for explaining this! I have done very little with color change so this will help so much!
I have both of your patterns and some yarn and I’ll be starting one of your little guys this weekend when I visit my mom, the queen of a million sizes of knitting needles! 🙂
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Thank you so much for the helpful information. Now I wish I lived closer so I could sign up for one of your knitting classes! 🙂 ❤
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Thank you so much for sharing these tips with us. I am learning so much from your patterns and blog. I am a beginner knitter so I though I would just make the clothes one color,but now I am going to try this. You are awesome,thank you.
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Hello Julie,
I wish I had the time to try and knit one of your lovely little rabbits…For the time being the museum is taking up all my time, but, who knows , maybe in the future 🙂
I just wanted to thank you for taking the trouble to make such a clear and easy to follow post ; I am sure it will be helful to everybody and more than one will find the courage to tackle this kind of knitting!
A big hug from Italy
barbara
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Hi Julie, Thank you so much for the very helpful, and easy to follow post on fair isle 🙂 I have always loved to knit this but was to scared to even start in case I made a mess of things, after reading your tutorial I will be able to go ahead and knit thanks to you. And thank you so much for the wonderful bunny patterns, I am so excited like many many more are,you have such a talent and for you to share your patterns is so much appreciated.. In your next animal patterns will you also make a boy and girl , I so look forward to the pig,elephant,fox etc 🙂 Wishing you and your family all the best x x x x
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Very helpful tutorial! Your patterns are detailed and easy to follow. I would love to see a tutorial on finishing techniques, such as sewing on the head and arms. The head is always the worst for me, anytime I make a stuffed toy.
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Hi Julie
Thank you for the tips on carrying the colour yarn.
My problem with knitting is seaming up the pieces. Your work is beautiful, hope you share some tips one day xx
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I love this – thank you thank you thank you! It’s so clear that I finally “got” it.
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Thank you! Paola – Italy
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Oh, fantastic. I cannot wait for these patterns. Cannot wait. Thank you so much for all the work you are putting into them – these knitting tips are priceless.
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Oh, fantastic. I cannot wait for these patterns. Cannot wait. Thank you so much for all the work you are putting into them – these knitting tips are priceless.
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Oh, fantastic. I cannot wait for these patterns. Cannot wait. Thank you so much for all the work you are putting into them – these knitting tips are priceless.
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Oh, fantastic. I cannot wait for these patterns. Cannot wait. Thank you so much for all the work you are putting into them – these knitting tips are priceless.
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Oh, fantastic. I cannot wait for these patterns. Cannot wait. Thank you so much for all the work you are putting into them – these knitting tips are priceless.
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Oh, fantastic. I cannot wait for these patterns. Cannot wait. Thank you so much for all the work you are putting into them – these knitting tips are priceless.
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Oh, fantastic. I cannot wait for these patterns. Cannot wait. Thank you so much for all the work you are putting into them – these knitting tips are priceless.
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Oh, fantastic. I cannot wait for these patterns. Cannot wait. Thank you so much for all the work you are putting into them – these knitting tips are priceless.
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Oh, fantastic. I cannot wait for these patterns. Cannot wait. Thank you so much for all the work you are putting into them – these knitting tips are priceless.
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Oh, fantastic. I cannot wait for these patterns. Cannot wait. Thank you so much for all the work you are putting into them – these knitting tips are priceless.
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Oh, fantastic. I cannot wait for these patterns. Cannot wait. Thank you so much for all the work you are putting into them – these knitting tips are priceless.
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Oh, fantastic. I cannot wait for these patterns. Cannot wait. Thank you so much for all the work you are putting into them – these knitting tips are priceless.
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Oh, fantastic. I cannot wait for these patterns. Cannot wait. Thank you so much for all the work you are putting into them – these knitting tips are priceless.
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Oh, fantastic. I cannot wait for these patterns. Cannot wait. Thank you so much for all the work you are putting into them – these knitting tips are priceless.
