How to work stranded knitting flat
Stranded knitting can also be worked on two needles. Right side needles are worked the way you work in the round. Purl side needles are worked with the strands in front of your work.
You already know how to
- cast on
- knit
- cast off
- slip the first stitch purlwise
- knit horizontal stripes
- purl
- follow a knitting pattern containing abbreviations
- read a chart
- knit stranded knitting in the round
- knit single compact shapes using the intarsia technique
Instructions
Cast on 27 sts.
Rows 1 to 16: Sl1p, k26.
Begin colourwork in row 17. Hold DC dominant throughout. If you knit, like I do, with both colours in your left hand, you should hold the dominant colour to the right on WS rows and to the left on RS rows.
Always carry the unused strand of yarn across the WS, i.e. in front of the work on WS rows and at the back on RS rows.
Row 17 (WS): Sl1p, k5 with DC. Join LC, [p2 with LC, p1 with DC] twice, p3 with LC, [p1 with DC, p2 with LC] twice, leave LC hanging in front, i.e. on the WS, k6 with DC.
Row 18 (RS): Sl1p, k5 with DC. Bring DC yarn over the LC and hold to the left. K1 with LC, k3 with DC, k2 with LC, k1 with DC, k1 with LC, k1 with DC, k2 with LC, k3 with DC, k1 with LC. Leave the LC hanging on the WS, i.e. at the back and knit the 6 last sts with the DC.
Row 19 (WS): Sl1p, k5 with DC. Twist yarns bringing DC to the right, p2 with DC, p1 with LC, p2 with DC, p2 with LC, p1 with DC, p2 with LC, p2 with DC, p1 with LC, leave the LC hanging on the WS, i.e. in front of the work, continue with DC: p2, k6.
Continue working from chart as set.
When you have completed the chart, cast off and weave in ends.
Geeky Notes 🤓
🧶 Stranded knitting is undoubtedly easier when worked in the round. Many people (including yours truly 😎) even prefer to work cardigans in the round and subsequently cut them up making a so-called steek.
🧶 When stranded knitting is worked on two needles, the first stitch in the new colour is often misshapen to some degree. Some people suggest you knit the selvedge stitch with both colours. In this particular case this is not a good idea, since there is a garter stitch border.
You can subsequently pull the stitches slightly on the wrong side to straighten your selvedge stitches. (Technically this might be considered cheating, but, hey, fake it till you make it 💪)
🧶 Regarding colour dominance: If you knit with both colours in the same hand, regardless of whether that is the right or the left, you should swap the position of the yarns on the purl side rows.
If you knit with one colour in each hand, you should not change the positioning of the yarns.
If you successfully completed this square, you have learned how to
- work stranded knitting on two needles
Annaplexis 