How to change colors at the beginning of the row
Are you working on a knitting project where you need to create horizontal stripes or blocks of color? By reading this post, you will learn how to change colors at the beginning of the row in a secure and tidy way!
It’s a really simple method to apply to all your flat-knitted garments or accessories. With this technique, you will change colors while preventing the stitches at the outer edges of the work from loosening, getting uneven, and making any side seams less precise.
It is also perfect to change the ball of yarn when you run out of thread and need to add a new one. But if you’d rather not leave any loose ends to weave in later, you can always join two yarn balls with the magic knot.
If you are a beginner, you will find this technique very useful while knitting the Amarie Scarf, available in an all-inclusive kit with everything you need to make it in your favorite colorway!
If you are more of an advanced knitter, this comes in handy to create colorful garments like our Maisie Cardigan! The knitting kit is available on Bettaknit’s website.
Watch our video tutorial or continue reading for the step-by-step guide on how to change colors at the beginning of the row!
FOR THIS TUTORIAL, YOU MIGHT NEED:
Tutorial: how to change colors at the beginning of the row
For this tutorial, we used:
- 5 mm (US 8) beechwood knitting needles
- Woolpaca yarn (50% wool and 50% baby alpaca) in the colors Indigo and Lilac
Start at the beginning of a row and take the new color.
Put it close to the yarn connected to the work, leaving at least a 15-cm tail on the back.
Holding the two yarns together, slip the first stitch purl-wise.
Bring the two yarns in front of the work.
Then place the first stitch back onto the left needle.
Separate the two yarns and bring the new one behind the right needle.
Now knit normally until the end of the row.
Turn your work and continue working with the new color.
Remember!
In flat knitting, if each stripe of color corresponds to an odd number of rows (i.e. if the stripe is 1 row tall, 3 rows tall, etc.), at the end of each stripe you will have to cut the yarn and reattach the color you need at the beginning of the next stripe.
If, instead, each color stripe corresponds to an even number of rows, you won’t need to cut the yarn, but you can simply drop the old color and pick up the new one, all on the same side edge of the work. By working an even number of rows, for each forward row, you will also work a return row, which will get you to the starting point, where both the new and the old color are hooked.
Let us know in the comments if you’ve ever tried this method to change colors in your knitting!
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