Stripes

Marled Scarf

A simple garter stitch scarf is always a good place to start! This classic hand-knit offers the perfect introduction to playing with colour. This scarf is knitted using two strands of yarn held together, so you can experiment with blending different colours as well as striping them alongside each other. I've chosen five colours from all around the colour wheel, avoiding the bright hues, and I've included three monochrome colours. Where I've knitted solid-coloured stripes I've kept these stripes narrow for a subtle accent.

You will need

Yarn

Drops Alpaca Sport (100% alpaca), 166m/182yds per 50g ball, in the following shades:

• Yarn A: Aqua Grey Mix (7323); 1 ball

• Yarn B: Dark Grey Mix (0506); 1 ball

• Yarn C: Light Grey Mix (0501); 1 ball

• Yarn D: Goldenrod (2923); 1 ball

• Yarn E: Off White (0100); 1 ball

• Yarn F: Maroon Mix (3650); 1 ball

• Yarn G: Turquoise (2917); 1 ball

• Yarn H: Light Pink (3140); 1 ball

Needles and Accessories

• Pair of 5mm (US 8/UK 6) needles or size needed to achieve correct tension

Size

One size: 152 x 18cm/60 x 7in

Skills

Casting on, knit, working with two yarns together as one strand, casting off

Tension

16 sts and 28 rows to 10 x 10cm/4 x 4in over garter stitch, using 5mm needles, after washing and blocking

Pattern

Using two strands of Yarn A, cast on 30 sts.

Row 1 (RS): K.

Row 2 (WS): K.

Rows 3-28: K 26 rows.

Switch to one strand of Yarn B and one strand of Yarn C held together (see Tutorial 1: Changing colour).

Row 1: K.

Rows 2-12: K 11 rows.

Continue working in this way, holding two strands of yarn together and knitting every row (garter stitch) and following the sequence of colours shown in the table. Always change colour after working a wrong side row. Cast off.

Finishing

• Block scarf carefully (see Finishing: Blocking) and note that alpaca can be very delicate when wet. Lift your knitting carefully out of the water after blocking and ensure that you dry the scarf flat without stretching it.

• Weave in all ends (see Tutorial 2: Weaving in ends on garter stitch).

Note

When using one colour, hold two strands of the same colour together. You can take one strand from the centre of the ball and one from the outside of the ball. Alternatively split your yarn into two balls before you begin.

Tutorial 1: Changing colour

When knitting patterns say 'Switch to Yarn B', it really is as easy as it sounds! For this Marled Scarf pattern we are using two strands of yarn at once but the instructions are exactly the same.

1. Drop the yarn that you have finished knitting with and leave it hanging by the side. Cut the yarn from the ball, leaving an end (or yarn tail) of about 15cm/6in to weave in at the end.

2. Pick up the new colour, also leaving a tail of 15cm/6in to weave in at the end.

3. Knit the first stitch (images 1 and 2). This stitch will look loose when you first knit it, but that's normal. Gently pulling the yarn tails of both colours will neaten the end stitches a little as you work, and once you weave the ends in the stitches will even out and look tidy.

4. Continue knitting with your new colour (image 3).

Tutorial 2: Weaving in ends on garter stitch

When knitting colourwork there can be lots of ends to weave in, so it's a good idea to make sure that those ends are being dealt with in a way that is both neat and secure. My preferred technique for weaving in ends is similar to a duplicate stitch technique. Where possible, always weave in ends against the matching colour.

1. Ensure that the 'wrong side' of your work is facing. Thread your loose end onto a needle. Run the needle under the closest purl bump.

2. Take your needle through your knitting and run your needle under the 'v' shape in the row below, still following the same length of yarn in the knitted fabric.

3. Insert your needle back into the purl bump that you last came through and bring the yarn through.

4. Turn your needle and, following the st underneath your yarn, run the needle under the next purl bump.

5. Continue in this way, following the path of the knitted yarn on the fabric until you have woven in at least 5 sts. Cut yarn.

Chevron Blanket

With the addition of some simple shaping, stripes can become chevrons! This throw is an ideal relaxing knit and a great opportunity to play about with colour combinations. It's easy to customise this design by changing the thickness of the stripes or by using a different number of colours. I had so much fun picking out colours for this design! I used a painting full of vibrant, saturated hues as inspiration and found similar bright colours in a hand-dyed yarn. I striped the yarns somewhat randomly, with the aim of keeping an even balance of light/dark and warm/cool colours.

