Colourful knits: Fairisle or Stranded Knitting Tips

Colour is one of the most exciting elements of knitting designs, yet for many knitters it can also seem to be one of the most daunting. There are a number of ways to work colour into our knits, and in this post will focus on Fairisle and Stranded knitting.  This colourwork technique has enduring traditional appeal, and is also prominent in contemporary knit design. Fairisle and stranded knitting can seem complex, but is easier than it may appear as traditionally you are only working 2 colours at a time, making it relatively simple compared to other colour knitting techniques such as Intarsia.

In this blog I talk you through some basics about this form of colourwork, and I share some top tips for things to consider which will help you create beautiful fairisle or stranded knitting.

Fairisle versus Stranded Knitting

I won’t be covering origins or knitting history here as that would be a book in itself, and there are plenty of comprehensive accounts provided by experts in the field (such as Alice Starmore).

However I feel its important important to explain the difference between Fair Isle (or Fairisle) and Stranded Knitting. In the same way many of us refer to our vacuum cleaners as hoovers (a specific brand of vacuum cleaner), many people these days refer to any stranded knitting as fairisle - and I do not judge if you do, by the way, and appreciate the word fairisle rolls more smoothly off the tongue.

However, strictly speaking Fairisle refers to a strong regional tradition of stranded knitting from the Scottish Shetland Isles (one of which is  Fair Isle). This particular tradition uses only 2 colours at once to create small repeating motifs in stocking stitch. There are many other regional traditions/variations of stranded knitting, particularly across Northern Europe and Scandinavian countries, and if this interests you then do visit this post by Kate Osborn.

Whilst there are some variations, broadly speaking the techniques are similar, so for the sake of clarity, the information provided below applies to fairisle and other stranded knitting, and I’m going to refer to all traditions of this family of colourwork as stranded knitting.

So what is Stranded knitting?

Stranded knitting is the term used to describe colourwork patterns using two or more colours in each row, and most often (though not always!) worked in plain stocking stitch (that’s stockinette stitch to those of you from over the pond). Yarns are worked together across the row either by stranding or weaving. Since this results in creating a double thickness of fabric it is important not to pull the yarns too tight and maintain elasticity in the work.

Stranded knitting can be worked flat in rows, but traditionally it was worked in the round. It is quicker and easier to strand when working knit stitches, and working in the round eliminates the purl rows when working stocking stitch. Stitches can be stranded by either the one-handed or two-handed method.

Stranding: This involves carrying the yarn not in use loosely across the back of the work whilst picking up and then dropping the colours to be used. This stops all that horrid tangling. It’s best not to strand over more than 2-5 stitches. Yarns can be held in different ways, one yarn at a time, both yarns in the right hand or one in each hand. The yarn not in use is carried across the back of the work, forming strands or floats. To make sure that these are lying parallel to each other (one carried below, the other above)and are not twisted, decide at the outset which yarn is going to be on top and which is going to be underneath.  

Weaving: This becomes necessary when you need to carry yarn across more than three stitches at the back of the work. Like weaving it can be done using either the one or two- handed method. It involves working to the point where the second colour needs to be held. This is achieved by laying the yarn over the right hand needle and then, as you work the knit stitch, use the left forefinger to push the yarn back over the working yarn. As you knit the next stitch the loose yarn will become trapped.

Seeing your colourful knitting appear beneath your needles can be so exciting, but there are a few things knitters may struggle with. I’ve gathered below 4 key things to consider which will help you get a better result with for your stranded knitting projects.

Tips for successful stranded knitting colourwork

1. Best choice of yarns for stranded knitting

Selecting the right yarn for stranded knitting is crucial for achieving both visual appeal and practicality in the finished project. The best types of yarn for this technique typically include wool blends such as Shetland wool, Merino wool, or alpaca blends. These fibres possess characteristics ideal for colourwork due to their elasticity, warmth, and ability to hold their shape well.

Wool, in particular, provides excellent stitch definition, allowing intricate colour patterns to stand out vividly. Additionally, its natural elasticity aids in maintaining an even tension across the colourwork, resulting in a more uniform fabric.

While wool is often the primary choice for colourwork, blends with other fibres like silk or nylon can enhance durability and drape. Silk adds a subtle sheen to the yarn, enhancing the richness of the colours, while nylon improves strength, making the finished garment more resistant to wear and tear, especially for socks.

Detail of colorwork border on My Moongazers Capelet design

Natural fibres like wool, alpaca, and silk also have an advantage over other fibres due to their ability to be blocked.

Blocking involves dampening and shaping the finished piece, allowing stitches to settle and the fabric to relax. Wool, especially, responds well to blocking due to its elasticity and memory.

Blocking helps even out tension inconsistencies and enhances the colourwork's appearance. It can also correct distortions, maintaining symmetry in intricate motifs.

Yarns with a slightly fuzzy texture (halo), such as mohair or angora blends, can be forgiving of minor imperfections in tension or stitch consistency. Some gentle fuzziness helps to blur any irregularities in the colour transitions, creating a smoother overall appearance. However, avoid full on flooff  or you won’t be able to see all that beautiful colour work!

Ultimately, the best yarn for colourwork stranded knitting combines the qualities of good stitch definition, elasticity, warmth, and forgiving characteristics, ensuring a visually stunning and durable finished project.

