Stranded Colorwork: Parallel and Rotating Floats // Technique Tuesday

This is the second video in a series on stranded colorwork. This video explains how the way you float the strands of stranded colorwork affects the result of the pattern on the right side of the work. Two methods are discussed: parallel floats and rotating floats.
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To jump right to a specific point in the video, click on the adjacent timestamped link:
Introduction 0:00
Parallel floats: 0:47
How to knit parallel floats: 3:45
Rotating floats: 5:47
How to knit rotating floats: 6:59
Dealing with the twisted strands: 9:09
Comparing parallel floats to rotating floats: 11:02
How to check for tension issues: 12:54
Which way is better? Parallel or rotated? 13:51
Keep track of your dominant yarn in parallel floats: 18:55
Ravelry Group *Rox Rocks*: www.ravelry.com/groups/rox-rocks
Facebook: / roxknits
Twitter: / roxmpls

[@sandrachilds7229]

I can not express in words the gratitude I have for the time and effort you give to your fellow knitters. This tutorial went above and beyond.

[@brandip2446]

I agree with this comment, and wanted to express this is still true 4 years later!!!!!!

[@pialindeg]

I am danish and a natural continental knitter. I work with the two strands in my left hand. The color nearest me is going over my forefinger and the other goes over 2 fingers (forefinger and the long one) and both strands are going around my littlefinger to control tension. Its quick to knit in that way and you hardly haven't any problems with dominance. Thank you for taking up this topic - its nice to be able to do it more ways as each pattern can demand you switch your method.

[@Reuben-]

You have so many wonderful videos! I'm working on a three color parallel stranded beanie. This beanie is mainly a swatch because I wanted to see what the three colors looked like together in a motif from another pattern (a sweater), plus color work is a really fun way to look at knit stitches. Because I learned to knit using the "throwing" method I don't hold the yarn. I pick up, knit, drop, and repeat. It's pretty tedious but it's still a fun process to work with. What I've done with my three colors I assigned them a dominance order; green, brown, and cream, in that order. I've normally knit with a tight tension, but in another fit of tediousness I stop every few stitches and massage pluck and tease what I've completed to try and keep the tension from bunching up. And think calm and zen thoughts. It's great fun all the same and your video's have helped me a lot in so many ways! Thank you!

[@joan8978]

Up until now, my strategy has been to pick a color and be consistent with which hand I hold it in. This tutorial will help me take it to the next level!

[@pamorlich2407]

I can't thank you enough for this video on yarn dominance. The Arne and Carlos video really raised my blood pressure a bit, LOL. You explain it perfectly and have evidence to back up your explanation! I have shared this video several times in online discussions on dominance where many claim it is just a tension issue. So there!!!

[@RoxanneRichardson]

You might be interested in my two Casual Friday videos where the topic originally came up. Those are Casual Friday #15 and #16. You can find them in the Casual Friday playlist. :-)

[@clappcats]

The most helpful video I've seen that explains dominance in stranded colorwork.

[@bobbinsew]

Your explanation of colour dominance is the best I’ve found, thank you for explaining so clearly what happens and why. If i have the WHY as well as the HOW I find a technique is so much easier to understand and apply to my own work. Great videos, glad I found you!

[@carolentin8346]

Thanks so much for answering questions I've had for years about stranded colorwork, especially the rotating floats! While I had noticed that some garments had angled floats, I never found anything that explained how it was done, or even what it was named, so I've just kept on with the parallel floats. Can't wait to try the rotating style! I do find that the parallel float strategy is great when I have one yarn a bit thinner than the other, so I use it as the dominant strand to compensate. I also notice that, over time, with well-used multicolored mittens, you can't tell which was the dominant color . If I have a student who prefers the two handed method, I teach them "Right Recedes, Left Leaps Forward," to help them remember how the dominance will play out. I truly appreciate the extra effort you expend to make the sample swatches for teaching purposes. The sign of a dedicated teacher who knows a sample is worth a thousand words! This is a superbly produced lesson!

[@tutleymutley]

Oh this helped explain a LOT! I use parallel floats in my fairisle, and have generally very even tension in my knitting. I had seen Arne and Carlos' argument re colour dominance, asserting there's no such thing - but had knit several swatches demonstrating it. I now understand why both arguments are correct and that it is a structural thing. THANKYOU SO MUCH! (I do love fitting another piece into the jigsaw).

[@rosinagreenwell1143]

Excellent tutorial thank you. I have watched this twice to make sure I understand fully. I watch on the tv but have to use my phone to make comments! I feel inspired now. A great big thank you from me!

[@rosisteinle2650]

Now I understand the different technics. Thank qou!

