Knitting with two colors - blanket

[eworner]

I am very new to knitting as well. I am trying to make a simple blanket for my niece...nothing fancy, but two colors. I cast-on with both colors and then I do 2 rows of each. It seems like the sides would get extremely sloppy if I wanted to do more rows per color. How do I avoid this? I have seen scarf patterns that use many colors and it looks as if each color is tied off at the ends...if that's the case, I'm really lost. Any help?
Thank you.


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The Mod Squad was here

[ekgheiy]

If you knit with two colors by carrying the yarn up the side, you can only carry the yarn for 2 or 4 rows. Any more rows than that will be a bit messy. So if you're knitting more than 4 rows, you'll have to cut the yarn of one color and tie on the yarn of the new color. Make sure you leave a good six inch tail (or more) to make weaving the ends easier.

Does that help any?

[eworner]

Thanks! I have 2 more questions...

1) How do I bind off with two colors? Is it the same for casting on, using both at one time?

2) Is there any patterns out there for a SIMPLE(!!) design...maybe something that just deals with knit and purl!? I'll get into the harder stuff eventually!

Thanks!

[eworner]

one more thing...is there any rule to tie on a new color (besides the tail)? Do I have to do any special knot or anything else I should know about that?

[metalsgirl]

If I'm understanding correctly, you are not using both colors in the same row right? If that is the case, then you will only be binding off in one color (the one you did the last couple of rows with) - for all other color changes, you just tie the new color on at the beginning of the row (no special knot - in fact, I don't "tie on" at all, I just drop the old yarn and start knitting with the new color), make sure to leave enough yarn to weave in your ends, and you're done - does this help??

[ekgheiy]

Thanks! I have 2 more questions...

1) How do I bind off with two colors? Is it the same for casting on, using both at one time?

2) Is there any patterns out there for a SIMPLE(!!) design...maybe something that just deals with knit and purl!? I'll get into the harder stuff eventually!

Thanks!

1 - That depends on whether you were knitting with one color at a time. If you were knitting with one color at a time, then you would just bind off with just one color. If you were knitting with two colors at the same time, then continue to bind off with both colors.

2 - You can just do a simple garter scarf. That's what I did when I started color work. I used two different shades of pink.
Cast on with dark pink, knit 2 rows. Add light pink and knit 2 rows. DO NOT CUT YARN, simply let go of the dark pink and just start knitting with the light pink. After 2 rows of light pink, pick up dark pink and k 2 rows. Keep switching until scarf is as long as you want it.

one more thing...is there any rule to tie on a new color (besides the tail)? Do I have to do any special knot or anything else I should know about that?

You can tie it on, but you don't have to. You can just start knitting with the new color. The first couple sts will tend to be loose, so you'll have to hold the new color's tail for a few sts. At first, you can hold that tail in your left hand with the left needle. But as your dexterity progresses, you can hold it in your right hand with the working yarn, if you knit English. If you knit conti, then you can hold in your right hand and progress to your left. But it really doesn't matter which hand you hold the tail as long as it's comfortable Some people even knit with both the tail and the working yarn for a couple sts. I personally don't like to do that, but try and see if you do