White - Colorwork Knitting: 25 Spectacular Sweaters, Hats, and Accessories

S elf-striping yarns are sneaky because they make it look like you put a lot of effort into planning stripes and changing colors while you were working, when in reality you just knit with the same yarn throughout.

These yarns are great for people who are new to color knitting because you dont have to make any color choices other than picking out a colorway you like. They also produce a garment with a dramatic, colorful effect more quickly than if you had to switch colors manually.

There are a lot fewer ends to weave in when youre finished, which means youll literally be done quicker. But I also feel like I knit faster when working with self-striping yarn because Im always interested in seeing whats going to happen next.

You usually see self-striping yarns used in patterns that involve stockinette stitch, because that flat knit surface allows the stripes to shine through. But its worth experimenting with garter stitch, ribbing, and other textured stitch patterns; you may just find you like the stripes better when theyre broken up a bit.

Pros of Self-Striping Yarns

Self-striping yarns are great for new knitters and those who are new to colorwork because of their ease in color changing.

You dont have to worry about what colors will look good together; just choose a colorway you like and knit on confidently.

Its just like knitting with a solid-color yarn. You dont have to think about how many rows youve knit or when you need to change colors or work a pattern.

You dont need a fancy stitch pattern; the stripes look great in stockinette and other simple stitches.

Cons of Self-Striping Yarns

Sometimes the length of any one color is not long enough to get around your whole project. For the hat in this chapter, for instance, I used a sock yarn that does not have incredibly long repeats. Parts of the brim of the hat dont look like they were knit with self-striping yarn at all, but I like the effect. Just be aware that there is an element of chance in how the stripes may fall, and all effects may not be to your liking.

Another thing to watch out for is that it can be difficult to find the exact same spot in the color run to start when youre knitting two similar pieces, such as two sleeves or two socks. As the designer of your piece, you decide whether this matters. On the sweater in this chapter, I decided to not let it matter, but I wanted the knee socks to match, so I worked hard to get the second sock started in the same place as the first.

Finally, youre stuck with the colors as the yarn designer planned them, which sometimes means theres one color in a ball you dont like or wouldnt have chosen if you were plotting the stripes yourself. Of course if you wanted to cut out a color you dont like in a self-striping yarn with abrupt stripes, you could, but that takes some of the ease out of working with self-striping yarn.

How to Make a Self-Striping Project Your Own

The easiest way to change up a pattern using self-striping yarn is by changing the colorway. There is a great variety of self-striping yarn available to suit any palette you like.

Another way to change up a project is to throw in a different stitch pattern rather than plain stockinette. Keep in mind, though, that this can change your gauge, so think twiceand swatch!before you change the stitch pattern on a project that needs to fit a body.

Finished Measurements

5"/13 cm wide x 72"/183 cm long, excluding fringe