Stitchboard Admin message #2
Re: Changing colors while knitting?
March 13, 2016 at 3:44:54 AM  (in response to truckersgirl032515 message #1)
 
Welcome! 

Aside from the obvious (sigh, practice, practice, practice), I really need to know if I'm understanding your question correctly.  Are you asking about switching colors - e.g., crossing one color over another so there is no hole left in the knitting?  Or are you referring to carrying the yarn over X number of stitches as you knit, and then it bunches when you change the yarn?

As far as switching colors is concerned, that really is a case of practicing; however, if you're talking about carrying the yarn over X number of stitches, that's a completely different story.

Carrying long floats or loops of yarn across your knitting, yes, even in the back where it doesn't show, is not recommended.  I know it technically can't be seen, but if your bunching up is caused by too long floats or loops of yarn, then the only way to eliminate the problem is by stranding.  I would say about every 2-3 stitches or so, you should purposely cross the colors over each other in the back of your work, so this will "catch" the carried yarn and keep it neat.  Make sure the color is securely held in there, though...it may be that crossing once doesn't do it and the second time does.  Long floats or loops of yarn simply left at the back of your work will cause bunching.

If this is a first-time project for you; if you've never worked from a graph before, my suggestion is usually to start smaller, such as with a pillow.  I know the anticipation of wanting to start something immediately, but it's usually easier to work out the kinks with a smaller project, rather than a larger one. 

Hope that helps! 

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