How to Knit: Color Dominance 101 | Brooklyn Tweed
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- čas přidán 25. 05. 2021
- Take your colorwork knitting to the next level with our Color Dominance tutorial!
When working stranded colorwork with two or more colors, one color will always be more prominent on the right side of your work (the Dominant Color) while the other recedes to the background (the Background Color). This effect is controlled by how the yarns are held in relationship to one another on the wrong side of the fabric as you work.
Paying attention to Color Dominance is important for achieving the best-looking results in your finished fabric.
Many of Brooklyn Tweed's colorwork pattern charts include columns showing which colors should be held as the Dominant Color and the Background Color - in this video, we also show you how to determine which color should be dominant if your pattern does not have a color dominance indicator.
Regardless of how a knitter holds their yarns when working stranded colorwork, the Dominant Color should always float below the Background Color.
When Holding One Color in Each Hand:
The Dominant Color is held in the left hand and strands below the Background Color on the WS of the fabric.
The Background Color is held in the right hand and strands above the Dominant Color on the WS of the fabric.
When Holding Two Colors in One Hand:
There is more than one way to work stranded colorwork with two colors held in one hand (left or right) - the important thing to be aware of is that the Dominant Color consistently floats below the Background Color throughout a project regardless of your individual method for carrying the yarns.
(Check out our Trapping Floats tutorial for more tips on yarn management when knitting colorwork! • How To Knit: Trapping ... )
Featured pattern: Spearheads by Jared Flood
Shop pattern: brooklyntweed.com/products/sp...
Featured yarn: Brooklyn Tweed Arbor, Brooklyn Tweed Quarry
Shop yarn: brooklyntweed.com/pages/yarn
If you found this tutorial helpful, we’d love your support! Shop our breed-specific American wool yarns & thoughtfully designed patterns at BrooklynTweed.com.
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At Brooklyn Tweed we are passionate about wool, knitting and design.
We develop and manufacture breed-specific wool yarns that support domestic textile production. This means designing, sourcing, dyeing and spinning our yarns 100% within the USA.
We craft our knitwear designs with the same commitment to timeless quality that we apply to our yarns. Every pattern is meticulously drafted and edited to provide clear instructions that empower knitters to build new skills. Our design team explores the intersection of knitting traditions and contemporary style, to produce patterns that are a pleasure to knit and wear.
Learn more at: @BrooklynTweed_Official
Visit us at: brooklyntweed.com/ - Jak na to + styl
I wish more CZcams knitters valued delivery as much as content. Being an experienced knitter does not automatically make one a good teacher! I literally watched three videos that (poorly) explained what you all did so succinctly here. Thank you!
Glad you found this tutorial helpful! Happy knitting!
One of the best demonstrations and explanation of colour dominance on the web. Thank you
Thanks so much! Happy knitting!
You didn't demonstrate how to do this with both strands in the left hand ( continental). I hold the dominant yarn above the non dominant yarn, both on my first finger on my left hand.
Spending a quiet 2024 Memorial Day weekend devoted to conquering stranded colorwork. I watched dozens of CZcams videos that left me more confused and frustrated. Finally I found this perfect one from Brooklyn Tweed and am on my way knitting a hat in stranded colorwork. I am designing my own pattern as I go along - nothing requiring me to catch floats. I am a thrower, so I appreciate your segment here on working the pattern with both colors held in the right hand. Thank you for this highly professional tutorial.
Thanks so much for watching! Happy knitting!
This was so clear! As a visual learner I really appreciate that y'all add notes on the screen alongside the spoken explanation.
Hi Chiara! We're so glad you found it helpful! (We love a good visual aid!)
This is so informative and well-explained! As good as a paid class. Thank you, it is much helpful.
You're very welcome! So glad that you found it helpful!
I carry both in my left as I am a continental knitter who hasn't used her right hand to throw which is fine by me as I dont use 2 hands when I knit.stranded /fairisle but I Definetly have dominat below and background above. So I gotcha. Love the tutorial tips 😁
Thanks so much! Knowing how to hold two colors in one hand is definitely useful once you get to those three-color rows... Happy knitting!
Thanks for your comment. I too am a continental knitter, and just discovered holding both yarns in one hand (Drowning in Yarn podcast}.
This was an excellent tutorial on color dominance. Thank you for sharing your knowledge in such a clear and articulate manner.
Thanks so much for watching! We're so glad you found this helpful. Happy knitting!
I watched this video and the one on color choices. You are really good at explaining these ideas clearly. Also your pacing is really good, and there is no distracting background music competing with the boys voiceover witch, which, for me anyway, makes it hard to learn. Thank you. Please do more.
Thank you! Glad it was helpful!
thank you so much! I'm also an English style knitter (I'm so strongly right-handed my left hand is basically useless lol) so seeing how you do colorwork w/ both colors in the right hand was much appreciated
You're so welcome! Happy knitting!
Thank you! Best explanation and demonstration . Now I understand the difference in the result. Glad having found your video.
Greetings from Tyrol/Austria!
Glad it was helpful! Viel Spaß beim Stricken!
This is the first time I heard a decent explanation of background vs. pattern. Also, I was doing it backwards.
I always have to double check! :D It definitely makes a difference in small colorwork motifs!
Watched this before starting my first ever color work project-so helpful! Especially as I am also a thrower.
Glad it was helpful! Happy knitting!
Excellent! Thank you!
You are welcome! Thanks for watching!
Easy to follow with your charts and speaking what a great teacher. Thank you for helping me with this. ❤😊
You are so welcome! Happy knitting!
