STITCH ANATOMY Intarsia Pillow Lesson by Arenda Holladay

As with all articles in the Stitch Anatomy Series, the lesson discusses two colors of are used in a row; the color not in use is loosely the stitch pattern in detail, any potential problems in working it and stranded behind the work in a . This produces a thick, fa irly tips for improving the appearance. For those interested, a pattern inelastic fabric. Generally worked in the round, stranded designs for a pillow using the stitch pattern follows. The pattern outlines the tend to be repetitive patterns which are repeated across the round steps involved in designing with the stitch pattern. Also included is or row. Color changes are only made at the beginning of a round information for anyone who wants to try designing a similar pillow or row. on their own using different , a different pillow size or even a variation of the pattern. Instead of repetitive motifs, intarsia designs are independent blocks of color which create a "picture." Color changes can occur ABOUT INTARSIA anywhere in the row and there is no limit to the number of colors The previous lesson in this series featured stranded . This used. article will discuss intarsia, another technique for working with different colors of yarn. It is helpful to understand the differences between stranded knitting and intarsia. In stranded knitting, only continued on page 16

www.TKGA.com 15 continued from page 15 Choosing Appropriate Yarn As fo r any project, it is important to select appropriate yarn. Controlling tension in intarsia can be a problem and for this reason you may want to avoid inelastic fibers such as cotton and As with stranded work, most intarsia patterns are worked in linen for your fi rst attempts. Wool and acrylic blends are good Stockinette stitch but since there are no "floats" the fabric is not choices for learning the technique. thick. Unlike stranded knitting, intarsia is generally worked flat. There is a technique in which designs can be worked in the ro und Colors but this article will not discuss them. Sources for the technique Color is another factor you must consider when working intarsia are included in the bibliography. designs. This article does not discuss color theory but as for any color work, the designs will not be visible if there is not enough Intarsia knitting was very popular in the 1980s. The designs of contrast between the colors, especially the background color. Kaffe Fasselt, Sasha Kagan and Susan Duckworth all fea tured in­ tarsia designs. The photo of Lady Diana Spencer in the "Black '.The degree of difficulty in intarsia work is directly linked to the Sheep" sweater caused a sensation and resurgence of interest in number of colors used in the design. The more colors, the more in tarsia. (For those of you too young to remember, this sweater difficult the project will be. Before committing to a design, care­ had one black sheep in a group of white sheep.) fully review the pattern to see how many colors there a re and how often colors change in a row. Balance the appeal of the design My obsession with knitting began in the 1980s and m.any of my with the amount of work it wi ll take to complete the design. fi rst projects were intarsia sweaters which prompted me to take a class on the technique. As a novice knitter I had hoped this The number of colors also makes finishing more trying. All of the class would help me solve the frustrations that I found with in­ yarn tails need to be woven in. Techniques for in tails will tarsia patterns. I discovered the truth that the things I found be discussed later. difficult about intarsia are just part of the process. More about that later. Charts All intarsia designs provide charts. Unlike the charts for stranded lntarsia designs aren't as popular as they once were but they will designs, which are geometric patterns repeated over and over always be an important part of baby's and children's designs. For across a row, intarsia charts frequently show the complete piece. that reason , designs for children are also featured in this issue. If you look at the chart fo r the pillow in this lesson you will see The Girl's Bubbles & Stripes Cardigan, Preppy Boy's Vest, it is for the entire fron t of the pillow. Sin ce intarsia designs are Moon & Stars Sweater and Hearts Cardigan are good examples worked flat, the RS rows of the chart are read from right to left of these designs but a quick look through any book that fea ­ and WS rows are read from left to right. tures baby and child garments will provide plenty more. Debbie Bliss, Zoe Mellor, Lucinda Guy and Ji! Eaton are all designers Working from Charts well known for their designs for babies and children. All feature If you look at the Pillow Front Chart (see page 2 1) , yo u will see many intarsia patterns. that the first six rows are worked in the background color, Bear. Row 7 is the first intarsia row. On this row, you knit 24 stitches The Master program has two requirements for in­ in the background color. You drop the first color and use the tarsia. The bane of Level 2 is the argyle sock. Knitters completing second color, Straw. Leaving a ya rn tail long enough to weave that level frequently post their frustrations about this require­ in later, you knit three stitches. Although you could strand the ment in the TKGA forum on .com or on the TKGA Master's backgro und colo r behind the three stitches, it is better to join forum on the TKGA website. It is not included in the program as a n ew ball of Bear as you will not be able to strand it on the a subtle form of torture; rather it pays homage to the history of following rows. Thirty-two stitches are knit with the second ball knitting. O ur grandmothers and great grandmothers knit many of Bear. Three stitches are knit with Straw and the rest of the argyle socks. Level 3 requires an intarsia swatch of the knitter's own stitches are knit with Bear. For this one line in the chart, yo u use choice. five balls of yarn. Never knot the yarn. You can tie temporary knots but if you have left a long enough tail , temporary knots Selecting yarns, colors, working with charts, dealing with mul­ aren't necessary. tiple balls of yarn, avoiding holes, managing the tension at color changes, and weaving in yarn tails are the primary issues when Dealing with the Yarn wo rking an intarsia design. This articl e will discuss these very T he most frustrating aspect of intarsia is dealing with several practical issues. balls of yarn on one row. Most books that discuss intarsia provide

