Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Learn Intarsia with this DVD Guide

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inside intarsia dvd

The winner is Chris.

Intarsia is a fun knitting technique that involves working different colors in blocks across the knit fabric. In stranded knitting, you work just a few stitches of one color then change to the other and back again, stranding the unused yarn across the back of the work as you go, but in intarsia you drop the old yarn completely, pick up a new yarn for the new section and continue on in that way across, with each little patch of knitting worked from its own ball.

This allows you to knit larger-scale designs, and it’s really lots of fun, but it does take some getting used to.

This week’s giveaway will help. Inside Intarsia with Anne Berk is a DVD produced by Interweave that runs 117 minutes and includes all the basics, such as how to read a chart and join yarn, as well as more advanced techniques like working intarsia in the round and fixing mistakes.

The DVD originally came with two patterns, which may still be available from Interweave (my DVD is still shrink-wrapped, but there’s probably something in there that points you to a website with the patterns on it).

Note: though the picture says download the prize is the DVD, which I will ship to you.

If you’d like a chance to win this DVD, leave a comment on this post by the end of the day Sunday, Aug. 13. I’d love to hear about your experience with intarsia or what scares you about it if you haven’t tried it yet. (I really like it  and have a few patterns using the technique in one of my books; the Superstar Scarf is probably my favorite.)

Thanks for visiting, commenting and sharing, and good luck!

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Comments

  1. I really want to know how to do this. I have seen several projects that appealed to me, but I did not know how to go about this. I guess I am scared because stranded knitting is a major failure for me.

  2. My problem is with finishing the ends once the item is completed. Any help with this would be great! Thank you for the giveaway chance.

  3. I’ve only done a few small projects with intarsia but would love to attempt something bigger. It’s really beautiful.

  4. I learned to knit as a youngster but didn’t actually do much knitting until the last few years. I am essentially a self taught knitter. The intarsia projects I’ve tried have ended up lumpy in my attempt to twist the different colored yarns as they intersect. Obviously that’s wrong. I am so excited to have the chance to win instructions on how to accomplish color work. Thank you.

  6. I have tried working Intarsia on a couple of projects of my own design. I taught myself from a couple of books so I understand how to work Intarsia, I just don’t feel confident. If this DVD is clear and easy to understand I should be able to fill in the gaps. Thanks for the chance to win it!

  7. I would love to learn how to do Intarsia. I am not new to knitting, but new to a lot of techniques. I have always just done the basics. One year I made hats and learned new stitches. That was fun. So as fall approaches it would be fun to learn something new again. Thanks for the chance to win.

  8. I have attempted intarsia on a project, but it didn’t turn out very well. I would love to be able to do it well.

  9. I have been knitting for over 50 years and am always looking for new challenges. I would love to learn this technique and hope you will send me a copy of this DVD explaining how intarsia is done.

Have you read?

Knit a Classic Aran Cardigan with this Free Knitting Pattern

Not too long ago I did a test knit for another designer that was for a cabled cardigan. It’s really cozy and nice but it just about broke me in a ton of different ways. I couldn’t get gauge, which I suppose is my own problem, but mainly I was somehow both bored and forced to pay attention at the same time. 

Because it used the same cable all over, I always had to know what row I was on, but nine out of ten of those rows, nothing in particular was going on. So I couldn’t stop paying attention, but what I needed to attend to was boring. 

It may have ruined me for knitting cabled sweaters, but maybe I just need something that’s more engaging. Like this Modern Aran Cardigan pattern from Lion Brand Yarn. 

This is a reworking of an old pattern from their archives, and you can tell that form the classic look of the cables and the oversized feel (nothing cropped about this one!). It has allover cables, but like a classic Aran sweater it’s not the same cable, so you’ll have to pay attention to what row you’re on and what cable turns happen for which cables on that row. 

Because of this, it’s considered an intermediate knitting pattern, but if you’re comfortable working from multiple charts at once it shouldn’t be a problem for you. There are three different charts and seven different cable moves. 

Also because the pattern is so big and boxy there are only two sizes available, with a finished chest measurement of either 49 or 63 inches (that’s 124.5 or 160 cm). It’s up to you to decide how much ease you would like and whether that will work for your body. 

The pattern uses worsted weight yarn (and calls for another classic, Lion Brand Fisherman’s Wool). It calls for six buttons and includes pockets to make it extra cozy. 

This one looks like a great winter project to make and to wear if you’re up for a bit of a challenge. You can grab the free pattern or buy a kit with the yarn needed direct from Lion Brand Yarn. 

[Photo: Lion Brand Yarn]