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Just bought both and so excited to be making them. Thanks Julie. Your own creations have always brought me a lot of viewing pleasure and I am so happy to be able to make some go myself. xx
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Just bought both and so excited to be making them. Thanks Julie. Your own creations have always brought me a lot of viewing pleasure and I am so happy to be able to make some go myself. xx
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Just bought both and so excited to be making them. Thanks Julie. Your own creations have always brought me a lot of viewing pleasure and I am so happy to be able to make some go myself. xx
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Just bought both and so excited to be making them. Thanks Julie. Your own creations have always brought me a lot of viewing pleasure and I am so happy to be able to make some go myself. xx
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Just bought both and so excited to be making them. Thanks Julie. Your own creations have always brought me a lot of viewing pleasure and I am so happy to be able to make some go myself. xx
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Just bought both and so excited to be making them. Thanks Julie. Your own creations have always brought me a lot of viewing pleasure and I am so happy to be able to make some go myself. xx
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Just bought both and so excited to be making them. Thanks Julie. Your own creations have always brought me a lot of viewing pleasure and I am so happy to be able to make some go myself. xx
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Just bought both and so excited to be making them. Thanks Julie. Your own creations have always brought me a lot of viewing pleasure and I am so happy to be able to make some go myself. xx
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Just bought both and so excited to be making them. Thanks Julie. Your own creations have always brought me a lot of viewing pleasure and I am so happy to be able to make some go myself. xx
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Just bought both and so excited to be making them. Thanks Julie. Your own creations have always brought me a lot of viewing pleasure and I am so happy to be able to make some go myself. xx
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Just bought both and so excited to be making them. Thanks Julie. Your own creations have always brought me a lot of viewing pleasure and I am so happy to be able to make some go myself. xx
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Just bought both and so excited to be making them. Thanks Julie. Your own creations have always brought me a lot of viewing pleasure and I am so happy to be able to make some go myself. xx
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Just bought both and so excited to be making them. Thanks Julie. Your own creations have always brought me a lot of viewing pleasure and I am so happy to be able to make some go myself. xx
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Just bought both and so excited to be making them. Thanks Julie. Your own creations have always brought me a lot of viewing pleasure and I am so happy to be able to make some go myself. xx
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Oh, fantastic. I cannot wait for these patterns. Cannot wait. Thank you so much for all the work you are putting into them – these knitting tips are priceless.
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Just bought both and so excited to be making them. Thanks Julie. Your own creations have always brought me a lot of viewing pleasure and I am so happy to be able to make some go myself. xx
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“the perils of ignoring yarn dominance!” I am sitting here with a bemused look – I can actually feel the bemusement at the corners of my mouth. Lately I am beset with worry about so many things, most of the global and out of my hands, some of them financial – a crisis, I think, of trust in life’s narrative. But I had overlooked this peril. And somehow, thinking about it puts the rest in perspective, somehow. I will have to pick up yarn and actually try to DO fair Isle before I begin to understand what is being said here. But what I DO understand quite clearly is the generosity and the work ethic behind the hands and the words that have been put down here on the page so that I WILL understand. Just like you – to put your heart into guiding, and I know how long it took to get all this down. Always a great gift, you give – and make no mistake, the gift is cherished. My favorite thing in all the pictures is your hands.
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I’m fascinated by fair isle and I certianly love to wear it. Actually knitting it may be a little way off for me but I will bookmark this, Julie and come back to it when I’m there. Thankyou xx
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You are a master and I thank you for sharing your craft! This is a most helpful post on stranding.
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I just finished a Dotty bunny, and just wanted to say how wonderful your pattern is Julie. I have such admiration for you and your creations and I’m so happy I now have my own Little Cotton Rabbit ! Can’t wait for the dress with the sleeves !
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Wow, this is wonderful. . .I’m a fairly new knitter and this wasn’t on my radar so I’m very glad you brought it up. Any tips you have on seaming would be well received as this is an area I struggle with, I’m never happy with how my work lines up and I can’t figure out how to make it ‘right’. Also, on your free stocking pattern I’ve not been able to figure out how to make my dots look consistently like ‘v’, sometimes they end up upside down, what am I doing wrong?
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You are the kindest person to take so much time to share even more of your knowledge with us. Many thanks for sharing and giving everyone who loves your little cotton lovelies so much fun. xx
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Wow!!! I am a very poor knitter but that tutorial made great sense and has given me an even greater respect for the ‘behind the scenes’ work of knitting.
I recently found a jumper that my Mum and I knitted together 30 years ago (Mum did the hard bit with the multi-colour stranding), when I was 21 and I have had the pleasure of passing it on to my 24 year old daughter.
Love your work 🙂
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Many many thanks for this, I have a few projects on the needles at the moment, but after that its your bunnies….in the meantime im deciding what colours to use, Alison
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Hi Julie, thank you so much for these knitting tips! Your patterns are excellent. I haven’t made a rabbit following your pattern yet, but I have used the clothes patterns that you kindly included tco make clothes for some knitted animals that I did before. I made them all one colour as I am too scared to try fair isle, but you have just convinced me to give it a try! I very much admire your work and cannot wait until I have a ‘little cotton rabbit’ of my own. The work that you have put into the patterns and the knitting tips is very much appreciated.
