87638 The Knitters Bible9

Knit Perfect

/ There is no need to make bobbins for each colour of yam. Just use the yam straight from the bali.

V Tum the work cłockwise at the end of a knlt row and anti-ck>ckwise at the end of a purl row.This action will prevent the yams becoming tangled.

y Always carry both yams to the beginning and end of the each row by catching the unused yam into the first and last stitch. If you don’t the fabric here will be thinner than where both yams are stranded across the back.

y As you work across the row. keep easing out the fabric to rts correct width on the needle. so the floats or weaving are not pulled too tightly.

Both yams in one hand

Hołd both yams together in the right hand. Have the working yam over the mdex finger, knit or purl the requined stitches then drop it and pick up the other colour on to the index finger.The predominant colour will always be picked up over the second colour and the second colour will always be picked up below the predominant colour This will ensure that the floats of the predominant colour will always be above those of the second colour.

One yam at a time

Drop one colour and pick up the new colour. making surę they dont become twisted and the floats are lying correctly.The predominant colour is always picked up over the second colour and the second colour is always picked up from below the other colour.

Weaving in

You must weave the floats in if they are stranded over five stitches or more.This is the same technique used to weave in ends in intarsia (see page 49). Refer to the diagrams and remember to weave the yam in loosely without pulling up the stitches.

C R E AT I V E OPTIONS

Using just two colours on each row does not limit the rangę of designs possible in traditional fair isle. This patch gives plenty of practise knitting with yam held in both hands.

Fair isle baby blanket is knitted in a worsted (DK) woot/cotton yam on s*ze 6 (4mm/UK8) needles. See page 141 for pattem.

the result:

FAIR ISLE KNITTING

The knitting should be smooth on the front with the yam floats lying neatly across the back with one colour afways above the other.

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