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.]

Getting ready for back to school makes me think about pencil crafts, so let’s take a look at some pencil themed knitting patterns!

I recently made a pencil on a circular knitting machine, and it was a fun, quick, easy project that uses little bits of leftover yarn (and if you don’t have yellow you can make it a colored pencil using whatever color’s your favorite). And if you want to make a bigger version check out this pattern from Orange Olive Road on Etsy.

If you want to knit a pencil pillow by hand, check out Sketchy, available on Ravelry from Shana S. Cohen. This one uses worsted weight yarn and has two size options and the choice to make a pencil with an eraser or a colored pencil.

Pencil scarves seem to be the most popular kind of pencil knitting pattern, and there are lot of cute ones. This one from Cosy Craft UK mostly uses garter stitch, with some welts to add texture and what looks like an I-cord edging. It calls for DK weight yarn.

If you want to go all garter stitch try this version from Emsley Co Creations, which uses five colors of DK weight yarn and just a little shaping to make the point of the pencil.

There’s also this fun, mostly stockinette so it looks like it curls a bit, pencil pattern that looks like it’s worked in chunky yarn from Little Knits Studio. This one uses just a little garter stitch and easy shaping for the point.

If you don’t want a pencil scarf, how about some pencil socks? The No. 2 Pencil Socks from The Yarn Enabler are available from Ravelry and use five colors of sock yarn. They feature wide ribs to mimic the texture of a pencil and have options to be worked from the top down or the toe up.

Needs Sharpening by Alexander Walker is a free pattern on Ravelry that uses five colors of sock yarn to make a sort of shortie sock. The little bit of black at the tips of the toes inspired the name. These, too, can be worked in either direction and are available in three sizes.

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