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How lovely. Your work is beautiful, so tiny and neat and a million miles away from what I could produce but I have just started a blog and vowed to stop lurking and saying thank you when I see or read something lovely – and your blog is lovely and I have lurked for months, so the sis just a note to say thanks…
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Catching up two floats — GENIUS! I’m applying that to the fair isle I’m working on now and it makes a world of difference. It looks much better, even though in this project the ends will be sewn shut and the floats can’t catch on anything. Thank you!
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Thank you so much Julie. I feel almost brave enough to have a go now! You do such a great job of explaining it all. I really do so appreciate you sharing your knowledge and tips. Many many thanks. Lou xx
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Hi Julie, Thanks so much for this. I just might be brave enough to have a go with your very clear instructions!
I really appreciate you sharing your vast knowledge with us and I know lots of other people feel the same.
Take care, Lou xx
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This brilliant thanks for he tips
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I think your knitting tips and instructions are brilliant and the patterns are so well documented and easy to follow BUT please please don’t stop telling us about the adventures of your family!! I love reading about your garden, your children and I am looking forward to seeing how the garden room for Toby is progressing.
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Thanks for great patterns and great tips ,love how detail your patterns are.
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That looks so beautiful – I’ve always loved (and admired) Fair Isle. I just need to learn to knit first.
Nina x
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Thank you so much. I just found your blog. You have the best header ever.
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Your timing is perfect, as I just took a short class in Fair Isle from a lovely, talented Scottish knitter on vaca here in North Carolina. Your tips are excellent additions to my first attempts and my new addiction … thanks!
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I am knitting your boy rabbit and I am loving it. Do you have any future plans on releasing the pattern for your other animals…. especially your elephant! I just live it! Hope you get this and hope for an awnser. Thanks!
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Oh my gosh! Thank you SO MUCH for this! I have been struggling with making my fair isle look nice until I found your instructions. I’ve put this on my bookmark bar and this is going to be my guide every time I do fair isle until I remember!
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When I had some downtime from work I taught myself how to do colorwork knitting, I think it was something I did about 10 years ago now. There were no teachers in my area, and so few books at the time so I put together a blog with a ton of links of tutorials from all over the internet. I’ll put a link to it here in case others might find it helpful and I’ll link back to your post here! http://fairisleknitting.blogspot.com/ (I just signed up for a class on Portugese style stranded knitting on Craftsy, and would you know it, I had forgotten I already owned the DVD!) I haven’t knitted in so long, just starting to get back into it again. Somehow the paper crafting bug took over my life. Now that its super cold I just want to warm up my hands with some nice warm, soft yarn!
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After downloading two of your patterns, a bunny girl and a selection of sweaters, I can only say one thing. You must have a beautiful mind.
Marian. xx
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Would you be able to make videos of your techniques ,it would be really interesting and easier to follow.
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I agree 🙂 xxx
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I have ordered my First pattern and can’t wait to get knitting as there are going to be 2 new babies in our family soon.How do you make the tails? Are they a pom pom? Do you make one of buy a small pom pom?
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Such lovely clear tips, thank you for sharing x
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I have made my first LCR using my PDF pattern. It’s not perfect but I’m learning and I so enjoyed the project. I would like to make the next one a bit bigger. I have decided to use chunky yarn for the body and DK for the clothes. (I’m going to purchase one of the seasonal dress patterns to try out). I have two questions: 1. What needle sizes do you recommend for the chunky and DK parts of the pattern. 2. I am not going to do the stripes for the pants and legs so can I just use the chunky yarn for these and the shoes? KATE DOWNS
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Hi Julie,
Could you do an update of this tutorial on how to catch floats on purl rows in Flat knitting? I’m having a harder time finding a good tutorial.
Thanks
Alicia
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Hello Julie,would you have a patter of a fair isle beanie on line.Your teaching of fair isle is excellent.I cannot seem to understand any of the videos. I get up.I can understand your written explanation of fair isle knitting. I am knitting your Christmas stockings at the moment.I would really like to knit a fair isle beanie for a relative. Thank you very much for all the time you take to teach us.Kindest Regards. Ann. Craig. New Zealand
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Hello Julie,can I knit the striped stockings withe bunny rabbit slippers. Thank you. Ann.
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