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| Four-color knitting |
Today's trick needs no skills other than ordinary knitting. Any color pattern, regardless how complicated requires only a basic knowledge of stockinette fabric + PATIENCE.
It is called...
Multi color knitting, one color at a time
There are two kinds of multi-color knitting, created one color at a time. The first kind is called multiple pass color knitting -- today's post. The second kind is called slipped stitch color patterns, or sometimes "mosaic" patterns, and those are tackled here.
MULTIPLE PASS KNITTING
Multiple pass knitting creates "ordinary" color patterns which don't have any slipped stitches in the final result. From the back, it looks exactly like stranded knitting. Just to confuse you, multiple-pass knitting requires slipping stitches during the construction phase. However, no slipped stitches remain in the finished fabric.This trick is just regular knitting (and perhaps, purling) with whichever method you like best (continental or English). The basic idea is to work multiple passes through each row--two passes (once with each color) for two color knitting, three passes for three color knitting, etc.
Upside: no need to learn a new technique.
Downside: it's S-L-O-W.
The example below shows a simple two-color, one-row pattern, but once you understand the example, multi-colors spread over multiple rows (as in the opening photo) are worked the same way.
Two color knitting is accomplished in two passes through row 4--the only multi-colored row of this particular pattern. In other words, row 4 will be constructed in two passes--
The example below shows a simple two-color, one-row pattern, but once you understand the example, multi-colors spread over multiple rows (as in the opening photo) are worked the same way.
click picture
Two color knitting is accomplished in two passes through row 4--the only multi-colored row of this particular pattern. In other words, row 4 will be constructed in two passes--fhe first pass lays down row 4's blue stitches,
the second pass lays down row 4's pink stitches.
click picture
(Above) There are three pink rows already knit on the double-pointed needle (dpn). Multiple-pass knitting must be done on some sort of two-pointed needle: a circular or dpn. Needles with knobs simply won't work. To start off, we'll always knit on the smooth face of the fabric (the "right" or "knit" side), and that side faces out in the picture.
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(Above--step 1) On the first pass-through, KNIT every stitch of the first color (in this example, the blue) and SLIP up from row 3, every stitch which is to be knitted in the second color (pink).
"Slip up from row 3," means that when you get to a stitch which is not supposed to be blue, you simply slip that stitch from your left needle to your right needle, without knitting it, AND without twisting it--it is slipped "open" or purlwise.)
At the end of this first pass-through, the row is only half-knitted.
For the second pass-through: if you are working flat (back and forth) on double pointed needles (dpn's) or back and forth on circular needles, push the whole work back along the needle and start again with the right side facing you--no need to purl back.
For the second pass-through: if you are working flat (back and forth) on double pointed needles (dpn's) or back and forth on circular needles, push the whole work back along the needle and start again with the right side facing you--no need to purl back.
If you are working a tube with dpn's or circular needles, you simply go around on the face of the fabric again, this time using the other color.
(Above--step 2) On this second step (the second pass through row 4) you use the second color (pink) to KNIT every stitch you previously slipped on the first pass, and SLIP every stitch of the first color (blue) which you previously knit on the first pass.
click picture
(Above--step 2) On this second step (the second pass through row 4) you use the second color (pink) to KNIT every stitch you previously slipped on the first pass, and SLIP every stitch of the first color (blue) which you previously knit on the first pass. At the end of steps 1 and 2 you have knit an entire row with two colors, using only one color at a time. After step 1, the blue stitches will have been knitted, after step 2, the blue and the pink stitches will have knitted.
At the end of two passes, this 2-color pattern is done. NO stitch remains in the slipped position--if any stitch remains in the slipped position, you haven't done this technique right (although you have, perhaps, independently discovered 2-color slipped stitch patterns!)
At the end of two passes, this 2-color pattern is done. NO stitch remains in the slipped position--if any stitch remains in the slipped position, you haven't done this technique right (although you have, perhaps, independently discovered 2-color slipped stitch patterns!)
For more colors, this basic technique requires one pass for each color.
pass 1 slips every stitch except those meant to be knit in color 1.pass 2 slips every stitch except those meant to be knit in color 2pass 3 slips every stitch except those meant to be knit in color 3pass 4 slips every stitch except those meant to be knit in color 4.
The more colors, the lumpier the fabric gets with all those floats on the back, so four passes approach the practical limit.
Circular knitting, flat knitting and out-of-phase yarns.
