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Fair Isle or 2 stranded knitting:
Kristen's mug cozy is knitted using the technique known as stranded or Fair Isle knitting. In stranded knitting, two colors of yarn are used across the same row, alternating between the two to form a color-work pattern. While one strand is being worked, the other is carried behind it (or in front of it on the WS rows). This technique takes more yarn than working with a single color and makes for a thicker, warmer fabric.
It is important to remember that when using one of the colors over a large number of stitches you must “catch” the color not in use after every 3–5 sts. This helps to keep the fabric and stitches smooth and avoids long strands in the back of the piece.
The two most popular ways of catching the yarn are to weave the carried color into your stitches or to twist the working yarn and the carried yarn.
Weaving the yarn requires that you put the needle into the next stitch that you are going to work, lay the carried yarn across the needle and then work the stitch bringing the working yarn over the carried yarn.
To twist the yarn, you literally twist the carried yarn and the working around each other before working the next stitch.
Whichever way you use, it is important to make sure that your tension on the carried color is not too loose or too tight, either can distort the fabric.
More tips to remember when working with 2 strands of yarn—always bring both colors to the end of the row to avoid holes and keep the same color above the other through out the piece.
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Resources:
Here is a collection of fabulous Fair Isle Resources.
Try out Fair Isle:
Here is a free pattern where you can try out Fair Isle knitting:
• Valentine Mug Cozies
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