16 Cast On· May- July 2009 recommendations. (The bibliography provides a partial list for Whatever method you choose, expect to experience frustration. those interested in additional information). Rarely would it be Just keep reminding yourself how wonderful the final product practical to use a complete skein for each color change. Smaller will be. Some projects are fu n to knit while others only provide lengths of each color are more practical. A summary of the vari­ satisfa ction when they are complete. Intarsia fall s into this second ous ways to manage the ynrn follows. lllustrntion 1 shows several category, at least for me. of the techniques. Avoiding Holes Bobbins - There is a variety of bobbin types available. The yarn is When changing colors in the design it is necessary to wrap wound around the bobbin which has a notch or some other way the ya rns around each other or there will be a hole at the join. to secure it from unwinding. lntarsia designs result from changes made on a grid which are either·ve rtical or diagonal moves. If you look at the Pillow Front Butterflies - Yarn is wound around yo ur thumb and index finger Chart, notice that the circles get bigger (or smaller) when stitch­ in a fi gure eight. The yarn is cut and the end is wrapped tightly es are worked diagonall y on the next row. When the circle is at around the middle of the ya rn and fastened to create the but­ its widest point, the rows for the ci rcle are worked vertically. terfly. How yo u change colo rs in intarsia depends upon whether the ya rn is moving vertically or diagonally to make the first stitch Long Strands - If a smaller amounl of yarn is needed or if you in the new color. don'L mind splicing yarn, o r weaving in more tails, you can just attach a long strand of yarn. T he adva ntage to this method is that Vertical Changes - Wh en you finish with the first color, drop it. it is easier to untangle a strand of ya rn than a bobbin or but­ Make sure you bring the second yarn UNDER the first yarn. This terfly. will in terlock the two colors. Illustration 2 shows the WS of the pillow back. Box - In this method, you wind your colors into center-pull balls and line them up in the order you need them for the row in a box making sure they won't be able to move around much. (You could also put them in jars or coffee cups or whatever you have around.) Knit the row. When yo u turn the work, the yarn wi ll be twisted as you make the color change but when you finish the row and you turn your work, it should untwist.

Tangled Mess - Some knitters just prefer to let Lhe ya rn get all tangled up and only untangle it when absolutely necessary.

Illt1stratio11 I

Diagonal Changes - When yo u are working diagonall y, you are knitting (or purling) the stitch in one color into a stitch made in a different colo r. To have neat interlocks on diagonal changes, knit the last stitch in the first color. Drop it. Strand the second color OVER the first color. This will .interlock the two colors on the next row. Jllustration 3 (page 18) shows the WS of the pillow front. When you strand the second yarn, don't strand too tightly.

continued on page 18

www.T KGA.com 17 There are many different ways to weave in yarn tails. Whichever method you choose, you should be sure they cannot pull free or work their way to the RS. They should not be visible if the piece is stretched. The duplicate stitch method of weaving in yarn tails is more time consuming but it does avoid all of these prob­ lems and is the method suggested in the Masters Program. This article's bibliography and Reference Section in this magazine provide sources for this technique. In this method, basically the yarn tail is duplicate stitched into the purl stitches. Most knitters will try to duplicate stitch the tail into a section of the design in the same color so that it will not show through. This sometimes twists or distorts the first and last stitch in a color. It is possible to duplicate stitch one color over another if you are careful. If, when you make the duplicate stitch you slightly split the stitch yo u are carrying the tail over, this guarantees that the tail stays on top of the stitch and doesn't show through. I realize that split­ ting the yarn is a major heresy but I have been doing this for years continued from page 17 with no ill effects.

As you weave in your tails, be sure you look at the RS of the work Is it the end of the world if you forget to wrap the yarns on a row? before you trim the tail. If you have distorted the tension or the There will be a hole but you can fix the hole by using yarn of color shows tluough you can undo it and try again. the same color and the hole closed. (Don't do this for the intarsia requirements of the Masters Program. Check your work frequently to avoid this problem.) Is it the end of the world if you miss a color change? No, you can always duplicate stitch the cor­ rect color over the wrong one. Again, don't do this for the Masters Program requirements.

