How to Fade Yarn in a Knitting Project

One great way to use a bunch of different colors of yarn in a knitting project is to do a fade, which is a special way of working with different colors of yarn so that they appear to blend or “fade” into each other.

I’m pretty lazy so the way I usually do this is by working with two strands held together. I change one yarn out at a time whenever I run out of yarn, so it naturally fades as I go without having to do any extra work. I knit a whole tunic-length sweater using this method, and I think it’s a great way to make different kinds of yarn look harmonious.

There are lots of ways to make a fade working with a single color of yarn, too. It’s typically done by working a couple of rows of one color, then mixing in the next color gradually over a few rows before working exclusively with the new color.

This video from Fuzzy Peach Fibers shows a common way to do it, with two rows of the new color, four rows of the old, two of the new and two of the old before carrying on with the new. This works great in garter stitch because you get a ridge of the new, then two of the old, one of the new and one of the old.

In stockinette stitch, you might want to carry on your fade for longer or use a different formula, like this one from Patchwork Times. It sounds a little complicated in the sense of keeping track of which round you’re on, but of course it doesn’t have to be precise (though if you’re knitting a pair of socks or sleeves you might like it to be).

I typically don’t put a lot of thought into my fades because I’m using leftovers, but this post from Eat Sleep Knit has great tips and things to consider if you’re planning a fade or even shopping for yarn to do a faded project.

Have you ever done a fade? I’d love to hear if you have tips for making it look great!

[Photo: Patchwork Times.]

Fall will be here before we know it, and that means there are holidays coming right behind where we might be entertaining at home. It’s always fun to have a hand knit touch in your home for other people to see, and if you’re going to be in the kitchen all day you might as well have some nice knit dish cloths to use.

I love this little plaid hand towel from Darling Jadore. Use a little bit of leftover cotton yarn from another project for the plaid portion. It looks like the horizontal stripes are worked as you knit and the vertical stripes are done with duplicate stitch, making this a quick and easy project even newer knitters can make.

Combine garter stitch and an easy eyelet pattern worked sideways to make the Annette Dish Towel from Cluck Cluck Boots, which is meant to be reminiscent of flour sack towels. It calls for DK weight yarn and you can work it in one color or two (or even three!).

Add a little more texture with this set of kitchen towels from Whileberry Creative. They’re mostly worked in garter stitch with borders in easy knit/purl patterns, and you can work them in sport or worsted weight yarn.

Two of Wands Shop has another cute allover knit and purl pattern they call the Seersucker Textured Tea Towel. It’s an easy repeating pattern worked in worsted weight yarn, and there’s a chart in the pattern you can use, but don’t have to, if you want to practice knitting from a chart.

The Classic Cloth dish towel from Handmade Home by Connie is another one that can use a little leftover yarn in a contrasting color, or you could color block it our use stripes throughout the pattern. This one uses worsted weight yarn and another easy repeating knit purl stitch pattern.

If you like to hang your towel on the oven handle or elsewhere but it’s always falling off, try the Stay Put kitchen towel from Fancy Step Knits. This project is worked in garter stitch and includes a hole partway through so you can pull the towel through itself over a rod or handle. Stripes are optional but a nice addition.

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