How to Knit Colour Strand

Colour strand, also known as Fair Isle, is a knitting technique that involves using multiple yarn colours in a single row. It is called "strand" because the other yarn colours are stranded in the middle of the row. This style of knitting originated from the island of the same name located between Orkney and Shetland. 

 

Step 1:

Cast on as usual with your background colour, for this tutorial we will only use two colours.

 

Step 2:

Knit until you reach where you would like the second colour to start.

 

Step 3:

Knit in your second colour by substituting it for the background yarn when looping your yarn over the inserted right needle.

 

Step 4:

Do the same with the background yarn when you wish to swap back.

Step 5:

Continuing to do this over multiple rows will create a pattern or image of stranded colour in your work.

 

This technique is excellent for clothing items where the wrong side will not be visible, such as socks or jumpers, as there will be "floats" or strands of yarn between the different stranded colour stitches. This type of knitting is often conveyed in chart form instead of pattern form as it makes it easier to understand. 

 

Now that you have the expertise to create your own knitted work with different patterns and shapes, we can't wait to see what you create with this interesting knitting method.