[@tanyaseaman67]

This was excellent! I'm gearing up to stranded work, and learning as much as I can before I begin. Thank you!

[@mitz2368]

Wow, I have been knitting for 40+ years. I had no idea about how the stitches chande depending on how you hold the yarn! Thankyou, very well explained

[@sohcahtoa8960]

You solved my problem/mistake with my first Fair Isle hat! I noticed a stripe effect with my background color in one row of my hat. I carried the white below for most of the hat, however there is one spot where I carried the green below and oh my does it stand out! Just like the mittens you showed! I now know what I did wrong and will be careful not to do that again! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[@patricedragon1741]

What an incredibly helpful video! Thank you, Roxanne, for always taking the time to help others to understand and improve their knitting projects. I feel like a super knitter now! 💜🙂

[@songbanana8]

This was so incredibly helpful. You showed very clear and helpful examples that perfectly illustrated what you were referring to. I watched your other video and could immediately knit colorwork myself! Seriously there are so many knitting tutorials where the sound quality is bad or they use black and you can’t see the stitches or they can only explain their unique way of holding the yarn-you can show throwing and picking! One of the best tutorial series on YT, thank you so much.

[@mimimaitri1]

That grey and red swatch comparing techniques looks amazing as a sort of pattern in its own right. I just love the texture gradation.

[@spiderlaurence]

I’ve been trying to find a video that explains this for ages!! Only recently started knitting a fair isle jumper and living in Scotland means that everyone talks about dominance. But I saw a video with Arne and Carlos and they said dominance was not something that appeared in their knitting and I could not find an explicit explanation of why this would be. I now understand why!! Thank you

[@LoveoftheDarkFiberArts]

They say it's because they knit the norwegian way, but I think it's because they rotate their floats!

[@bradleyelders7904]

@@LoveoftheDarkFiberArts I knit Norwegian continental and when I tried throwing one yarn like Arne recommended in that video, I got tension issues. I was better off picking both strands from the finger and dealing with the fiddly nature of two strands side-by-side. I'm excited to try this method to get better and more comfortable results.

[@cathyinmt]

Timely video...thanks again for “ALL” you do for the knitting community!

[@iunderscoream]

Thank you for your thorough explanation! Many knitters will say that the yarn on the left will be dominant, but I hold both yarns in my right hand and drop/pick up one at a time. The concept of a strand going above or below the other makes total sense to me! I'm looking forward to your next video; it's hard to find examples of catching floats with both yarns in the right hand.

[@healer1964]

Well, I posted in another video that I'd like to see a demonstration of rotating floats... and I've found it! Thank you Roxanne! I need to go back to your KZbin page and just start watching all your videos from the beginning. Subscribed and looking forward to much more!

[@kerfuffle9312]

Fantastic! Very informative. Thank you for sharing.

[@theastewart6721]

Very interesting! We are starting a true Fair Isle hat in class tonight. I am going to listen to this again. Thanks!

[@debbielockwoods]

This is very very very helpful! So glad I found you! I can't wait to get as good as you.

[@daraneiman7638]

You are an amazing teacher. Thank you so much!

[@catherearing7245]

Wonderful explanation. I enjoyed listening to it, and learned something new!

[@mariahoneywell8429]

So helpful. Thanks for breaking it all down.

[@kbenesch9526]

I am thoroughly fascinated by your detailed excellent description of approaches to colourwork. Thank you so much for your explanations with the knitted examples juxtaposed to each other. I am quite excited to try out swatches to see what works best for me in various types of patternwork. Thank you!

[@MrFerroceno]

You are a living encyclopaedia of knitting and we all love you!

[@jacquelinesalem2776]

This is incredibly valuable! Not enough words. Thank you for all the work involved in putting this series together.

[@katalinacs703]

I totally love this video. You are amazing that you've knit up those beautiful swatches for experimenting and demostration purposes. Thank you for it. I definitely will try these techniques, this is very exciting.

[@JoanneZira]

This was one of the most useful things I've ever watched on KZbin 😁 Thank you!

[@LynnFlatley]

This is fascinating, I had no idea this was a thing. Thank you so much for such a thorough demonstration..

[@mimiofsi]

Great videos! Should have watched before I did my first color work hat, but next one will be better because of your lessons. Thank you!

[@skyricharde6629]

Wow.... this is an amazing amount of detailed explanation! Thank you so much for sharing this, it's going to make a WORLD of difference for my first yoke sweater.

[@cristianavadean2349]

You are such an amazing teacher!!

[@sabrinas.4671]

Thank you so much for this video. It is very interesting and I learned a lot. Since last episode I practice with both hands and two strands in my left hand.

