Carrying yarn up the side

#1

Some time ago I asked about this and someone gave me wonderful advice about an easy way to end colors and knit the ends in, but I know there is some way to carry your yarn up the side of your work if you have lots of frequently repeating stripes. I have tried and tried to figure out how to do this, but it seems like I miss the yarn more than I catch it in as I turn it.
I am making a sweater with eight colors of horizontal stripes that repeat every row to every fifth row, and it seems like that makes the ‘seam allowance’ bulky if I (attempt to) carry the yarns up the side.
So I am also making a purse with five colors of stripes because I must love misery…
Anyone have an answer to this??
Thankyou! Debby

#2

The only way I know is to twist the yarns when you turn your work. I snug up the carried yarn but not tightly.

#3

Carrying yarns up the side WILL bulk up that edge. If you’re tugging on the carry it may also cause it to shorten. You can help that by consciously keeping a loose twist or wrapping the yarn around your ndl once to afford some slack. Short of cutting and restarting each time, the addition of those carries will make the edges diff. Once seamed the diff shouldn’t be that noticable.

cam

#4

Thankyou! Twisting is a really good idea! Can you suggest a method for ensuring I get that silly yarn enclosed in the turning stitch? And would it be different for a purl or knit stitch? I definitely appreciate your suggestion! I’m a self-taught knitter and tend to ‘challenge’ myself by trying something harder each time. I don’t think this should be such a challenge, though! You’d think catching that yarn would be easy.

Thanks again!

#5

Thankyou for your very useful advice! I knew I could count on this site to help me! What does ‘diff’ mean? :teehee: Sorry I don’t know that one!
I was also wondering if I would cast on an extra stitch on each end if I could use that as the ‘seam allowance’ and enclose the carried yarn up that extra stitch. Does that even make sense?
Thankyou again for your advice!

#6

Diff=different/difference.

The carried st will always be on the edge. The only reason I’d add a selvage st is if the color carry was visibly impacting your st pattern. On something like a gingham check a sel st allows for the pattern to start clean and the sel st is used for the seam. If you’re starting your pattern and doing the color carry with the first st you may be losing part of the st pattern into the seam. The sel st won’t nec ‘enclose’ the st but it’ll allow you one add’l st in which to do the twist.

HTH,
cam