Loom Knitting Color Series, Simple Color Changes

Hello loom knitters and welcome to our color series! 

Color is everywhere...it affects our mood, inspires us and makes us feel more creative!

This is the first in a series of blog posts and accompanying videos discussing different methods of using color in your loom knitting. Check back for future articles or subscribe to our mailing list to be the first notified of the new posts in this series. This post is a beginners guide to simple or easy colorwork covering variegated and self-striping yarns, color pooling, stripes (horizontal and vertical), and large vertical blocks of color. 

The series will include

• Topic 1: Beginners! Simple Colorwork on the loom including, self-striping, variegated yarn, stripes and color changes, vertical and horizontal colorwork
• Topic 2:  How to fix the jog when knitting stripes.
• Topic 3:  Fair Isle loom knitting
• Topic 4:  Intarsia on the loom
• Topic 5:  Mosaic & Skip/slip Stitch Loom Knitting
• Topic 6:  Finding color inspiration
• All the topics will include video links where applicable.

Topic 1: Simple Colorwork on the loom including vertical and horizontal colorwork

The variegated yarn in this project is an example of a self-striping yarn with long color changes.

Variegated and self-striping yarns

• No color changes necessary, the yarn does all the work.
• This does not mean you can not control the look of the color changes. Below are some ways to change it up.
• Vary your sts:  Changing the stitch can greatly affect how your color changes look. Experiment with skip/slip sts, knits, and purls on a swatch and see how it affects the look of your work.
• Color Pooling:  You can measure the color changes of your yarn and cause color pooling for really interesting, modern effects. Here is a nice guide for color pooling:  Color pooling guide.  Here is a color pooling calculator:  Calculator
• Long/short color changes:  Choose yarns for short or long color changes. The picture of the baby dress above shows a variegated yarn with long color changes. Yarn that looks mottled or blended has very short color changes. You can plan your project with this in mind.
• Combine colors:  Use a solid and a variegated yarn for interesting designs.

This is an example of intentional striping. This yoga legwarmer pattern can be found here:  Get the pattern!

Simple stripes (horizontal colorwork)

When you want to change the color of your yarn for stripes, how do you do it?

• Leave a 4-inch tail, hold it firmly and beginning knitting with the new yarn color. It's as simple as that!
• You do not need to knot it to any other yarn you are working with. Knots leave uncomfortable/unsightly bumps in your knitting and can come undone later.
• You will weave the tails into your knitting later. This will secure your ends and keep them from unraveling.
• If you are changing color often (under 5 rows): You may run the unused color inside the knitting of a hat or other garment/project where it will be hidden, occasionally catching it at the end of a row by laying the non-working yarn on top of the working yarn. This is not desirable if the backside of the knitting will be seen as it can be unsightly. Do a swatch if you are not sure.

When making stripes, how do I make a clean color change?

Help, I'm getting a "blip" or running thread/ladder across my knitting when I'm changing colors. First, let me say, this "blip" always occurs in knitting when doing stockinette/purl stitches. The only thing we can control is where the "blip" shows up. On the front/public side or back of our knitting.

As you see in the above illustration, stockinette has both a "head" to the stitch and a running thread at the bottom of the "V" formed in stockinette.

If you want a clean color change as in this example, you must change color on a knit row.

If you want the "blip to show on the public side, change color on a purl or ribbing row.

How do I control which side the "blip" shows up on?

• If you want a "clean" color change. Always change color on a knit row. It is acceptable to add a knit row within ribbing also if you would like a clean color change in a ribbed portion. It will barely be noticeable and I do this often in my patterns.
• If you want the "blip" to show up on the right/public side, change color on a purl or ribbing row.

How do I make vertical stripes in my loom knitting?

This depends on whether your stripes will be close together or far apart in large blocks.

Repetitive (vertical) striping

• Skip every other peg by putting the yarn in back of the peg to do 1 x 1 stripes as seen in the picture below. The alternate pegs (or skipped pegs) are worked in another color. Here's a secret...this is also your most basic Fair Isle pattern, not so hard right?! Here's an example on the brim of our Snowman Hat 

• Make wider 2 x 2 vertical stripes by skipping 2 pegs with the yarn in back (wyib) of the pegs. See the chart below. Work 2 sts in color A and 2 sts in color B, always skipping necessary pegs with the yarn behind the pegs. It is not recommended to skip more than 2 pegs without catching the yarn (that will be explained in topic 2, Fair Isle).

• There is no need to twist your yarn together or lock it in with the two examples above. The yarn will float along the back of your knitting and automatically be secured as you knit. Larger gauge looms will produce bigger "floats" than a smaller gauge loom so keep that in mind when making baby items as little fingers can get caught in the knitting.

The ears on the rabbit hat are an example of vertical blocks of color.

How do I make large, vertical, solid areas of color?

• Referring to the chart below. You would knit the indicated number of sts in color A, then knit the indicated number of sts in color B. Next twist the two colors together 1 time. You must twist the colors together (every time they meet) to prevent making two separate sections of knitting. Twisting locks the two colors together and makes a seamless join as you work. Vertical Color Video/Twisting Your Colors Together
• The ears of the bunny, in the pattern pictured above, shows this technique.

Note:  You may make your blocks of color any width, using any number of sts, the above is just an example. You can also do as many blocks as you would like.

I hope you are enjoying this series so far and it inspires you to add more color to your loom knitting. Please leave a comment below if you have any questions. Have a great day!