Hey there and welcome to the first edition of KnitSpotting, a feature that highlights knit and crochetwear seen on TV, in Magazines, on the street…just about everywhere. I’m Vickie Howell and I’ll be your your yarn spy!
Hey, Gleeks, this one’s for you! Last week saw the much awaited return of the TV phenom, Glee which much to my delight also included some knitwear. I love how the wardrobe department chooses a theme for each episode and runs with it–one show featured bows throughout, another focused on the color yellow, and the last one was a subtle salute to knitted color work. Check out screen shot proof from the “Hell-o” episode!
Chris Colfer as “Kurt” in a Fair Isle Smoking Jacket-style Sweater
Leah Michelle as “Rachel” Wearing a Chunky Knit, Fair Isle Cardi
Color Work Defined
Have you heard colorwork terms thrown around in the knitting world, but aren’t really sure what they mean? Well here’s the scoop!
Intarsia
A method of knitting that involves color blocks. Following a chart, you’ll literally knit a simple picture into your garment.
Work in the main color, switching to the pattern color(s) as called for by the design.
Mosaic Knitting
In my humble opinion, this is among the most user-friendly of color work options. There’s no carrying of multiple yarns across your rows and no worry of holes being created by changing yarns between color blocks. Mosaic knitting involves two different colors of yarn, only one of which is actually used to knit in any given row. You only change yarn at the beginning of every other row, a if you were knitting 2-row stripes.
Fair Isle
This is a method of knitting that uses two or three different colors in the same row of your project. Instead of joining in a new ball of yarn every time the pattern’s chart calls for a different color, you’ll loosely carry the “inactive” color along the back or “non-public” side of the work.
Want to try your hand at Fair Isle? Try the Simply Soft Boy’s Sweater, by Marilyn Losee!
Craft.Rock.Love,
Vickie
P.S. Like KnitSpotting? Then you’ll love Movie Mondays! Check ‘em out on my blog.
