Hunter's Moon Posted June 18, 2012 Share Posted June 18, 2012 (edited) I haven't been on for a while, so hello everyone :seeya: I have just begun trying to add letters into my knitting. I am having trouble when it comes to adding in the second color though (the one I am using for the letter). I am trying to do a practice one. I was trying to knit a green "S" into a red swatch. The first row was knit red, the second row was purl red, and then the third row was where I added in the green to begin the "S". I knitted the first two stitches, and then added the green in a purl stitch. My trouble is when I got further down, to about the fifth and sixth row, I notice the red yarn is overlapping the green on the right side of my work. I attached a pic. You can see a red string of yarn covering the green yarn on the top and the green started to overlap the red. You can also see a piece of green yarn on the top left overlapping the red to the back of the piece. I have no clue what I am doing wrong. When I add the yarn, I make sure to do it when the right side is facing me. I also make sure to place whatever yarn I am using for that stitch over the other piece of yarn. Am I supposed to keep the dominant color (red) over the green yarn at all times, even when stitching with the green, or am I supposed to place the color I am using over the other color for that stitch? Can anyone maybe give me a step by step way of doing it? I've watched videos and looked online, but I don't quite understand. Most videos show the knitter using one color for one row and then switching to the other color for the other row, but I am using both colors in one row. Thanks :001_smile: ETA: Using circular needles if that matters. Edited June 18, 2012 by BeatleMania Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter's Moon Posted June 18, 2012 Author Share Posted June 18, 2012 Is what I am trying to do considered intarsia, which is hard to do in-the-round? That may be my issue... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrganicAnn Posted June 18, 2012 Share Posted June 18, 2012 I can't really tell from the picture. That is the wrong side, correct? Will the right side be all knit and the wrong side be all purl when you finish? If you are purling the 2nd color on the right side it does have a overlapping effect. Sorry I just can't tell what's going on. It is interesting - I don't knit in the summer. I guess it is too hot for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter's Moon Posted June 18, 2012 Author Share Posted June 18, 2012 No, that is the right side of the piece. The wrong side has the tail ends coming out of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted June 18, 2012 Share Posted June 18, 2012 I am not sure exactly what you are trying to do but intarsia is not going to work in the round. Fair isle works really well. I think you are simply putting letters on something. Unless they are going to be huge -- 8 or so stitches on each row I would just overstich (embroider) them on when you are done knitting in the round. Sorry I can't help more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter's Moon Posted June 18, 2012 Author Share Posted June 18, 2012 I am not sure exactly what you are trying to do but intarsia is not going to work in the round. Fair isle works really well. I think you are simply putting letters on something. Unless they are going to be huge -- 8 or so stitches on each row I would just overstich (embroider) them on when you are done knitting in the round. Sorry I can't help more. Yeah, I decided to do the embroidery instead. I'll look into fair isle also for bigger works. Thanks :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobela Posted June 18, 2012 Share Posted June 18, 2012 I would do duplicate stitch if I was wanting to put letters on top of a knitted piece. It is not very difficult and will look good if you don't pull the stitches too tight.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted June 18, 2012 Share Posted June 18, 2012 You're using circular needles, but are you knitting this piece in-the-round or are you knitting flat? I assume you're knitting flat--a flat square. You can knit the second color in but you will need to have a separate ball of your main color for the other side of the letter. You're right that the color you switch to should catch the other color that is dropped--this prevents giant holes when switching colors. So when you knit across the S--you will knit in color A then switch to color B for the S part. When you get across the S and back to the section of main color you will need a second ball of yarn of the main color. Do not draw the main color from the first part across the back (or front) of the S. Pick up the second ball of main color just as you picked up the new color for the S--leave a tail to weave in later. Continue in this manner until you finish the S. Once you're done with that you will be knitting the main color all the way across; you can stop using that second ball of main color. I hope this makes sense. Post here or pm me if I wasn't clear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted June 18, 2012 Share Posted June 18, 2012 I found video by Knit Picks for intarsia knitting. Around the 3:50 mark she explains about the separate balls of yarn like I tried to in my earlier post. But she has a visual so it might help you understand better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter's Moon Posted June 18, 2012 Author Share Posted June 18, 2012 You're using circular needles, but are you knitting this piece in-the-round or are you knitting flat? I assume you're knitting flat--a flat square. You can knit the second color in but you will need to have a separate ball of your main color for the other side of the letter. You're right that the color you switch to should catch the other color that is dropped--this prevents giant holes when switching colors. So when you knit across the S--you will knit in color A then switch to color B for the S part. When you get across the S and back to the section of main color you will need a second ball of yarn of the main color. Do not draw the main color from the first part across the back (or front) of the S. Pick up the second ball of main color just as you picked up the new color for the S--leave a tail to weave in later. Continue in this manner until you finish the S. Once you're done with that you will be knitting the main color all the way across; you can stop using that second ball of main color. I hope this makes sense. Post here or pm me if I wasn't clear. Thanks, this does make sense. I'll check out the video you linked, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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