Need help w/ stranded knitting

#1

I added this question to a previous question, but since I didn’t get any responses, I thought I’d post it again.

I’m knitting a stocking in the round. It’s going to be red with a white band, with red letters on the white. I’m going to use stranded knitting to do the red letters on white background. I’ve started out by knitting 10 rounds of red. Next, I need to do 2 rows of pure white, and then I’ll start with the red letters on the white background.

Should I keep my current strand of red going, and just carry it up until I need it (after 2 rows of white), or should I cut it and start a new strand of red when it comes to the lettering?

The letters are only on one half (the front of the stocking). So I don’t want to carry the red strand all the way around for the rest of the round where it’s all white. But if I just let it hang at the end of the lettering (on my first row of lettering), then when I knit back around to it, my red strand is going to be at the wrong end. KWIM?

#2

Since it’s only a couple rows of white I think I would carry it, but it works either way.

As for not stranding all the way around… then it’ll be more like intarsia so you have to wrap the yarn properly or you’ll end up with holes. I think I would carry it around, but do strand loosely whatever you choose.

I’m no expert here so I’m sure others will have more thoughts.

#3

It sounds like you want to knit the letters intarsia style, which is usually not done in the round for the specific reason you stated.

Duplicate stitch after the fact will work better.

There is a way to work them in the round when both colors are carried all the way through, and since it’s a Christmas stocking and nobody’s toes are going to get caught, you can try it, though I’m afraid the red might show through the white.

Knit across the first row of the letters with both colors, stranding the yarns loosely, but leaving the red yarn where it is. Make sure to bring the white up from under the red to prevent a hole.

On the next round, your red yarn will be in the wrong place, but the white will have been knit around to the beginning of the letters.

Knit across the white stitches, but slip the red ones. Then turn your work and purl the red stitches and slip the white ones. Then slip all the stitches back. Your white will be in the right place to continue, and your red will be in place for the next row.

#4

Yes, I know what you mean. BTW I wanted to comment that your question is very clear. Good job of explaining. If you don’t carry the red around the entire hat it will always end up on the wrong end of things even if you start a new one each time. If you absolutely don’t want to carry it around (like maybe some neat little design that keeps bringing the red with you?) I think the easiest thing would be to do the lettering with a duplicate stitch when you are done.

Doing entarsia or in this case a stranded work that doesn’t go all the way around is difficult in the round, although I think there is some weird way to do it(at least with intarsia). LOL I have never tried it and don’t know if it is worth the trouble. Maybe someone will know a trick for that.

Oh, and yes, you could carry it up those two rows to begin the lettering, but then what???

Good luck.

#5

Wow! This is a great idea - I think I will try it!

#6

Another excellent idea - If I can’t manage the knitting, slipping, turning, purling, slipping, turning method, I’ll try a design that goes around the back! Thanks!

#7

I’ve been looking for a good christmas stocking pattern - where did you find yours?

#8

Have you looked at www.knittingpatterncentral.com ?