You will need

Yarn

Malabrigo Rios (90% merino wool, 10% nylon), 400m/437yds per 100g skein, in the following shades:

• Yarn A: Fresco Y Seco (128); 1 skein

• Yarn B: Frank Ochre (035); 1 skein

• Yarn C: English Rose (057); 1 skein

• Yarn D: Sabiduria (136); 1 skein

• Yarn E: Reflecting Pool (133); 1 skein

• Yarn F: Water Green (083); 1 skein

• Yarn G: Glitter (048); 1 skein

• Yarn H: Lettuce (037); 1 skein

• Yarn I: Ravelry Red (611); 1 skein

Needles and Accessories

• Pair of 5mm (US 8/UK 6) needles or size needed to achieve correct tension

Size

One size: 86 x 124cm/34 x 49in

Skills

Casting on, knit, purl, increasing, decreasing, casting off

Tension

17 sts and 24 rows to 10 x 10cm/4 x 4in over st st, using 5mm needles, after washing and blocking

Pattern

Using Yarn A, cast on 181 sts.

Garter Stitch Edge

Row 1 (WS): K.

Row 2 (RS): K2, (k1, m1L, k6, CDD, k6, m1R) to last 3 sts, k3.

Rows 3-4: Repeat last 2 rows once more.

Row 5: K.

Blanket

Switch to Yarn B (see Tutorial 1: Changing colour).

Row 1 (RS): K2, (k1, m1L, k6, CDD, k6, m1R) to last 3 sts, k3.

Row 2 (WS): K3, p to last 3 sts, k3.

Rows 3-6: Repeat last 2 rows twice more.

Switch to Yarn C.

Rows 7-12: Repeat Rows 1-6 . Continue in this way, switching yarns every 6 rows and repeating Rows 712 with each colour, in the following sequence of colours: D, E, F, G, H, C, I, F, D, B, A, C, E, G, F, A, I, D, H, E, B, G, C, F, E, I, G, H, C, A, B, D, F, I, B, H, G, E, I, D, H, A.

Garter Stitch Edge

Switch to Yarn A.

Row 1 (RS): K2, (k1, m1L, k6, CDD, k6, m1R) to last 3 sts, k3.

Row 2 (WS): K.

Rows 3-4: Repeat last 2 rows once more. Cast off.

Finishing

• Block blanket (see Finishing: Blocking) and lie flat to dry, shaping to measurements provided.

• Weave in all ends (see Tutorial 3: Weaving in ends on stocking stitch).

Tutorial 3: Weaving in ends on stocking stitch

When you knit in stripes, you will always have lots of ends to weave in from each change of colour. This can look a little messy at first, but once these ends are carefully woven in, your blanket will have neat edges.

The blanket has three garter stitches at the edges so follow the previous instructions for weaving in ends (see Tutorial 2: Weaving in ends on garter stitch) until you get to the stocking stitch section.

1. Ensure that the 'wrong side' of your work is facing. Thread your loose end onto a needle. Run the needle under the closest purl bump and pull yarn through.

2. Turn your needle and insert it under the purl bump adjacent to the original purl bump that you went under. Take your needle under the purl bump below that is slightly to the right. Pull yarn through.

3. Turn your needle and insert it under the purl bump adjacent to the purl bump that you just went under and under the purl bump from the row above that you previously came through.

4. Continue in this way, following the path of the knitted yarn on the fabric until you have woven in a few more sts, or until you feel your end is secure. Cut yarn.

Striped Socks

Who doesn't love stripy socks? Of course, there are endless varieties of self-striping and patterned sock yarns for knitters to choose from, or you have the freedom to create your own stripes by combining your favourite shades with contrasting colours for the cuffs, heels and toes. For these socks I've chosen a light and bright hand-dyed yarn and a dark solid-coloured yarn. The colours are contrasting enough to create bold stripes, but the speckles in the hand-dyed yarn soften the effect and add some fun!

You will need

Yarn

• Yarn A: Hedgehog Fibres Sock (90% merino wool, 10% nylon), 400m/437yds per 100g skein, in shade Fly; 1 skein

• Yarn B: Lang Jawoll (75% superwash wool, 18% nylon, 7% acrylic), 190m/207yds per 50g ball, in shade French Blue (235); 1 (1, 2) ball(s)

Needles and Accessories

• Five 2.5mm (US 1.5/UK 12 or UK 13) double-pointed needles (DPNS) or your preferred needles for working a small circumference in the round, or size needed to achieve correct tension

• Scrap yarn – a length of yarn about 50cm/20in that is a similar thickness to the sock yarn. Slippery yarn in a contrasting colour works best so that the yarn is easy to find and remove

• Stitch markers

Sizes

Small (Medium, Large)

• To fit foot circumference: 22 (24.5, 27)cm/8¾ (9¾, 10¾)in

• Actual sock circumference: 20 (22.5, 25)cm/8 (9, 10)in

• Foot length: Fully adjustable within the pattern

Skills

Casting on, knit, purl, decreasing, working in the round, grafting (Kitchener stitch)

Tension

36 sts and 50 rows to 10 x 10cm/4 x 4in over st st, using 2.5mm needles, after washing and blocking

Pattern Make 2 the same, noting the placement of the heel for the right and left foot.