2. Choosing colour schemes

Colour is a huge topic, is highly personal,  and can take a lifetime to fully explore! I won’t be able to do it justice here. I may dedicate a whole blog to this at some point, but to be honest you can write whole books on it!  In the meantime, here are a few hints and tips to help you in choosing the best colour scheme for you.

Everyone has their own individual relationship with colour and we all perceive  and respond to  it differently. Whilst studying colour theory etc can help provide a useful framework, there really are no rules.  If it looks good to you, then that is the best colour scheme for you!

Knit in colours that you like! - this may seem obvious, but take a look at you current wardrobe - what sort of colours do you tend to gravitate to? What do you feel good in? Are they bright? Soft? Muted shades? Do you prefer high contrast and lots of clashing colours, or prefer more harmonious combinations?

Yummy Rowan Felted Tweed!

One of my favourite yarns for Colourwork

Choosing colours that are in a similar ‘family’ (such as warmer shades re cooler ones, muted colours versus brighter hues etc) can help achieve a more pleasing result. For example, mixing pastel shades with bright fluorescent/acid shades may be jarring.  BUT - if it please you then go for it!

Where possible I strongly recommend choosing your colours in a yarn shop (rather than online), and viewing the yarns near a window as the natural light will give you a truer view of the colours.

An important and often overlooked consideration when planning colour schemes is the proportion of each colour used. It is unusual to have equal amounts of each colour, and in fact this can result in colours seeming to be ‘fighting’ with each other. So gathering together one ball of each to look at doesn’t give you a clear idea of the overall look and balance the colour scheme will have. Often a design will use a main colour with smaller amounts of contrast colours. With this in mind, when choosing which colours to use,  gather more balls of your intended main colour, and just one each of the contrast shades to look at together. This will give you more of an idea how it will look overall.

Successful colour schemes will usually have a mix of light, medium and dark tones, as this will achieve more visual interest and a balanced feel.

You can have complex colour schemes with Fairisle, changing colours every few rows to stunning effect, but even a simple pallet of just 2 colours can look beautiful. A key thing is to ensure you use colours with high tonal (light and dark) and/or colour contrast to show off the patterning to best effect, although less contrast can result in some beautifully soft and subtle pieces.

Bonnie Cowl

Clyde Steeked Cowl

For My Bonnie & Clyde Cowl I used a lovely soft oatmeal colour (camel) as a background with a warm teal (watery) as a contrast colour. Your choice of colours will greatly affect the 'mood' of your work, but even just switching the same colours around would give a very different effect.

3. Tension issues with stranded knitting

Due to how the knitted fabric is worked despite taking care not to pull the yarns too tight, stranded knitting will inevitably result in a tighter tension and thicker fabric than if you knitted stocking stick in a single strand of yarn. This is important to be aware of, particularly if knitting a garment that has large areas of single colour stocking stitch with bands or panels of stranded knitting. Skilled Designers will usually address this by adjusting stitch numbers or needle size for the transitions between plain stocking stitch and stranded knitting.

It’s easier to maintain tension where only a few stitches are knitted in one colour before switching to the other as this results in shorter floats. Relatively long gaps between colour changes will require  more weaving in and there is a risk that you’ll be able to see glimpses of the floats from the right side. A way to counter this problem is to knit on smaller needles than might be the norm for the yarn, resulting in a denser fabric overall thus minimising the issue, and that is how some designers (such as Marie Wallin) approach this to magnificent effect.

Knitters can all too easily be discouraged by their apparent uneven tension when first venturing into stranded knitting. If that’s you, I urge you to be kind to yourself, it takes practice! Even experienced knitters will find irregularities in their colour work, much of which can be significantly improved during the finishing and blocking process. It’s also important to remember we are hand knitting, not knitting machines, so some irregularity is to be expected and embraced!

If you are feeling tentative about trying this technique, then start small with a project such as an accessory, or a garment with just a small area of stranded knitting such as a border or on the yoke.

A few other tips to help manage tension include:

• Ensure you join in new colours at the beginning of a row (even if it’s not needed for a few stitches along the row) and work both colours to end of the row to prevent your work from ‘rolling’ in at the edges

• Spread stitches you have just worked on your needle to their correct spacing to ensure your floats are not pulled tight, preventing puckering.

• Consider the characteristics of the yarn (see above) will help - use a forgiving yarn and avoid yarns with little flexibility, such as cotton and linen.

Treecreepers Mitts

4. Yarn Dominance

When working with two colours of yarn in stranded knitting there is a subtle difference in how the colours appear, depending on how they’re carried behind the work. The yarn stranded below will appear bold and strong (dominant) and will stand out more than the yarn carried on top. 

When standing with both hands it’s easy to remember which is dominant - the dominant yarn will be held in the left hand. An easy way to remember though, whichever way you hold your yarns, is that the yarn Below = the Boss yarn!

It’s more typical to hold the contrasting colour as the dominant yarn, but this is really a matter of personal preference, and depends on the effect you are trying to achieve.

I hope the above will be of value to you on your learning journey about colourwork knitting  Have you tried stranded knitting or fairisle before? If so, how did you get on? Perhaps you are an experienced colourwork knitter with some great tips to share? I'd love to hear from you about your stranded knitting triumphs or disasters - do leave a comment below.

Happy knitting!

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