Melissa Leapman - Mastering Color Knitting

Copyright 2010 by Melissa Leapman

All rights reserved.

Published in the United States by Potter Craft,
an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
www.crownpublishing.com
www.pottercraft.com

POTTER CRAFT and colophon is a registered trademark of Random House, Inc.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Leapman, Melissa.
Mastering color knitting : simple instructions for stranded, intarsia, and double knitting / Melissa Leapman. -- 1st ed.
p. cm.
Includes index.
eISBN: 978-0-307-96549-3
1. Knitting. I. Title.
TT820.L388 2010
746.432dc22
2010006097

Cover design by Kathleen Phelps
Fashion and author photography by Alexandra Grablewski
Flat fabric photography by Jacob Hand, copyright Jacob Hand
Technical illustrations by Joni Coniglio
Charts and schematic illustrations by Melissa Leapman
Technical editing by Charlotte Quiggle

Thanks to the Craft Yarn Council of America (www.yarnstandards.com)
for its Standard Yarn Weight System .

v3.1

Contents

Yarn is the medium with which we knitters perform our craft, but if you ask any knitter what makes one project more interesting to make than another, the response will probably center around color . By combining colors together you can create projects that showcase graphic motifs, geometric patterns, and other designs. To me, its one of the most exciting, fun things you can do while knitting.

In my recent book, Color Knitting the Easy Way (Potter Craft, 2010), I explored the fundamentals of color knitting and showed you how simple and, yes, how easy color knitting can be. We used stripe patterns and slip stitches to highlight the infinite fabric possibilities available using just one color of yarn per row. Its a perfect introduction to, refresher for, and resource on color knitting, and this earlier book is chock-full of original stitch patterns and projects, as well as color wheels to help you choose colors for your projects.

As knitters, we often yearn for the added complexityand interesting challengeof knitting with multiple colors in a row. In fact, the desire to learn stranded Fair Isle knitting is what drove me to learn how to knit as a teenager! Knitting with more than one color at a time may be more advanced, but it doesnt have to be complicated or difficult. In Mastering Color Knitting youll find everything you need to take this next step in color knitting, using as many color yarns as you like. Youll quickly master three of the most popular types of multicolor knitting: stranded colorwork , used to create geometric patterns such as those used in traditional Fair Isle patterns; intarsia knitting, used to knit pictorial images as though the knitted fabric were a canvas upon which to draw stitches; and double knitting, used to create a reversible fabric that miraculously appears to be stockinette stitch on both sides!

Once you learn the basics for each technique, practice your new skills by creating projects for yourself, your friends, and everyone on your gift list. Each chapter includes four sample projects to get you started. With the simple instructions and beautiful patterns in this book, you will be able to create seemingly difficult colorwork that wont scream Im a newbie! Throughout, Ive shown not only the how-tos for each technique but also their wondrousand endlesspossibilities. Designers Workshops in each chapter explore topics from how to choose and combine colors based on scientific color theory to ways to design and incorporate graphic images in your knits. And treasuries of unique stitch patterns allow you to pick a pattern, apply it to a project, and knit away! You can even use knitters graph paper (included) or common computer software to designand masterfully knityour own motifs. Tips and tricks entitled ColorPlay are scattered through the pages to guide you every step of the way.

If you are completely new to color knitting or need a quick refresher on the fundamentals, dont be intimidated. Complete instructions for basics such as reading charts, starting a new yarn, and carrying yarn are covered in , as well as fail-safe shortcuts for choosing and combining colors for any project. A comprehensive section on general techniques, abbreviations, and other resources can be found at the back of the book. So gather the yarns you most enjoy working with in all your favorite colors and lets get started. Theres so much to explore!

Knitters have had a long love affair with color knitting, from traditional Shetland Fair Isles to fun, graphic intarsia knits to cool, contemporary double-knit fabrics first made popular by the mod fashions of the 1970s. Today these techniques are more popular than ever: Friendly local guilds, huge national consumer events, and the proliferation of crafting sites on the Internet have made it easyand funfor knitters to share their enthusiasm and learn new skills.