Cuff

Using Yarn A, cast on 64 (72, 80) sts and join in the round, taking care not to twist sts (see Advanced Knitting Techniques: Circular knitting).

Pm for start of round.

Round 1: •K2, p2; repeat from • to end of round. Repeat Round 1 until cuff measures 5cm/2in.

Leg

Join Yarn B.

Continue to work in stripes of 6 rounds, carrying the yarn not in use along the inside of the sock (see Tutorial 5: Carrying yarn up the round). To achieve a jogless stripe, use the jogless stripe method (see Tutorial 4: Jogless stripes).

** Rounds 1-6: K 6 rounds.

Switch to Yarn A.

Rounds 7-12: K 6 rounds.

Switch to Yarn B. **

Rounds 13-48: Repeat from ** to ** a further 3 times.

Rounds 49-54: K 6 rounds.

Switch to Yarn A.

Rounds 55-57: K 3 rounds.

Right Heel

Using a length of scrap yarn, k the next 32 (36, 40) sts. Slip these sts back onto left-hand needle.

Using Yarn A, k these sts again and continue to end of round.

Left Heel

Knit 32 (36, 40) sts.

Using a length of scrap yarn, k the next 32 (36, 40) sts. Slip these sts back to left-hand needle. Using Yarn A, knit these sts again.

Foot

Continue in Yarn A.

Rounds 1-2: K 2 rounds.

Switch to Yarn B.

*** Rounds 3-8: K 6 rounds.

Switch to Yarn A.

Rounds 9-14: K 6 rounds.

Switch to Yarn B. ***

Repeat from **• to *** until foot measures no more than 13.5 (14.5, 15.5)cm/5¼ (5¾, 6)in long, measuring from heel placement round and ending after any 6-stripe section (noting that the toe will add 5.5 (6, 6)cm/2 (21?2, 21?2)in and the heel will add 7 (7.5, 8.5)cm/2¾ (3, 3¼)in.

Break off Yarn A and continue in Yarn B only.

Next round: K32 (36, 40), pm, k to end.

Toe

Round 1: K1, ssk, k to 3 sts before next marker, k2tog, k1, slm, k1, ssk, k to 3 sts before end of round, k2tog, k1 – 4 sts decreased.

Round 2: K all sts, slipping markers when you reach them. Repeat the last 2 rounds a further 7 (9, 8) times – 32 (32, 44) sts remain.

Repeat Round 1 only a further 3 (3, 5) times – 20 (20, 24) sts remain.

Next round: K to marker.

Cut yarn leaving a 30cm/12in tail.

Divide sts evenly over 2 needles and graft the toe closed using Kitchener stitch (see Advanced Knitting Techniques: Kitchener stitch).

Heel

Pick up the 32 (36, 40) sts from the round below the waste yarn, over 2 DPNS, by using the tip of the needle to lift the right leg of the stitch onto the DPN (see Advanced Knitting Techniques: Afterthought heel and thumb).

Rotate the sock and pick up the 32 (36, 40) sts on the opposite side of the waste yarn in the same manner, over 2 DPNS. Carefully remove the waste yarn, ensuring that all sts are secure on the needles.

Using Yarn B, begin working in the round as follows:

Round 1: Pick up and k 1 st in centre of the gap between the top and bottom of the heel, k32 (36, 40), pick up and k 2 sts in the gap between the top and bottom of the heel, k32 (36, 40), pick up and k 1 st, pm to mark end of round – 68 (76, 84) sts.

Round 2: K all sts.

Round 3: K34 (38, 42), pm, k to end.

Round 4: *K1, ssk, k to 3 sts before marker, k2tog, k1, slip marker; repeat from * once more – 64 (72, 80) sts.

Round 5: K all sts.

Repeat the last 2 rounds a further 10 (12, 14) times – 24 sts.

Cut yarn, leaving a 30cm/12in tail.

Divide sts evenly over 2 needles and graft the heel closed using Kitchener stitch (see Advanced Knitting Techniques: Kitchener stitch).

