Intarsia is different to multi-coloured knitting techniques such as Fair isle and Double Knitting as there can only be one 'active' colour when working and the different yarns are not carried across the back of the knit they are left 'hanging'.
The best example of intarsia is argyle socks usually with a diamond knit pattern of varying colours. Intarsia is also common for jumpers with knitted patterns and designs.
Hand Knitting with intarsia - what you will need:
Standard needles
Various coloured yarns
experienced in basic stitches including knit and purl
Bobbins
The bobbins are used to keep the 'inactive' yarn to one side, they resemble sewing machine bobbins but are much larger, however these intarsia bobbins can snap tight to keep the yarn from unwinding, especially useful when you drop one and you have to go chasing after it!
Knitting
The knitter will begin knitting their pattern, when a colour change is required the new colour is brought in from underneath the old colour strand and continues to knit. Just like with regular knitting, when you turn your knitting around, just continue as normal and change the colour when desired remembering to bring the new colour up from underneath the old. This should prevent holes.
Intarsia patterns can be as simple as vertical stripes, changing the colour in the exact same place every row. A great example is this Vest pattern published by knitshop.co.uk
They can become more complicated with geometrical shapes and even more complicated with designs of various shapes. However these can be calculated a little like a 'paint by number' project, except you knit by number. Intarsia patterns are given as charts which have little squares where a pattern or design are displayed. Remember to read the pattern from the lower right upwards.
For more information about intarsia knitting why not join us for our Colour Knitting workshops. Saturday 24th September Julieta will be teaching intarsia as well as fair isle knitting. This workshop will be repeated on October 1st. The two hour workshop will provide students with all materials and the class of 8 students maximum will mean a one-to-one teaching can be provided.
Machine Knitting with Intarsia
For all you machine knitters we've included a small segment on knitting by machine with intarsia - what you will need:
knitting machine
Intarsia carriage
Various coloured yarns
Knitting
The intarsia carriage resembles a normal machine knitting carriage, however this helps the knitter 'hold' the needles that do not require the colour you are using as well as change the colour and not create a hole.
The knitter will bring forward the needles that will be 'held' and will knit across the needles that are not 'held'. The knitter will adjust the needles when they need to change colour. However it is important to pull back the needles you have been knitting on before knitting across with the new colour. It is also advised to put plenty of weight on the segments being knitted.
The intarsia helps the segments merge creating one knitted fabric unlike if you were to use the holding technique which is restrictive for this type of knitting.
With machine knitting intarsia you have the added benefits of using punch cards to create interesting patterns.
Links to this post:
Pattern from knitshop.co.uk
Needles and other knitting accessories
Knitting and crochet yarns
Workshops and courses
