Using two different colors at a time

How-to Questions
1

Hello,

I’m going to start this project soon:
http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEsummer08/PATTbyob.html

and there’s one part of the pattern I’m unsure about. In the Bag Body section of the pattern, it says to:

[B]Round 9: [K1 using CC1, p1 using MC] to last st, k1 using CC1.[/B]

Would I just knit and purl along holding both colors, using whichever color I needed for each stitch, or is there a better method?

I looked at the Stranding Method video on the website, and that seems as though it would work, but I wanted some advice if there’s a better way.

Thanks in advance.

2

When I knit with two colors I hold one yarn in each hand, but some people use one hand. Do whatever works for you.

Hint - keep the stranded stitches a little loose. It’s easy when working with two yarns to pull too tight and then it’ll pucker. It’s not as much of an issue when you are doing every other stitch, but keep an eye on it. :wink:

3

Thanks so much!

4

Wow…super cute pattern! I’m making string market bags, at the moment, and should add that one to my selection.

When you work the stripes, you can decide if you want to carry the non-working yarn up inside the bag for the shorter sections rather than cut/weave the ends. If you opt to carry you’d need to work the carried yarn into the back of the sts in the intervening rows so you don’t end up with a long strand from one use of the color to the next.

You may also want to look into ‘jogless joins’ so your stripes don’t start/end with a ‘step’ to the next row.

cam

5

How would you work the carried yarn into the back of the sts?

And thanks for the tip on jogless stripes; I looked that up. I didn’t even think of that happening. Ahh, the joys of the this forum!

:slight_smile:

6

How would you work the carried yarn into the back of the sts?

You could weave it by laying the strand of the unworked color over the working strand (at its base). Then K/P your actual st as planned. The unworked color will get picked up at the back of the st on the WS but not show.

cam

7

Ok, that makes sense. Thanks! I’ll keep all this in mind when I start the project soon!