Tension It is difficult, if not impossible, to maintain even tension in in­ tarsia designs, particularly on vertical columns of stitches. When you pull the yarn to knit the first stitch, the tendency is to pull tightly. This pulls yarn from the stitch below and stitches that alternate in size from row to row result. No matter how carefully you try to maintain your tensio n, this can occur. Examine your work when you are finished. This does not seem to be as big a problem for diagonal color changes unless the stranding is too tight or too loose.

Before you weave in the yarn tails, look at the RS of the work for INTARSIA PILLOW LESSON overlarge stitches in that color. Use a or The pattern in iliis lesson is for a 14" pillow. In this lesson there needle to work excess yarn from the stitches out to the yarn tails. will be an explanation of each step preceding the pattern section. When you are happy with the appearance of the RS you are ready Pattern instructions are boxed in. to weave in the tails. Knitting a pillow is different from knitting a sweater. For one Weaving in Ends thing, the pillow will last longer if its finished fabric is denser. Next to untangling yarn, one of the least pleasant aspects of in­ When you are knitting a sweater, the drape of the fabric is an im­ tarsia is dealing with t11 e m any yarn tails. Some knitters weave portant consideration. A sweater knit with a significantly smaller in the yarn tails as they go. Others wait until the end. One of the than the recommended gauge will not drape properly but a advantages to waiting until you are fin ished is that if you have to stiff fabric will work well for a pillow. Think of it as the difference rip out the design, it is easier if the ya rn tails are loose. between upholstery fabric and fabric used to sew a dress.

18 Cast On · May - July 2009

------Number of Stitches in 4 ":Repeat this procedure to determine the Intarsia Pillow row gauge. by Arenda Holladay Length: 1/8 = .1 25 1/4 = .25 3/8 = .375 1/2 = .5 Yarn Symbol: LighL(3) 5/8 = .625 3/4 = .75 7/8 = .875 Level of Experience: Intermediate Number of Rows: Don't include the cast on or bind off edge. Di­ Finished Measurements: vide the nwnber of rows by the length. This gives you the number Front Width: 14" of rows per inch. Do not round off the number. Front Length: 14" Number of Rows Per Inch: Multiply the number of rows by 4. Materials: Round this number up or down. Rowan KID CLASSIC ( I .76oz/50g, 153yds/ 140m, 70% Lambswool, 26% Kid Mohair, 4% Nylon): Number of Rows in 4 ": If you are getting fewer stitches than the 3 skeins #817 Bear (A), 1 skein #851 Straw (B), l skein recommended gauge, try using a smaller needle size. If you are #828 Feather (C) getting more stitches than the recommended gauge, try using a Size 6 ( 4.00mm) needles or size needed to obtain larger needle size. correct gauge Tapestry needle Pillow Front 14" X 14" pillow form The design for the front is randomly placed and sized circles and the chart shows the entire design. Before beginning you Gauge: should wind off bobbins or butterflies for the yarn. Remember, In St st, 22 sts & 30 rows = 4"/l 0 cm. you will not carry the background color behind the circles so it To save time, take time to check gauge. will be necessary to wind bobbins for each color change. Review the information in the lesson about managing yarn and how to interl ock stitches before beginning. If this is your first intarsia project you may want to experiment with different techniques Preparation - Measuring Gauge for managing your yarn. The most important part of the general pattern information is the descri ption of the expected gauge. Before beginning it is Pillow Back necessary to knit a gauge swalch even if you are using the rec­ The chart for the pi llow back shows just a few rows since it is ommended yarn. Since this is a pillow, the recommended gauge just vertical columns of colors. Although the design for the pillow for this yarn is too loose. The fabric needs to be denser both for back seems very simple, the vertical columns require nine bobbins durability and so that the pillow fo rm does not show through. of yarn. Managing all of the yarn changes can be very frustrating. The size 8 or 9 needles recommended for the yarn are too large. Instead of using intarsia techniques to knit the back, yo u could This pattern recommends using size 6 needles. knit it all in one color or you could knit horizontal stripes. Both would be much easier. If you decide to knit the back in one color, Cast on at least 28 stitches and work at least 4 1/4" in Stockinette it will be necessary to purchase an additional ball of that color. stitch. Block the swatch and measure the width to an eighth of an inch and note the decimal measurement on the worksheet be­ low. Pillow Front Gauge Worksheet With Color A, CO 80 sts. Work all rows of the Pillow Front Width: 1/8 = .125 1/4 = .25 3/8 = .375 1/2 = .5 Chart. BO. 5/8 = .625 3/4 = .75 7/8 = .875

Number of Stitches: Don't include the selvedge stitches. Divide the number of stitches by the width. This gives you the number of stitches per inch. Do not round off the number.

