Author: Teabreak Knitter

Teabreak Knitter is a keen knitter who wants to share his experience with others.
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Introduction to stranded colour work tutorial – Activity 4

Stranded knitting being worked in the round on circular needles using the magic loop. Three rounds of vertical stripe rib are followed by eight rounds of colour work. Stitch markers show the start of pattern repeats.

Activity 4: Knit stranded colour work when knitting flat

You should have completed Activity 3: Catch floats on the knit side of the work and have knit 5 rounds of the motif.

Not all stranded colour work projects are knit in the round, and even those that are sometimes have elements that have to be worked “flat” (backwards and forwards).

Knitting on the private site of the fabric differs in how you handle floats and, of course, managing your yarn is subtly different when you are using purl stitches. This activity gives you practice in working on the private site of stranded colour work.

The instructions for this activity are on page 11 of the handout.

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Introduction to stranded colour work tutorial – Activity 3

Stranded knitting in the round showing the public side and the floats on the private side.

Activity 3: Catch floats on the knit side of the work

You should have already completed Activity 2: Knit stranded colour work in the round and have competed 2 rounds of your motif.

In this activity you will learn how to catch (trap) floats when you are knitting on the public side of stranded colour work. Catching floats helps maintain an even tension. Shorter floats are also less likely to catch in fingers.

The instructions for this activity are on page 9 and 10 of the handout.

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Introduction to stranded colour work tutorial – Activity 1

Activity 1: Vertical stripe rib

Before you start, please make sure that you have done everything in Activity 0. For instance, have you downloaded the handout and have the yarn and tools listed in Activity 0.

Instructions for this activity are on page 6 of the handout. You do not need to swatch for this project because its size does not matter. Instead, you can treat the entire project as a swatch to practice. Then make another one if you want to have a “showcase” to show others.

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Introduction to stranded colour work tutorial – Activity 0

Display of the materials and tools needed for the stranded colour work workshop

Activity 0 – Yarn and tools

This activity may need a bit of retail therapy! Work through this web page to find out what you need to take part in the tutorial.

Handout

Start by downloading the handout for the tutorial. In it you will find the pattern for the waistcoat that you will knit, together with hints and tips on how to knit it. To make it easy to follow, it is divided into the same activities as this tutorial.

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Introduction to stranded colour work tutorial

Display of the materials and tools needed for the stranded colour work workshop

Introduction to stranded knitting tutorial

Learn the basics of stranded colour work in this stranded knitting tutorial. You will learn how to knit with two colours and to follow colour charts. Armholes and V-necks will be easy after you learn how to cut a steek. So, if you want to learn at your own pace, this is the tutorial for you.

In addition, the companion “Introduction to stranded knitting workshop” covers the same material in a series of online meetings. You might want to take that workshop if you would like feedback on your progress, for example.

Contents of this workshop

This tutorial uses a practical project to make a miniature stranded colour work sleeveless cardigan. This tutorial guides you through the skills you will need:

  • Cast on for knitting stranded colour work in the round.
  • Hold yarn for knitting in two colours.
  • Knit stranded rib (also known as cartridge rib).
  • Read types of chart used for colour work.
  • Knit stranded colour work in the round using stocking stitch (knit stitches only).
  • Catch your floats to avoid long loops and give even tension.
  • Knit colour work “flat” in stocking stitch (using both knit and purl stitches).
  • Make decreases in a colour work pattern.
  • Pick up stitches along the edge of a steek.
  • Prepare and cut a steek.

Skills you will need before starting this tutorial

To understand this tutorial, you need to be able to:

  • Cast on.
  • Knit and purl.
  • Knit in the round using circular needles or double pointed needles.
  • So that you can knit this small item with circular needles, you need to use the magic loop (or travelling loop) or two circular needles.
  • Decrease using right-leaning (k2tog) and left-leaning (ssk or sl1 k2tog psso) decreases.
  • Pick up and knit stitches from the sides and top of knitting.

Let’s get started

Work through these activities to knit your own sleeveless waistcoat for a cuddly toy. You will need to download the handout for this workshop that contains the chart and pattern, as well as useful tips.

