If you knit you will likely have heard of both of the terms Fair Isle and Intarsia but might not really know what they are. Essentially they are both colourwork techniques that are used to add patterned designs and various colours into your knitting. While the idea is similar there are actually variations in the way they are practised and this article will give you an outline of the distinctions.
Fair Isle
This procedure can range from very simple patterns to much more intricate ones depending on the number of colours used. In this technique the different colours are worked together so that as you knit one colour the rest will be moved across the back of the work twisting every few stitches to maintain the yarn tidy and tight. This is often a very messy method if you are working an intricate design that uses something such as 7 or 8 colours. Additionally it is something which needs to be done with some care as if you pull the yarn at the back too tight it will make the design more untidy. It requires plenty of practise but is something that can help you in making very comprehensive and intricate designs like adding flowers to your knitting.
Intarsia
Intarsia is considered a method better used where you require big blocks of colour. The reason for this is in Intarsia you do not carry the yarn across the back but instead join a new piece of yarn for every section of colour. It is the best method if you wish to create a big motif on a garment but should really be avoided for complicated designs. There are a couple of significant issues with this method, the first is that you have to join new colours in the middle of a row often so great care must be taken when you are performing this to stop a hole appearing in the front of your work. Another issue is that when your work is finished you will have a lot of ends to stitch in which can be time consuming and quite challenging if there are a number of different colours used.
Which Technique to Use?
It may seem like quite a difficult task deciding on the technique to use but what you ought to take into account is the project you are focusing on. If your colour design uses big blocks of colour that may easily be separated then Intarsia is a good approach to choose. If you have a more complicated design in which the colour changes often in the pattern then Fair Isle is an effective one to think about. A great way to look at it is that if you work less than 6 stitches and then change and then have to change back to the original colour again then Fair Isle needs to be used.
Take your time before starting a project and choose the technique that will be perfect for your purpose. Then when you start take it slowly and ensure you perfect it the best that you can.
Author Resource:-
This article was provied by Mercedes Aspland for The Knitting Shop where you can discover an extensive choice of knitting wool as well as more tips and advice on knitting.
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