[@tracyholloway3712]

I’m new to stranded color work and this video is such a big help. I have saved this so I can refer back to it. Thanks so much for sharing. 😊😊😊

[@Grandmasterrett]

This information is outstanding! I have struggled with stranding knitting in the past and gave up on it because I was frustrated and knitting is supposed to be fun! These videos have given me a reason to give it another try armed with new skills and strategies for yarn management. Thanks so much, Rox...you truly do ROCK! Can’t wait for the next installment. 😃

[@ccpperrett7522]

Thanks Rox, as always, great video.

[@Andresueknits]

Thank you so much for this video!! It cleared up all the confusion I had on yarn dominance versus tension. I recently found your channel and it's quickly become my favorite. Thanks for sharing everything you do. It's very much appreciated! ❤

[@jamiethrogmorton2540]

Excellent video, thank you.

[@path9570]

And what a time-saver not having to untwist!

[@fleckerbee]

Thank you so much for these wonderful video's on stranded color work. I am not new to knitting, but completely green when it comes to color work. I was feeling overwhelmed ( & frustrated) with how to attempt it . Your videos are clear, concise & simply amazing! Thank you for helping me learn this technique.

[@dewisalim3320]

Excellent video! Thank you.

[@notwavingbutdrowning558]

Superb video. Thank you!

[@janeyetter]

Thanks Roxanne! This video is fantastic. I'm just starting to learn stranded colourwork, and I'm struggling with managing gauge and appearance in the fabric. This (and another on colourwork) really helped me understand how managing floats affects the fabric!

[@Frogelette]

This was really helpful, thank you!

[@susanpeterson9947]

Thanks very much for the detailed explanation of color dominance and how to avoid it or use it. Your visuals were excellent! I did a little bit of Fair Isle work many years ago. I am going to look for a hat pattern to put in my queue so that I can play with both color dominance and working with both hands.

[@evamalenica3770]

I only started knitting two years ago. I am just now trying two colours. I am so happy I stumbled across your video at the perfect time. I have learned so much and just wanted to say, Thank you!!

[@sokirasden6278]

Such an empowering video! Thanks so much! I've been waiting for this since that Friday discovery video you posted a while ago! >w

[@freewoman-kl4hc]

I'm waiting your videos❤️ Thank you

[@juletje94]

Great video! Preparing myself for my first colorwork project, this will defenitely help :D

[@victoriaressler3547]

Amazing video!! Thanks

[@path9570]

I’ve used two or three color patterns for years, adapting my own system. This is the first time ever I’ve seen how to not twist my yarns! And, you made it so easy and obvious. Thank you so much. The tension discussion was helpful, too.

[@rebeccablankenship5493]

😮 Amazing! I finally understand

[@janinesteinmann6932]

Finally i understand the technique. I'm from germany and the are no good Videos ... So thanks for very detailed explanation .😘😘😘😘

[@RoxanneRichardson]

Glad it was helpful!

[@brianapatterson6179]

What a great video. I am new to color work, and have knit exactly 1 round of stranded color work which is in the body of a sweater where there is a transition between 2 color bands (talk about minimal experience!!). With your video, I was able to see that I knit it with parallel floats and I can tell which color was dominant. Now, as I knit my sleeves, I will be able to use a consistent technique and consistent dominant color. It won't affect the outcome of this project much, but I'm grateful for the new knowledge as I move on to more complex projects!

[@sharontzu5]

Love your idea for in the round" swatch.

[@biquinary]

You have such an excellent style

[@lilyt5855]

amazing! this is the first time I've actually understood what the dominant yarn was, and what it meant. I thought it was just the yarn you used in your better hand, whatever your knitting style was, ha!

[@Adele_YarnCreations]

thankyou this is amazing!!!

[@carlotanunez8272]

¡Thank's for your excelent class! Your way of speach allow me understand english. I am in my first colorwork.

[@melissafriedrich3171]

So thankful for ALL your video tutorials, especially this one! Your illustrations and depth CLEAR explanations of yarn dominance and tension really helped me have a successful stranded color work on my first try. After watching Arne and Carlos video repeatedly say there is no dominance, only tension issues I was frustrated: I couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong. I was doing NOTHING wrong! IMHO However one knits that gets you the desired result is good, for me knitting stranded color work that means holding one yarn in each hand. Now I love stranded color work, it is fun and not frustrating thanks to you.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

I'm glad you were able to find a method that works for you. :-)

[@purrlgurrl3061]

I haven't done much stranded knitting, so parallel floats is the only method I've seen or heard about. Rotating floats is a revelation to me and makes so much more sense. Since I'm a right handed knitter, your demonstration using your right hand was perfectly suited to my style of knitting. I have a stranded hat in my project to do list, and I absolutely will use this method for the hat.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

I did rotating floats in my earliest stranded knitting, not because I was taught to, but because linking yarns was required for intarsia, so I thought I would need to do it for stranded color work. English language books/teachers rarely, if ever, mention this method, and when they do, tend to state the purpose is "to prevent holes," which is incorrect (but it is the reason for doing it in intarsia). It's more common in non-English traditional knitting styles. Long floats, working with more than 2 colors in a round, and not having to worry about the background and foreground colors changing over the course of working the motif combine to require a different set of strategies for knitting stranded color work from other traditions.

