Multicolor knitting is knitting with two or more colors of yarn. According to the method of execution, we can distinguish jacquard knitting and, which are usually called lazy or false jacquards. Classic ones are made using stockinette stitch, changing yarn colors and pulling threads on the wrong side of the work. Another type of jacquard knitting, which came from Sweden, is bohus knitting, performed with both knit and purl loops (on the front side). Pulling the threads on the wrong side narrows the work, so you need to especially carefully monitor the tension of these threads, do not tighten them, otherwise the jacquard pattern will not turn out beautiful. The photo shows mittens knitted with a jacquard pattern (click on the picture if you want to see the pattern).

The false jacquard technique is that each row is knitted with yarn of the same color; there is no color change in the row. The pattern is formed, as a rule, due to . The false jacquard technique is easier to perform, does not require much experience, and such patterns can be recommended to beginner knitters.

But no matter what technique you use, in multi-color knitting there is always a need to add yarn of a different color at the beginning or during knitting of a row.

Let's look at some techniques that may be useful to you when knitting multicolors.

Attaching a thread at the beginning of a row

The thread of the new color is grabbed together with the thread of the previous color and the two threads are knitted together in the edge loop of the row that precedes the row in which the yarn of the new color is introduced (in this case, burgundy).

Attaching a new color of yarn at the beginning of the row, first stage

The work is turned over, the edge loop is removed as usual, and then the row is knitted with yarn of a new color. The remaining “tail” is crocheted into the edge loops.

Attaching a new color of yarn at the beginning of the row, second stage

Changing yarn color at the beginning of a row

Sometimes it becomes necessary to frequently change colors at the beginning of a row when knitting two colors of yarn, especially when knitting lazy jacquards. In this case, the following method is suitable for decorating the side edge of the fabric: the edge loops are knitted with yarn of both colors, then the work is turned over, and the next row is knitted in the desired color. The result is a neat, albeit thicker, side edge of the canvas.

Changing yarn color at the beginning of the row: side edge

Another way to change colors at the beginning of a row- knit the last stitch of the knit row behind the front wall, turn the work over, and do not remove the edge loop, as usual, and also knit the knit stitch, but in a different color, and the working thread should go from above.

Changing the thread at the beginning of the row to form a decorative edge

As a result, we get a beautiful decorative edge that is suitable for knitting scarves. But in order for the tension of the fabric along the side edges of the part to be the same, at the other end of the row the first edge loop also needs to be knitted, and not removed.

If there is a large distance between the rows in which the color change occurs, then it is better to pull the thread of the non-working color through the broaches between the penultimate and last (edge) loop.

Connecting the ends of the threads

Often there is a need to join the ends of threads, and not only when knitting in multiple colors, but also simply when you need to start from a new ball. In this case, you can tie the ends with a special knot, when the ends of the threads are twisted twice at the second stage of tying the knot (see more details). Such a knot does not untie and turns out small:

Using the same knot, you can not only tie the ends of the yarn, but also tie yarn of a different color in a row, if you need to introduce a new color when jacquard knitting.

Attaching a new color thread to a row

You can join the threads without a knot by twisting the ends. In this case, several loops are knitted in two threads, so the yarn should be thin enough so that these loops do not stand out too much against the general background.

Securing long strands of thread in classic jacquards

When knitting classic jacquards, sometimes too long broaches are formed, which create inconvenience when wearing the finished product. If there are more than 4 loops between color changes, the broaches are intertwined with the working thread.

Interweaving the drawing thread with the working thread when working from the front side

Straight blade

Flat knitting in the circle is used for the bottom of bags, baskets, hats and rugs. Crocheting is really done in the round, without turning to the wrong side.

If knitting in rows, then the work is turned after each knitted row. Then you should perform a lifting loop, at the end or beginning of the next row, and continue all over again. The post describes the basic steps for making a tight weave.

Flat knitting in rows

Flat crochet starts with a chain. Sometimes it can be annoying when you knit the first row and a few stitches of the chain are missing for a certain pattern (Figure 1).

Close knitting

This is the main reason for incorrectly calculating the chain length. Well, this happens.

What to do in this case? Always leave a long starting thread called the “tail” and use it to knit the missing loops (Figure 2).

The number of additional chain loops (lifting loops) depends on the knitting pattern and the height of the column.