Display of the materials and tools needed for the stranded colour work workshop

Yarn and tools

Start by gathering together the yarn, notions and tools you will need.

Activity 1: Vertical stripe rib

Cast on and knit the vertical stripe rib.

Stranded knitting being worked on circular needles using a magic loop. There are three rounds of vertical stripe rib, one round of stranded colour work and one round of a new background colour. Stitch markers show the starts of pattern repeats.

Activity 2: Knit in the round

Learn how to read a chart and to knit with two colours in the round.

Activity 3: Catch floats

Learn how to catch floats when working on the public side. This avoids long floats, and helps keep even tension.

Stranded knitting being worked in the round on circular needles using the magic loop. Three rounds of vertical stripe rib are followed by eight rounds of colour work. Stitch markers show the start of pattern repeats.

Activity 4: Knit stranded colour work flat

Learn how to knit stranded colour work using knit public side and purl private side rows.

Activity 5: Reinforce your first steek

Learn how to hold the steek stitches in place before you cut them.

Activity 6: Continue in the round

Now that you can knit both flat and in the round, continue until you start shaping your waistcoat.

Activity 7: Cast on for steeks

Learn how to add extra stitches for the steeks to prepare for shaping your fabric.

Activity 8: Complete the main body

Learn how to decrease while following the chart.

Activity 9: Bind off and join the shoulders

Prepare your waistcoat for adding the arm- and button-bands.

Activity 10: Reinforce steeks

Reinforce all your steeks ready for cutting.

Activity 11: Pick up and knit the bands

Learn how to pick up stitches for the arm- and button-bands and then knit the bands.

Activity 12: Finishing

Learn how to cut the steeks. Then sew in the ends and “dress” your waistcoat.

MIniature stranded seleveless cardigan

Activity 13: Congratulations

Now you have finished your waistcoat, sit back and admire your work.

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Running an interactive workshop – notes

Light bulb on left and three circles: the nearest to the bulb is white, the next mid grey and the last dark grey. Below are two images showing the impact on exposure of holding a white sheet of paper near and away from the light source.

Interactive workshop notes: “Running and interactive workshop”

You have attended the workshop “Running an interactive workshop”. Here are some interactive workshop notes to remind you of what you learned,

Contents of this interactive workshop:
Introductions and welcome.
Planning for your interactive workshop.
Planning your virtual workspace.
Running the interactive workshop.
Summary and actions

Duration: 90 minutes.

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Apply for a workshop (KCG priority)

Please use this form to apply for a workshop. Your application is emailed to Teabreak Knitter and not stored on this website. Priority will be given to members of the Knitting & Crochet Guild

Teabreak Knitter will contact you using the email address you provide below.

Conditions

By applying for this workshop you agree to:

  • Make every effort to take part in the workshop activities;
  • Show respect to others in the workshop;
  • Allow others in the workshop to see your email address;
  • Allow Teabreak Knitter to store your contact information for purposes of running the workshop;
  • Acknowledge that the workshop and associated materials are in English;
  • Tell Teabreak Knitter if you will no longer be able to take part.

Apply

To apply for a workshop, fill in the form using the drop-down menu to choose the workshop you are applying for. You may only apply for one workshop at a time.

Applicants may be from anywhere in the world. The application asks for a major city near to you so that Teabreak Knitter can see which time zone you are in.

Apply for a workshop - KCG members
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Name of the workshop that you are applying to join.

After you successfully submit your form you will see a confirmation message above the form (you may need to scroll up). You should also receive an email from Teabreak Knitter. The form will be cleared ready for you to apply for another workshop.

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Running an interactive workshop

Two participants in a video conference session: a Teddy Bear and an adult male.

This interactive workshop is designed for experienced demonstrators and trainers who want to use video conferencing as a tool for delivering workshops.

By the end of the interactive workshop, you will have learned these skills:

  • Identify how delivering a workshop online may differ from delivering it face to face.
  • Plan the structure of your online workshop.
  • Identify how they you use your cameras and video conferencing software.
  • Plan what supporting materials and props you will need.

This is an online interactive workshop with an interactive group teleconferencing session (using Zoom).

This workshop is free.

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