[@karenarnett5167]

This is so helpful. Now I have to just figure out, when I’m catching a float I change the orientations of the yarns so I have to figure out how that fits into this whole technique of keeping one color dominant.

[@shoelessmonk1941]

thank you so much

[@mijabeth]

Thank you! It’s really realy helpful !!!!!! problem solved !!!!!

[@brittsailing5266]

I'm just learning stranded knitting and your videos have been very helpful. My first project is a hat in the round with a Fair Isle pattern and I'm using rotated floats. I'm using three colors (white, grey and black) and the pattern starts with 2 rows using white and grey, then 4 rows using grey and black, then several rows of white and grey, and so on. I've worked the first six rows and they look just the way I wanted, but I'm having trouble with the twisting that's occurring. As long as there were only two colors involved, I was able to untwist the strands by periodically allowing the workpiece to hang suspended between the two strands, allowing it to rotate until the twisting was gone. I was hoping to carry my currently-unused yarn up so I wouldn't end up having a lot of ends to weave in at the end, but as soon as I added the third color my untwisting trick started causing the currently-unused strand to twist as the other two strands untwisted. Will this strand start to untwist as I start to use it again, or will the problem only get worse from here on out? Is there some technique you know of to address all this twisting caused by the rotating floats?

[@RoxanneRichardson]

It sounds like you're only using 2 colors in any given round, not 3. In that case, it would be typical to cut the yarn not in use and re-join it when it's needed.

[@KimClinger]

I’ll be test knitting a pattern with 4 colors on several rows. I’m hoping to prick up the ability to hold 2 colors in each hand… I’ll be practice, and this tutorial is getting me off to a good start! The rotating colors is going to require another look for me…

[@jennifercook6863]

I just started colorwork and have been wrestling with the same questions. How do I do this without twisting my yarn, and keep the colors even? Thank you, thank you. I am so happy you shared. Love you and your channel.

[@IslandLady76]

Wow lots of things to think about. I just started with 2 stranded and hold one in the left and one in the right so I will check to see which is the dominant. I was concentrating too much on not getting mixed up. :-)

[@RoxanneRichardson]

The left yarn will be dominant. You may want to try a swatch that reverses the yarns you've been holding in each hand, to see how that affects your results, and which you like better.

[@jomercerlmt5727]

Wow!

[@samanthacox4856]

Love the video! I definitely need to work more on how I hold my colors. What book is that Norwegian pattern from? I love it!

[@GrandmaMarlayne]

Roxanne, I love this colorwork topic. I have never had the courage or know the correct way to start the project. I am going to do the practice swatches. I only wish that you could have given a short sample swatch pattern to follow. I also am trying to teach myself to read charts and that seems to be difficult for me, but I am working on it.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

Color charts are the easiest way to start with charts, especially for stranded color work, because you have the RS facing, and you always read those charts from right to left. Plus, you just focus on color, not on any special action.

[@GrandmaMarlayne]

I will look for an easy pattern to try. I will practice on the swatch type like you demonstrated.

[@ltiana]

Takk!

[@RoxanneRichardson]

You're welcome! :-)

[@evelynwald9132]

Excellent tips. How did you ever figure all of this out?

[@monaarsenault2445]

You most certainly Rock Roxanne! Thank you for your awesome video (and videos)!!! I'm now looking for your next video, the one you mention at the of this video. It's called Techniques to catch long floats. Is it still available please? I can't seem to find it.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

I have a playlist called Color Work that will have all videos related to stranded color work. The specific video you're looking for is one on trapping or weaving floats. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fnrWgHl_mplka80

[@jodiekingsley5181]

New to knitting and good tips or best books out there to get

[@jodiekingsley5181]

Love to do the blue parttern please

[@sharontzu5]

Question - I've been doing stranded knitting with parallel floats. One problem I have is that the lack of stretch is a problem for socks, and even for mittens. Part of this is that I need to just improve my technique, but I'm wondering if rotating floats (or the method of weaving in on every stitch) might produce a knitted fabric with a bit more stretch.

