In this video I demonstrate a technique for working one-round stripes (think striped hat) with clean color changes.
THE MATH:
Take your total number of stitches, and divide that number by the number of colors you want to use in your stripes. In my sample, I have 72 stitches and 3 colors. 72 divided by 3 = 24, so I have 24 stitches between each of my markers. If the number of stripes you want to use don’t divide evenly into your stitch count (ex, 80 stitches and three colors), that’s okay. It isn’t vital that the stitches between the markers are the exact same number of stitches – getting close is fine. In the example I just gave, I would put 28/26/26 stitches in my segments.
For two-color helix stripes, the technique is basically the same, but you only need one stitch marker at the beginning of the round. Knit around with your first color, then knit your second round with your second color. At the marker, switch back to the first color without wrapping the two yarns (same as using three or more colors). Keep in mind that the first few rounds look wonky, but it all starts to look much better after you are several rounds in.
The yarn in my “bad” example is leftover from my Om Shawl.
The yarn in my “good” sample is Berroco Vintage Worsted.
The needles I use are all Knitter’s Pride 16″ circulars from interchangeable sets.
My nail polish is Gelish, “I Or-kid You Not”.
Have done a few helix hats but not pleased at how they look when bound off, is there a special way todo this. Unable to find anything anout this on the web.
Look foward to your videos each week. At 84+ am still learning!
Hi Jean – nothing special needs to be done…you can choose to work the BO in the same colors as the knitting, or drop two of the colors and work the BO in just one color.
S t a c i
I knitted this one with 5 colours. I love them so are grandkids!
Oh I forgot. I found the pattern at Ravelry
This is brilliant! Thanks, Staci…..
How would you do the decreases for a hat?
Dalva – you follow your pattern, and work the decreases while maintaining the helix technique. Just keep your markers in place, and the number of stitches between the markers will decrease, but the technique will be the same.
S t a c i
Thank you. Your videos are my guide. You are the best teacher.
Live the helix idea of change g cors. Thank you. You as re a great teacher.
Did you knit the yellow/white hat with just 2 colors? It looks like 2 rows white 1 row yellow. I want to do a 2/1 row stripe on a project and wonder if you can do it with helix, using 2 balls of one color and a third in another color? Thank you ! Love your videos, podcasts, website and all your contributions to making the art of knitting so accessible!
Mary – in that sample, there is white, light blue, and yellow. But I believe what you have described would work, as long as you have two balls going of the same color.
S t a c i
Thank you so much! I will try it and see if it works.
Mary
Would it be silly to think this could be done with socks? Maybe using an ‘afterthough’t heel? (It’d be kinda cool.)