Number of Stitches Per Inch: Multiply the number of stitches by 4. Round this number up or down. continued on page 20

www.TKGA.com 19 continued from page 19 Use t he mattress stitch technique to seam the sides. Use the in­ visible horizontal seam techniq ue to seam the cast on and bind off edges. lllustrati.ons 5 and 6 show these techniques and the Reference Section of t his magazine provides additional sources Pillow Back for them. With Color A, CO 80 sts. Work o ne row. Use the Pill ow Back Chart to establish the vertical stripe pattern. Work in pat as est until the back m easures the same as the front. BO. Finishing Weave in all ya rn tails. Using the invisible horizontal seam, sew' the cast on edges together. Using the mattress stitch, sew both side seams. Place the pillow form in the pillow Finishing the Pillow and stretch to fit. Using the horizontal seam, sew the bind It really isn't necessary to block the pillow top as it will be off edges together. Secure the end and thread the yarn tail stretched over the pillow form. If you block the top, you run the to the inside and then pull to the outside. risk of stretching it out too much so that it does not fit the p illow form. All of the yarn tails must be woven in before the pillow is complete. Turn the pillow inside o ut and use the duplicate stitch method to weave in the ya rn tails. The Reference Section of this Modifying the Pattern for a Different Sized Pillow or Yarn magazine provides a source for this technique. It is easy to modify this pattern for a larger pillow by following sirn pie steps:

l . Determine the number of stitches in your gauge. 2. Multiply the number of stitches per inch by t he size of the pillow to find the total number of stitches needed. 3. Add or deduct stitches on either side of the Pillow Front Chart to accomm odate the number of stitches you need for the pillow. For a different sized pillow you may want to work the back in one color or work horizontal stripes. If not, chart out the pattern for the stripes to match the number of stitches yo u have.

DESIGNING YOUR OWN PILLOW Jntarsia designs involve rnore work than most projects. If you are going to design your own pillow, determine whether you want to work with existing designs or to d raw your own. The bibliography provides a list of books which have som e intarsia designs.

ff you want to chart your own artwork, the best approach is to Illustration 6 use graph designed for knitting. Remember, standard graph paper will not work for kn i.tted designs as stitches are wider than they are lo ng. Software packages are available whi ch will print knitting graph paper.

CONCLUSION lntarsia designs are more work than other types of patterns. Since they are knit in Stockinette stitch the actual knitting is quite easy but managing the ball s of yarns, avoiding holes, maintaining even tension and dealing with the yarn tails dur­ ing finishing make intarsia work very challenging. However, the finished products can make all of the work worthwhile as the examples in this issu e illustrate.

20 Cast On · May - July 2009 Pillow Back Charts ••••••• ••••••• ••••••• ••••••• ••••••• ••••••• ••••••• ••••••• ••••••• ••••••• ••••••• •••••••

Larger, f ull-scale versions of the Intarsia Pillow charts are posted at www.TKGA.com.

Bibliography Charted Tntarsia Designs: This is by no means a complete listing of every book on intarsia Fassett, Kaffe, 's Pattern Library, The Taunton Press, but it is a good place to start. Newtown, CT, 2003. Roberts, Luise, 1000 Great Knitting Motifs, Trafalgar Pub­ lntarsia Knitting Techniques: lishing, North Pomfret, VT, 2004. Ed itors of Vogue Knitting Magazine, Vogue Knitting, Pantheon Vogue Knitting, Stitchionary - Volume Three Color Knitting, Sixth Books, NY, NY, 1989, pgs. 84-85. & Spring Books, NY, NY, 2006. Hiatt, June Hemmons, Principles of Knitting, Simon & Schuster, NY, NY, 1988, pgs. 270-272. Weaving In Ends & Duplicate Stitch for Yarn Tails: Radcl iffe, Margaret, The Essential Guide to Color Knitting Tech­ Hiatt, June Hemmons, Principles of Knitting, Simon & Schuster, niques, Storey Presse, North Adams, MA, 2008, pgs. 175- l 95. NY, NY, 1988, pgs. 179- 180. Holladay, Arenda, "On Your Way to the Masters", Cast On, Spring lntarsia Knilling in the Round: 2003, pgs 13-15. Hiatt, June Hemmons, Principles of Knitting, Simon & Schuster, Szabo, Janet K., The "I Hate to Finish Sweaters" Guide to Finishing, NY, NY, 1988, pgs. 273-274. Janet K. Szabo, Kalispel, MT, 2000, pgs. 47-48. Radcliffe, Margaret, The Essential Guide to Color Knitting Tech­ www. .com/ISSUEfall04/FEATfall04TT.html. niques, Storey Presse, North Adams, MA, 2008, pgs. 186-187.

www.T KGA.com 21