Lifting hinges

These are air loops that always start a new row. For double crochets, these are two chain stitches, for double crochets, three chain stitches, for double crochets, four chain stitches, and so on.

But these figures are approximate; the number of lifting loops depends on the type of needlework, the thickness of the thread and the size of the hook.

At the end of each row knit the indicated number of chain stitches, then turn the knitting and knit the first stitch of the new row over the last stitch of the previous row.

Air loops as if they remain in the air, creating the height of the row (Fig. 3). Knit the end of the row into the last lifting loop of the previous row (Fig. 4). To knit the second row, perform lifting loops (Fig. 5), turn the knitting and continue working.

How to attach thread

It happens that you need to attach a thread of a different color to a knitted fabric, or the working thread runs out, or in the worst case, breaks. What to do?

Fold the new thread, with a short tip length, in half. Grab the fold and pull it out with a crochet hook through the previous two loops of connected stitches. Without removing the hook from the loop, tighten the working thread through them (Fig. 5). Carefully hide the “tail” on the wrong side of the knitting.

Or you can first hide it in the knitting fabric, stretch it through several loops and continue working. There should be no knots. Carefully trim the end of the thread.

How to attach thread

If, according to the pattern, you need to introduce a thread of a different color, then you should pull it through two loops of the knitted row and continue knitting with a new thread (Fig. 1-3). Fasten the thread as described above.

The types of some motifs, such as squares, triangles and so on, must be very well adjusted (Figure 1-4).

Combining motifs in canvases

There are motifs that can be stitched or along the outline, which leads to interesting patterns.

Methods of connecting motifs

1. Using a needle, capturing the outermost segments of the final row of two motifs.
2. The needle captures the inner slices of the last row in turn.
3. The motifs are placed face to face and crocheted through the inner slices of the last row.
4. The motifs are placed face to face, the thread is crocheted through two loops of each motif and single crochets are knitted.
5. Same as in step 4, but the thread is pulled through the outer segments of the edge.
6. Place the squares side by side and, grabbing the outermost slices of the motifs, crochet a chain through them.
7. There are a lot of connections of canvases. The picture shows some of them very clearly.

Circular flat knitting is different from knitting in rows. Work begins on creating the initial ring.

Let's consider one way to create it point by point, in accordance with the figure.

1. Knit a chain of five chain stitches. Place the first loop on the hook and pull the working yarn through both loops (Figure 1).
2. Knit two lifting loops (Fig. 2) and knit 11 single crochets into the center of the ring.
3. Join the loop on the hook and the loop on the top of the lifting loop by pulling the yarn through both loops (Figure 3).

This creates a circle of 12 single crochets. The first lifting loop is included in the loop count. At the end of the row, a connecting loop is made to maintain the circle shape.

To continue knitting, knit two lifting loops again. To make flat knitting, you need to knit a chain of several loops between the posts. All this is indicated in the diagrams.

If you do not add loops, you will get a three-dimensional piece. When knitting subsequent rows, the hook is inserted under the 2 upper arches of each loop, unless otherwise indicated in the knitting pattern.

Create a ring

The next way to create a ring. It is often called an adjustable ring.

Initial ring

If you don’t want to leave a hole at the beginning of circular knitting, then the ring is created without the initial chain of loops. For this:

1. Make a loop with the fingers of your right hand (working thread on the left, tail on the right), it should be larger than a regular loop.
2. Hold it with the fingers of your left hand, insert the hook into it, grab the working thread and pull it through the loop (Fig. 1).
3. Pull the working thread through the loop on the hook again to strengthen the post (Figure 2-3).
4. The first loop is ready, then knit double crochets or single crochets. Knit the required number of loops, pull the “tail” and a ring without a hole is formed (Fig. 5).

Circular flat knitting involves adding a certain number of stitches in each row. The following table shows how many stitches to add on each row to make flat knitting live up to its name.

Start knitting with any ring described above. In the table, the first row begins with a “magic ring” of 6 single crochets.

The following rows increase the increase, that is, 2 single crochets are knitted into one loop.

Did you notice one thing? At the end of each row, the number of knitted loops is indicated in square brackets. If the row number is multiplied by the initial number of loops (a constant number in this example), you will get the number of connected loops in the row.

Sleight of hand, and no fraud. The easiest of all methods. NO points or steps!

