Cable Knit Scarf - how to make with 2 colors?

#1

Hello everyone,

I just signed up today, looks like a very nice forum:) I am a beginner knitter. I know only the basics - knit, purl, slip stitch, bind off, work with cable needle, decrease stitch, etc. - and so far I have made 3 cable knit scarfs…all in solid colors. But now I would like my next project to be unique!
I would like to make a cable knit scarf where the cables themselves are 1 color, and the ‘background’ is another color. So I would be using two yarns of different color.

Would anybody know how to achieve this effect? How do I carry the ‘cable’ color through as I work the stitches for the rest of the scarf? Does it require that I add the ‘cable’ color when I reach that area and then cut it off? I would see that as extremely tedious and time consuming, so I’m not sure what I should do.

I need a lot of help/instruction. I would love to get started on my project:) Can anyone assist me?

Many thanks in advance!
-AngCable:knitting:

#2

To do that you will need to do the intarsia technique. So you will be working with three “balls” of color (one for the cable and two for the color bracketing the cable).

Here are some pages showing the technique.

http://www.knitsimplemag.com/node/74
http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/advanced-techniques (scroll down)
http://www.purlbee.com/intarsia-knitting-tutorial/

Katrina

#3

Yup, I second what MysteryGyrl (Katrina) said!

Thanks for the great links! Very nice of you to do that research! :thumbsup:

#4

I think it sort of depends on what cable pattern you are using and the over all effect you are going for. I did thispillow border using
the fair isle/stranding technique where I carried the color not being used across the back. It would really depend on what type of cabling you are doing! :slight_smile:

Libbie

#5

Thank you everyone for your posts:)

Many thanks to you, Mystery_Gyrl, for the links that provide instruction for what I’m trying to achieve. I am doing a basic cable pattern, it is worked over 12 stitches. I’ve attached a photo of the first cable scarf I made last year…as it was in progress.

gargoylelib, your knitted pillow cover is amazing!

Saturday, shortly after posting my post, I started to try out a stitch pattern I’ve never done before, and now I’m making it into another scarf:) The stitch is called Small Diamond Brocade. I got it from the Vogue Stitchionary Book for knit and purl stitches. Here is what I have so far, and a closeup of the stitch pattern too.

Would any of you be able to recommend a good, easy to understand, and thorough, book for someone like me? I want to learn a lot of the techniques and such.

Many thanks again to all of you:)

#6

Yup,How to Knit by Debbie Bliss…well illustrated and pages of different stitch patterns…also, each technique she has a pattern to follow.so that’s my vote:cheering:

#7

Well, it depends on what you are looking for, if you want an all around knitting book you could borrow from your library (for a test run) or buy these books to name a few.

Knitter’s Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide to the Principles and Techniques of Handknitting by Montse Stanley

The Knitter’s Book of Finishing Techniques by Nancie M. Wiseman

Vogue Knitting: The Ultimate Knitting Book

and the ubiquitous Knitting Without Tears: Basic Techniques and Easy-to-Follow Directions for Garments to Fit All Sizes by Elizabeth Zimmerman

(I also like Jacqueline Fee’s The Sweater Workshop you get to work on a little windsock type thing while learning basic fitting methods)

and in those moments of crisis it is nice to have a book or two on how to help fix mistakes (which we never make, they are learning experiences :wink:):

The Knitting Answer Book: Solutions to Every Problem You’ll Ever Face … by Margaret Radcliffe

Knit Fix: Problem Solving for Knitters by Lisa Kartus

If you decide to buy any of these books you might want to purchase them at Amazon.com or http://www.knitpicks.com.
They tend to be cheaper than picking them up at a local B&N, Borders, etc.

Katrina

By the by have you seen these two cable scarves (http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter06/PATTelbac.html) from an older issue of Knitty. They are nice to wear since they are reversible.

#8

I love borrowing books from the library, and one of the libraries has How To Knit, so I put in a request. I will have to look up the other suggestions by Mystery_Gyrl too. Thanks so much!

The link for the reversible cable knit scarf was great! I bookmarked that page as well as the YarnMarket.com I see myself getting very carried away into knitting:)

Has anyone knitted with the ‘cashmere’ feel yarn made by Bernat? JoAnn Fabrics doesn’t sell it anymore…I wonder why.
Is there a yarn brand/style that any of you like in particular that washes up well after many washes? (Sorry to veer off the subject of my post)

#9

Well, personally I have (lately) worked alot with Plymouth Encore… 75 acrylic/25wool. I like the feel, (very soft) and works up very nice, however, this is a “worsted wgt” so I used this for chunkier looking projects (men’s stuff), and I have not washed anything yet…Patton’s is nice too (I found some at Michael’s Craft Store) :hug:

#10

I love Knit Picks Swish, it comes in dk, worsted, and bulky…

Another wonderful book is Elizabeth Zimmerman’s Knitting Workshop

She has a great DVD that you can get to go with the book. And she really helps you increase what you can to, working you through it all and the book, like all of hers is even FUN to read!