Using two strands of yarn?

#1

I need advice. I’m knitting a throw I found on Lion Brand Yarn and I’m obviously doing something wrong. It’s the Magic Carpet Throw and some blocks look like Fair Isle patterns.

The questions is, I did the swatch with one strand and it came out to 4" as required (after I upped the needle size from 7 to 9). When I work the square with two strands of yarn it’s no longer the proper size. I’ve started the same square for the third time and it still isn’t the proper size even trying to keep the yarn very loose. Anyone have a suggestion or comment? (yarn is wool ease by Lion Brand seems to have a lot of give). I did email Lion and the only response I got was the swatch should be the same size with one or two strands. I’d like to know what else I can do. The pattern has a border so at this point I’ll be making it a little wider!

Thank you in advance

#2

Lion is wrong, a single stranded yarn and the same yarn doubled will not come out to the same gauge, even if you go down in needle size, though it will be a lot tighter. Why double strand the yarn, just knit it single stranded.

Link to pattern.

#3

Thank you Suzeeq

It’s not actually double knit it’s a pattern using two colors. Maybe I wasn’t clear. It’s single yarn per stitch but it may be green for two stitches and blue for three all the way across. I’ve just never had a problem with my gauge so I didn’t do a swatch initially, did later. I’m up two sizes on the needle and don’t want to go up anymore. Lion sent another suggestion of trying other needles because metal, wood, or plastic will give some people a different gauge. I think I’ll continue on and increase the border when I’m done. I can’t help think there’s a mistake in needle size or the number of stitches needed for each square.

#4

I just skimmed the pattern and didn’t see where it says the finished size of the squares (I use the term ‘square’ loosely - I think they are taller then they are wide). I see 9.75" tall but not how wide they are supposed to be.

Did you finish a ‘square’ yet? either a solid color one or a 2-3 color one?

#5

Marilyn, I have not finished a square yet, spent most of my time ripping out and redoing. I started a patterned square (square 1) for the third time last night but I’m not that far in. I noticed also that they didn’t give a finished square size which would have been very helpful. I’m assuming each should be +/-9 1/2 inches since the border (one side) is 1 1/2 inches. I got a little closer to 9 inches with my third try last night. I’ll probably need to adjust the squares with one color since I can get the gauge correct with one strand. Just threw me since I’ve never had to wing it on a pattern. Maybe it should say expert instead of “experienced”.

Thank you

#6

With Fair Isle you carry the unused color yarn along the back (purl side). These floats can get pulled too tight. And it will make the block narrower.

Although I generally work any pattern on circulars. Straight needles give me better tension in multicolored work.

#7

Oh I think I see. You should do the swatch with 2 colors of yarn so you can tell how it works out when you actually knit the block. Probably you can use a smaller needle size.

#8

Thank you everyone. Abby, I tried to loosen up last night as I worked on the square. The yarn has a lot of give, that doesn’t help. I’m close enough at this point and won’t be ripping it out again. Several blocks are one color so I’ll have to adjust those.

#9

I just read over your post again. Are you working Fair Isle, a multicolored work done on a single layer of fabric alternating colors? Or are you doing double knit, a double thick layer of work. Like a sandwich with both wrong side in the middle?

If you are doing double knitting, you need to use a smaller needle than the same pattern worked in one layer. Because every two stitches make up one front & one the back, you have more space between adjacent stitches (on the same side.)

#10

It’s not double knit it’s Fair Isle.

#11

It’s fair isle Abby, alternating with two/three colors. The pattern called for size 7 needles and I’m using 9 so I’m closer to the proper size. I think carrying the second color, as you mentioned, may be my problem with the square not being the right size.

#12

I’d have an easier time making the plain blocks match the patterned ones, than the other way around too.
After you knit the first stitch in the new color, smooth the stitches out along the left needle. That helps with the spacing on the floats. Fair Isle is beautiful, but tricky to knit.

#13

Abby, the pattern calls for starting with the fair isle blocks and I can see why since my gauge swatch came out fine. I’ll have to adjust quite a bit on the plan squares. I worked on it again last night and really tried to loosen up when I needed to use the second strand. I’m about 2 inches shy on the width though. I’ll be making a wider border! Thanks again.

#14

Nevermind…finished reading the thread and saw that my comment was extraneous and confusing.