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We knit the last stitch in the row. Remove the loop from the hook. Insert the hook into the top of the lifting chain, and then into the left loop. And we knit them in one fell swoop with a thread of a different color. Those. it turns out to be a regular connecting post, but the loops are swapped.
This method allows you to knit without tearing the thread. But ideally it only works on RLS. This way you can knit in one color - the seam also looks better. On CH - the lifting chain slightly turns away from knitting, but still the result is not bad.

I have another good option so as not to tear off the thread - but the effect is the same. You complete the SS row. Pull out a larger loop and pull the ball through it, tighten it until it stops. Those. you no longer have a free loop. With a new thread, start the next row with a lifting chain. The seam on multi-colored rows will be without unnecessary inclusions. But dissolving such a thing is problematic.

If you still knit as usual, you need to pull the last stitch before the connecting stitch as tightly as possible, a little will help.

You have probably already encountered, or will continue to encounter, the problem that when knitting a piece in the round with two colors, the line where the colors meet does not turn out straight, but twists in a spiral (moves to the right). How to correctly add a new color?

Let's start by introducing a new color.
We introduce the new color not from the column indicated in the diagram or in the description, but in the previous column, that is, knitting the last yarn over of the column with a new color (as shown in the photo below).

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We draw the first thread on the wrong side, intertwining with the second or simply pulling it loosely (sometimes dark threads can show through through light threads, then it is better to use the second method). We return the first thread in the same way as we introduced the second.

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To ensure that the line where the colors meet is even and does not move anywhere, you should knit the last stitch of the first color not into a loop, but into the single crochet of the previous row (as shown in the photo below), and also knit the first stitch of the second color.

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If the toy is small, you can knit it completely in a column, as the Japanese do.

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Changing thread And changing colors when crocheting- This is one of the most important and problematic points. You can simply tie the two ends of the thread, but it will not look beautiful, it may not be reliable, and the knot may rub when you touch the body. Therefore, we will consider the option changing thread, in which we can do without a tight knot.

Now we will consider a case in which we need to make a transition from one thread color to another in closed or circular knitting (i.e., the rows are closed by connecting stitches).

2. On a knitted product we need to leave the last connecting loop unknitted; it needs to be done in a new color. We pass the hook through the first loop of the last row and put on a white loop. We pull the white loop through the purple ones (as if it were a working thread), thereby performing

3. We tie the purple and white ponytails once so that the half knot is on the wrong side (in the photo the wrong side). We do not tighten it too much, so that the white loop is of normal size.

5. We begin to knit single crochets in my case and stitches according to the pattern in your version. If we knit a dense fabric, then we hide the tails that come from the knot between the loops of the column when making it. To do this, we hold the tails, placing them along the fabric and grab the working thread behind them, and pull them out in front. This way the tails end up in the center of the column. And if you have openwork knitting, then you will have to hide the tails manually using a needle, and try to separate them in different directions.

There are often cases when, when knitting large items, the thread in a ball or skein runs out or breaks, or maybe a defective section is encountered and then you need to carefully add the thread. Moreover, if it is not added carefully, then everything can warp, move out and generally ruin the appearance. What to do if you run out of balls?

Many will say: “What’s so complicated about tying the two ends together and tying them further…” Have you ever touched the place where this very knot is located? An unpleasant sensation, especially if the thread is quite thick and dense! It’s like a prickly mound!

You and I don’t need this! That’s why we’ll now look at an example of carefully adding thread!

Let's get started! I draw your attention to the fact that to add a thread of a different color, they use a slightly different method; this is not suitable for multi-colored knitting. We will consider multi-colored knitting separately!

For clarity, I used two colors - purple thread is ending yarn, white is a new skein.

1. We tie it so that there is at least 5 cm left to the edge of the knitting and at the same time the tail of the ending thread is about 20 cm, like this:

2. We make it on a new skein of yarn.

3. Thread the hook to start knitting the next loop of the row and put a loop of the new thread on the hook

5. We hook two threads at once - a new one and an old one, and be careful not to hook the short tail of the new thread, but the long one going to the skein

7. We thread the hook into the next loop of the previous row, and our two “tails” should be along the knitting and above the hook, as in the photo

8. After knitting a single crochet it will look like this, then we use only a new thread

9. We knit single crochets, hiding the ends about 5 cm, if the edge is reached, then we hide both threads as in the lesson “