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Fair Isle Knitting ,also known as Stranded Knitting
Learning this technique can be daunting, but the end result is so beautiful, makes it worth the effort.
The most important thing about stranding is making sure that the “floats”are carried at the back of your work as neatly as possible.
If you carry the colors too closely together, the fabric will pucker; If they are carried too loosely, holes will form.
TIP:
When working two colors, Two Handed Stranding works well.
When using more than two colors, Wind colors on bobbins.
TWO- HANDED STRANDING
On the knit side, hold the working yarn(MC) in your right hand and the non working yarn(CC) in your left hand.
Bring the working yarn over top of non working yarn and knit the next stitch.
To work the contrasting color, bring the CC strand underneath the MC strand and create the next stitch.
Always cross the colors the same way, that is in this case, MC Strand over the CC, And the CC strand under the MC
STRANDING WITH MORE THAN TWO COLORS
Always carry the unused colors loosely along the wrong side.
If you have to strand over more than four stitches, twist the unused colors around the working color every third or forth stitch, to avoid long floats.
To avoid tangling the yarns, alternate stranding the non working colors over and under the working color.
Be consistant as to which color is moving under and over.
Here we are showing the wrong side, and the contrasting colors are moving under the main color.
Here, the main color is being stranded over the contrasting color.
When working on the right side,continue to move the main color over and the contrasting color under.
While stranding, make sure your stitches are spread out on the needle so your work does not pucker.
E. D. C r e a t i o n s - Charlottetown Prince Edward Island
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