Monica Knits

This is the fourth in a series of articles on inserting beads and sequins in knitting. This one demonstrates a variation of the carrier yarn method in which a coordinating, fingering weight carrier is stranded and/or woven behind the work. In my opinion, the appearance is better than the slip stitch method and can be better than the knitted carrier yarn method (if bulk is an issue, or a coordinating yarn is difficult to find). This approach enables the use of beads otherwise too small to thread onto worsted or heavier weight fashion yarn. Read more... for stepwise illustrated instructions and further discussion.

These fingerless gloves were knitted with alpaca yarn so soft, it feels like you are caressing a kitten or puppy. Not only was the yarn a pleasure to knit, but the gloves are luxurious to wear. They were designed as fingerless gloves to allow me to wear them while typing at the computer. Alpaca yarn was selected for its warmth and a stranding technique was used to provide a further layer of insulation and greater warmth. The room in which our computer is housed is cold--good for computers, not so good for typing! The gloves provide the perfect mix of comfort and style, while keeping the fingers cozy. The photo on the right shows the stranding technique.

Video clips have been linked to popular articles in this blog. If there are other video clips you would like to see, please post a comment on the Monica Knits youtube site.

Click here to read the article: Undoing Knit Stitches (Knit in Reverse):
Click here to watch the related video clip showing knitting in reverse: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDW9gKXBm1M .

Click here to read the article: Undoing Purl Stitches (Purl in Reverse) Video link --> "Purl in Reverse" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-1D05dCcxU

Click here to read the article:
Basic Glove - Cuff (a cuff in two color, stranded knitting in the round)
Color Work - Stranding (stranding instructions - flat work)
Click here to watch a video on using a fingertip knitting guide to knit with 2 colors in the round: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-0ApmvvhTA .

Updated January 5, 2011

Both of the patterns shown use two-color techniques. In the example on the left a mosaic knitting method is used and, on the right a Fair Isle technique. For the mosaic technique, each row is knitted with a single color only. While the main color is being worked, the contrast color is slipped purlwise. With the Fair Isle technique, two colors are typically knitted in a given row. While the first color is being knitted, the second, unused color is stranded on the reverse side. Each of the techniques has advantages. Read more... for benefits and additional photos. Click on a thumbnail to view a larger image.