Finishing

• Block socks (see Finishing: Blocking).

• Weave in all ends.

Tutorial 4: Jogless stripes

When you knit in the round you are knitting in a continuous spiral, and so the end of one round is slightly higher than the beginning of the round. This means that when you change colours to knit stripes, the change of colour is clearly visible where the start and ends of the round meet. We call this the 'jog'. You can embrace the 'jog' or disguise the 'jog' quite effectively using this technique, which is worked at the beginning of each stripe.

1. Knit 1 full round in the new colour (image 1).

2. Before you start the next round, use the right-hand needle to lift the right-hand strand of the stitch that sits below the first stitch on the left-hand needle up and onto the tip of the left-hand needle (image 2).

3. Knit these 2 stitches together (image 3).

This will create an elongated stitch that disguises the jog and keeps your stripes looking neat (image 4).

Tutorial 5: Carrying yarn up the round

This technique helps you to avoid breaking off the yarn after each stripe. This saves yarn and means that you won't have to sew in loose ends for every colour change. You will have both colours attached to the knitting at all times, so it's a good idea to keep your balls of yarn separate and tidy, to avoid tangles.

1. When you change to a new colour, take the ball of yarn you are knitting with (the new colour) and wrap it anti-clockwise all the way around the yarn that you are carrying up (the old colour) (image 1). Knit the first few stitches of the round and then ensure that the carried yarn is secured snugly, but not too tightly, or it might pucker your knitted fabric.

2. Continue knitting with the new colour for 2-4 rounds.

3. Wrap the carried yarn anti-clockwise again in the same way as Step 1 (image 2).

It's important to ensure that you wrap the yarn in a counter-clockwise direction so that the carried yarn does not show through the knitting, and also to add some elasticity to the fabric (image 3).

Illusion Cushion

Illusion knitting is a fun way to show off with stripes. The designs are knitted in a simple striped sequence and, by simply alternating between knit and purl stitches along some rows, you can create raised 'bumps' on the right side of the fabric, sometimes called a 'garter ridge'. From the front your knitting will look like simple thin stripes, but when you view your knitting at a sideways angle, from the cast-on or cast-off edge, the garter ridges stand out and reveal the hidden pattern. For this cushion design I've chosen a dark grey and pale blue for a high contrast. I've used cool colours and subdued tones for a calm and minimalist look.

You will need Yarn

Berroco Vintage (52% acrylic, 40% wool, 8% nylon), 198m/217yds per 100g skein, in the following shades:

• Yarn A: Gringham (5120); 1 skein

• Yarn B: Storm (5109); 1 skein

Needles and Accessories

• Pair of 4mm (US 6/UK 8) needles or size needed to achieve correct tension

• Four buttons, measuring 18mm (¾in)

Sizes

One size: 35 x 35cm/13¾ x 13¾in, to fit a 40cm/15¾in or 45cm/17¾in cushion insert

Skills

Casting on, knit, purl, reading a chart, casting off

Tension

17 sts and 33 rows to 10 x 10cm/4 x 4in over st st, using 4mm needles, after washing and blocking

Pattern

Front

To make the cushion front, either read from the written instructions or follow the charted instructions. Carry yarn not being used along the side of the work (see Tutorial 6: Carrying yarn up the side of the knitting).

Written Instructions

Using Yarn A, cast on 62 sts.

* Row 1 (RS): K.

Row 2 (WS): K1, (k10, p10) to last st, k1.

Switch to Yarn B.

Row 3: K.

Row 4: K1, (p10, k10) to last st, k1.

Switch to Yarn A. *

Rows 5-20: Repeat from • to • a further 4 times.

** Row 21: K.

Row 22: K1, (p10, k10) to last st, k1.

Switch to Yarn B.

Row 23: K.

Row 24: K1, (k10, p10) to last st, k1.

Switch to Yarn A. **

Rows 25-40: Repeat from ** to ** a further 4 times.

Rows 41-120: Repeat Rows 1-40 twice more, then continue with buttonhole band (see Buttonhole Band).

Charted Instructions

Row 1 (RS): Reading chart from right to left, work Row 1 of chart, working the pattern repeat area 3 times in total.

Row 2 (WS): Reading chart from left to right, work Row 2 of chart, working the pattern repeat area 3 times in total.

Rows 3-40: Continue to work from chart as set, changing colours as indicated, until all 40 rows have been completed.

Rows 41-120: Repeat Rows 1-40 twice more, then continue with buttonhole band (see Buttonhole Band).