I have struggled for years with stranding, the colorwork technique which uses two or more colors in a single row of knitting. Despite my best efforts my stitches tend to be uneven and puckery. I envy friends whose stranded projects fly off the needles with such perfect tension it seems they’ve already been blocked!
I hate to admit defeat, so once in a while I make another stab at a stranded project. That’s how I ended up knitting the cute Dewlap Cowl designed by Ann Kingstone.
While I’ve gotten a little bit better, it’s clear that I’m going to need more practice.
I was nearly done with the cowl when I discovered a YouTube video which really clicked for me. It’s a simple tutorial for stranded knitting and made me realize I need to pay more attention to the stitches on my right needle. It made all the difference for the last few rows of my cowl! Maybe you’d like it too:
I think I’ll try one more dk weight pattern. Then if I get the hang of it, my goal is to try any of the beautiful sweater patterns worked in a smaller gauge. That’d be one way to make pandemic-time productive!
Resources:
Ann Kingston The designer’s website is a real treat! Her blog offers fascinating looks into history, she offers her books and patterns for sale, and has several useful tutorials.
Kelbourne Woolens Scout A 100% wool, dk weight yarn. The heathered colors give lovely dimension.
The Clubkidknitters channel is a colorful playground of all sorts of fun colorwork techniques.