Knitting with Multiple Colors

Is there any way to knit using multiple colors without having to have one side pearled and the other side knit stitch? I would like to do multiple color switch-offs but would like the entire garment to be in a knit stitch. The only way I see how to do is is to keep bringing the yarn over each row … back and forth … but won’t that leave gaps between where the old color starts and the new one begins if I do it that way? My knitting book only seems to indicate you can do it one way … keep all the joining yarn on one side and pearl the other side so you at least have one side that doesn’t look like the back of a document, and then you cross yarns where they switch colors to keep the work from looking like it has gaps in it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated … before I spend too much more time with it and then have to rip it all out to do it the way I want to.

I should elaborate … what I’m trying to do is a placemat with a border around it … so I have one color for the edge of the border … then another color as the main color … and then the last color for the other edge of the border. So the completed placemat will in effect have a frame of a different color around it.

What are you trying to make? Is it a design so you are doing intarsia or are you working the colors across as in fair isle? Is it stripes? The more information we have the easier we can help you.

The pattern is not in stripes … that would be easier. I will end up with a rectangle that will have a border (frame) which is a different color from the center (which will be all one color). There will be no fancy design in the center. I am using two colors only - one for the border and one for the center of the rectangle. It would be much easier for me to crochet the border around the edge of the garment once I finish, but I would like the whole garment to be knitted.

Yes, you’ll be doing intarsia (check out the vid).

[COLOR=“Red”]XXXXXXXXXXXXXX[/COLOR]
[COLOR=“Red”]XXX[/COLOR][COLOR=“Blue”]VVVVVVVV[/COLOR][COLOR=“Red”]XXX[/COLOR]
[COLOR=“Red”]XXX[/COLOR][COLOR=“Blue”]VVVVVVVV[/COLOR][COLOR=“Red”]XXX[/COLOR]
[COLOR=“Red”]XXXXXXXXXXXXXX[/COLOR]

You’ll knit with the border color, then when you get to the body work the right border, then the interior portion, and have another skein for the left border. Doesn’t matter what st patt you do so long as you wrap the colors where they meet so there aren’t holes.

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You’ve got the design right and I have done the bottom part of the border (which is all knit stitch - and nice and thick like I like it (I’m using miniscule sized needles-and my fingers are not happy about it … sigh) … and started on the sides and went across … but when I have to turn it and go back the other way, when I get to where the color changes, I’m going to have to bring the yarn over from the other side to continue knitting. Won’t that cause some kind of gap in the work because the change of colors won’t be tied together some way?

I’m going to have to bring the yarn over from the other side to continue knitting. Won’t that cause some kind of gap in the work because the change of colors won’t be tied together some way?

You have to look at the Intarsia vid. As already mentioned, the left and right borders will be worked with a separate skein. You won’t be carrying the color over by weaving or stranding. Once you wrap the old/new color at the changes you’ll prevent a gap/hole.

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I’m not able to see the Intarsa vid. Is it a video I’m supposed to be looking at? All I see is your XXX pattern.

Click on the [B]VIEW VID[/B] tab, go to Advanced and scroll down to section about working with two colors at one time. There’s vid for Intarsia.

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Okay … I saw the video. She is doing what I’m doing … purl on one side and knit on the other side … I want to do it where it is knit on both sides. She doesn’t show how to do it when both sides of the garment are knitted … and as far as bringing the yarn over from one side of the garment to the other side.

You can work in garter. (There are rugs and blankets, with colored borders, colored blocks, done in intarsia that are garter.) You’ll still need to wrap the old/new yarns at the color change. Just make sure to mark which side you’ll do your wraps on (making that your WS).

You’ll work the border in color A, twist it with color B to work the middle, twist the B with another skein of A to work the border on the opposite end. Very basic.

Check out this blog re: garter intarsia.

Another example of garter intarsia.

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THIS IS IT!!! THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO DO!!! THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH. YOU’RE THE BEST!!!