For a first project, it's easier to work a tube on circular needles or dpn's. This is because a tube made in multiple-pass color knitting, like all tubes, requires working only on the knit face of the fabric--no need to to turn the fabric and purl back. The second pass through the same row in multiple-pass knitting requires only that you switch to the next color of yarn and work your way around the tube again to the starting point (indicated, hopefully, with a stitch marker!)
If you ARE making a tube (circular knitting), skip down to "tension." For flat knitting, though, you have to slog through further explanation.
In flat knitting (working back-and forth on double pointed needles or circular needles), a strange situation arises. The yarns get "out of phase," they wind up on opposite edges of the fabric.
In the color pattern of the example (first illustration above) there are 4 rows of knitting. Rows 1, 2 and 3 are all pink, row 4 is the color-knitting row. At the end of one repetition of our 4 row pattern, both the yarns (pink and blue) are at the left, "ready-to-purl" edge of the fabric.
In flat (back and forth) knitting, the second set of 4 rows will go like this: Row 1 is all pink--and you'll purl back. Row 2 is all pink, and you'll knit. Row 3 is all pink and you'll purl, Row 4 is color knitting, and is a little confusing as to whether you knit or purl, because your blue yarn is on the left edge of the fabric where you parked it after the first repetition of the pattern--it is on the "ready to purl" side. However, the pink yarn, which has been worked an additional three rows, is on the right edge of the fabric--the "ready to knit side." In other words, the yarns are at opposite edges of the fabric! They are out of phase with one another.
However, as odd as this is, it's more a mental challenge than a structural issue.
Multiple-pass color knitting lets you lay down the colors independent of one another. Therefore, on this first half of row 4, you first PURL in blue, and SLIP every non-blue stitch from the purl side. Be sure to hold the float yarn (the "tail" loops connecting the blue stitches) on the purl side of the fabric--the side facing you, and be sure to slip the loops of the slipped stitches "open" (untwisted--purlwise). When you finish the row, your yarns will be at the same edge, and you'll now create the second half of row 4 by KNITTING the just-slipped stitches in pink, while SLIPPING every blue stitch "open" (purlwise).
Bottom line: because the yarns are laid down independently, it does not matter if you have to create the passes of knitting from opposite edges of the fabric. "Out of phase" does not affect the fabric.
Tension and floats
As with any other kind of two-color knitting, the floats (strands behind) have to stretch far enough so the fabric doesn't pucker. This is actually easier with this sort of color knitting than with any other t because you're not wrangling two yarns at the same time. Just be sure to S-T-R-E-T-C-H the slipped stitches all the way out along the right needle before knitting (or purling) the new color--if you bunch up the slipped stitches on the right needle, the float will be too short when the formerly bunched-up stitches come off the right needle and spread out. As with any other kind of color knitting, it is best to avoid floats which exceed 5-6 stitches. (For more background information on color knitting, click here.)_____
Addendum, November 2015: Poking around on the internet, I found a You-Tube video from a lady named Eliza, who evidently independently "unvented" multiple-pass knitting. Her you-tube has a good approach to the tension issue, and that is, using yarn overs to put slack where you need it. So, if stretching the slipped stitches isn't giving you the slack you need, have a look at this video, and see if you like the YO idea.
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Color dominance
Lay down the same color first, regardless whether knitting or purling. This sets up the yarn to approach the fabric from the same angle, meaning, they maintain their relative positions when entering the fabric from the back side, one above, one below.
Fancy it up: combining multiple-pass knitting with two-fisted knitting
If you already know two-fisted two-color knitting, you can use this trick when you get to more colors. The opening photo shows a four-color fabric. Because I how to knit in two colors holding one color in each hand, laying down four colors took me TWO passes instead of four: the first pass was two-color knitting + slipping, the second pass was slipping whatever was knit the first pass + two-color knitting the remaining stitches.
Reading the fabric vs. memorizing the pattern
The only really hard thing about multiple pass knitting is keeping track of where you are. "Reading" the knitting by looking at the row below gets confusing because it's hard to tell slipped stitches from knit ones. Chanting the pattern to yourself is helpful--2 pinks, slip 2, 2 pinks, slip 2, 2 greens, slip 2, 1 green, slip 2...2 pinks, slip 2, 2 pinks, slip 2, 2 greens, slip 2, 1 green, slip 2...
The color pattern in the opening illustration was adapted from the book "Knitted Tams" by Mary Rowe.
--TK
--TK