Ok, here's what must be a silly question.

I just started knitting and my first project is a scarf (surprise, surprise). It's charcoal grey with a couple of cream colored (actually "wheat") stripes on each end. So, while reading in my "Knitting for Dummies" book about how to switch colors I ran across the recommendation to carry the previous colored yarn up the side of the knitting instead of cutting and dropping the old color when starting the new. However, the instructions for doing so are somewhat vague and are paired with a diagram that appears to directly contradict the written instructions. Can someone explain to me how to do this or point me at a website that can clarify this apparently simple technique.

Thanks!
Thomas

This site (http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/na_knitting/article/0,2025,DIY_14141_3575795,00.html) talks about it a bit (towards the middle of the page). What I think you do (and what I've done) is just knit with one color, drop that yarn and knit with the new color, and then as long as you have an even number of rows in your stripes, you'll end up on the side where you left the first yarn. Just pick that up and start using it again! You just have to make sure that you don't pull too tight or let it hang loosely when you start using it again. And the site recommends not carrying it more than 1/2" up the side.

Hope that helps. :D

I was just reading a book today that was talking about this, and they suggested twisting the two yarns together at the end of the row. For example, you're knitting with the wheat color and then you switch to the charcoal. At the end of each charcoal row you twist the tail of the wheat with the tail of the charcoal & then drop the wheat & start knitting with the charcoal again. That way, the wheat is carried up the side and incorporated into the work as well. Then, when you're ready to switch back to the wheat, you simply switch and start knitting with it.

Now, I've never actually tried this myself, so I'm probably not the ideal person to be giving you advice, but I thought it seemed like a good concept.