[@pamelasherrod5968]

How do you ask a question of Roxanne? Using this comment field is all I could figure out.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

If your question is about the content of this video, then ask the question in the video comments. If you have a question about something else, particularly if it's a personal project, you can start a thread in my Ravelry group. There is a link to the group at the bottom of every one of my YT video descriptions/show notes.

[@user-mb2pg6en9v]

😍😍😍😍😍

[@sharontzu5]

Question.. In rotating floats, do you still need to catch floats when knitting a long stretch in one color?

[@Lesya77]

thank you for your very informative video. What kind of edging did you use for a blue hat that appears in the video about one minute in? thank you!

[@RoxanneRichardson]

I used a provisional cast on and then knit a stockinette hem. I joined the live sts of the PCO with the sts on the needle before starting the main body of the hat.

[@Lesya77]

@@RoxanneRichardson thank you very much! it looks so good, I will have to try it next time I make a hat :) What method did you use to cast off the stitches at the edge of the ham? I hope I understood you correctly (the hem is being worked from the provisional cast on to the ear flaps and it looks like you have used a double sided method, is that right?) Thanks again for taking time to share your beautiful personality and knowledge!

[@DaniTimike]

That was very interesting. I started to knit a blanket with several colours. It is the first time I'm kniting with several colours. I don't know if I do right. How can I send you a picture of my blanket?

[@RoxanneRichardson]

I'm always happy to help with project questions in my Ravelry group. There is always a direct link to my group in the description of each of my videos.

[@shawnapoudrier9921]

I was reading a knitting book on colorwork and the author stated that you should never change your yarn positions. That you should always keep the lower yarn on the bottom and vice versa. I'm new to colorwork and trying to figure this out. So I'm a bit confused because you talk about rotating the floats. Can you clarify this for me? I love your videos by the way, thank you for making them.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

The author means that if you are working with parallel floats, where one color is always on the bottom and the other is on the top for the entire round, then the bottom strand will be the dominant (more prominent) color in the pattern. If you are working your floats in that way, then don't switch their parallel positions in other rounds, because you'll change which one is dominant and that will make the pattern look strange. Rotating floats means that you are never carrying them parallel to each other, so neither color is ever dominant. It has become very common for teachers of stranded colorwork to insist that parallel floats must be used. This is only a "rule" in Fair Isle knitting (which is a subset of stranded colorwork). Other traditions don't have this rule.

[@shawnapoudrier9921]

Thank you I appreciate your help!

[@toomuch2844]

Just a quick question...on your fake in-the-round swatch...what brand of double point needles are you using?

[@RoxanneRichardson]

I have no idea. I buy whatever brand of bamboo needles the LYS has when I'm there. I don't notice much of a difference (if any) amongst bamboo needles.

[@evamalenica3770]

Hi Roxanne....if I'm making a hat and it starts with black for ribbing and pattern is white , which colour would be dominate?

[@RoxanneRichardson]

That is totally up to you. I would suggest swatching the pattern in a couple of ways to see which you prefer as the dominant color, or if you prefer to have no dominance. If you want the background to be black and the foreground to be white, then that means you want the white to be dominant. But really, the best figure out what you like is to swatch.

[@evamalenica3770]

@@RoxanneRichardson that what i thought but wasnt 100 % sure. Thank you so much

[@patriciayehle6872]

I am making a baby sweater, not in the round. It has a sailboat in the center of the front piece. There are long pieces in the pattern where I would need to carry the main color across many stitches. How do I float the air color neatly? All most all videos are in the round. The one video I found that was not in the round does not show how to carry the main color across the sailboat pattern which has a number of stitches in that are not in the main color. Can you help?

[@RoxanneRichardson]

It sounds like you should be using the intarsia color work technique, not stranded color work. Intarsia is a colorblock technique that is worked flat. You don't carry the background color across the back of the motif. I have a couple of videos relating to intarsia that I did last month.

[@jodiekingsley5181]

How meny stich make adult hat

[@PeaceLoveAndRico]

i just flip my work every round and cheer at my mediocrity.

[@fairfeatherfiend]

You may be aware the two Norwegian knitters Carlos and Arne don't believe in color dominance, why is that?

[@RoxanneRichardson]

I have no idea why they don't believe in it. It's demonstrably true that it exists with parallel floats, and not with rotating floats, regardless of which hands handle the yarns. Parallel floats and yarn dominance is part of the Fair Isle knitting tradition. Perhaps they have limited their explorations of stranded colorwork to their own knitting tradition and have not delved into others.

[@fairfeatherfiend]

@@RoxanneRichardson Thanks!