You are my saviour. Thanks a bunch for this detailed video. ♥️♥️♥️
You are so welcome! Happy knitting!
Bravo. Thank you for this helpful tutorial. Showing the anatomical relationship of the floats was very helpful. Unfortunately there are a few CZcams videos out there that get this backwards. I saw one just today by a well know teacher - probably just a slip off the tongue, but for those of us hanging on every word, producing an accurate and well edited video is essential.
You're very welcome! Thanks for watching! (There's something about filming a video that will suddenly have you saying everything backwards - it's nerve-wracking!)
Really excellent; I appreciate the multiple modes of explaining 'dominance,' how to control/manage it and what appropriate technique looks like!
Thanks so much for watching! Happy knitting!
Wow! What an excellent tutorial! You answered so many of the questions I had. I look forward to watching some of your other tutorials.
Glad it was helpful! Thanks so much for watching!
So glad I found this video. Excellent instruction. Thank you!
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching!
This was so helpful! I have struggled with colorwork for ages and lots of tutorials call for two handed knitting. Seeing single handed colorwork done so well was really encouraging!
We're so glad we could help!
This was SUCH a helpful video! Thank you so much!
You're so welcome! Happy knitting!
Thank you, this so clear and helpful
Thanks so much for watching!
Very helpful. I always forget which hand holds the dominant color - but I think I will remember now!
Glad it helped! Happy knitting!
So clear and concise! THANKS! ❣❣❣
Glad it was helpful! Happy knitting!
I'm so glad I saw this video! That little bit at the end showing how you hold and knit both yarns with your right was SO helpful! I think I've got it...for the moment at least! lol Thank you!
Glad it was helpful! Happy knitting!
@@BrooklynTweed_Official I have been doing my colorwork like this ever since I saw the video in September and it feels completely natural for me. My question is how does Jared catch floats using this style? I am not sure if what I have been doing is the most efficient way. Thanks for you help!
Great question! Check out our video tutorial on trapping floats: czcams.com/video/b9JWn5Rk_vE/video.html
Beautiful illustrations and easy to follow👌🙏👍
Love your pattern
Thanks so much 😊
Thank you so much, I always had a hard time understanding, you explained it very well.
We're glad this helped! Happy knitting!
So helpful for an English knitter! Thankyou 🙏
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you for a very clear demonstration that a beginner can follow. I have a much better understanding now. I will be sure to watch and learn from your videos. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful! Thanks so much for watching!
I love your yarn! I’m addicted to it. I’m just starting to learn color work.
Thanks so much, Jessica! Colorwork is lots of fun - give our First Colorwork Cowl pattern a look!
Finally, I understand. Great video
Hi Jackie! So glad this was useful to you! It's such a subtle thing but really makes a nice difference in the finished project. Happy knitting!
Thank you so much for sharing! Great tutorial! It helped me a lot! Congratulations! 🙏😍
You are so welcome! Happy knitting!
Thank you for such excellent instructions!
You are so welcome! Thanks for watching & happy knitting!
What a wonderful clear explanation. Thank you
You're very welcome!
Excellent explanation. Thanks so much for sharing. So useful 🌸🐑
Thank you for watching! We hope it helps you create beautiful colorwork!
That was an excellent demo. Thank you.
Thanks so much! Happy knitting!
Wow! Thanks a lot this tutorial, well explained and easy to follow, I need lots of practice on it to able to be faster like you 😄, quite interesting
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching!
Super well-done and helpful!
Thanks so much for watching!
Such a helpful video, thank you!
Thanks so much! We're glad you found it helpful!
Super clear. I will subscribe!
Thanks so much!
Great demo! Thank you.
Thanks so much for watching! Happy colorworking!
Thank you, really helpful. Coming to the end of a 2x colour beanie with working threads getting tangled and me stopping to untangle at the end of every row. You've also explained really well about colour dominance. Looking forward to a more professional finish to my next project!
Hi Aly! Thanks so much for watching! Glad you found our video helpful. Happy knitting!
Amazing video! Thank you ❤️
Thanks so much for watching! Happy knitting!
So helpful. Thank you!
You're so welcome! Happy knitting!
Thank you! I was initially just taught just float your old color over your new color (for every switch of color?) but I felt something was off. I will try this way!
You're so welcome! Happy knitting!
Excellent video… thank you!
Thanks for watching!
I've been knitting well over forty years and I feel it is time for me to tackle colour work.
It took me over thirty five to knit socks and now it's a rare occasion for me not to have a pair on the go.
So your video was important knowledge for me to know and understand.
I've heard of 'catching your strand'. I think this is when you have a long stretch of one colour so you catch the second colour to see the strand being too long??
Hopefully you have done a video on this.
Thank you. xxJane 🐑🌼
Thanks so much for watching! We've got just the video you need, our Trapping Floats tutorial: czcams.com/video/b9JWn5Rk_vE/video.html
(Check out our entire How to Knit: Colorwork playlist for more tips & techniques! czcams.com/play/PL0_ZPDPi8ygiPcNlv11URStZTk7k44c5z.html )
Excellent video and explanation.
Thank you Julie! Happy knitting!
Excellent! Thank you 😊
Thanks for watching! Happy knitting!
Thank you for this !
You're most welcome! Happy knitting!
Very good explanation!
Glad it was helpful! Happy knitting!
Great video! I really want to learn how to do stranded colourwork to be able to do Fairisle knitting, but I am a bit intimidated by it. This definitely makes me feel a bit more comfortable.
Thank you Marie! Colorwork is lots of fun - start out with a simple pattern (maybe our Seeds Hat or First Colorwork Cowl) and you'll be a pro in no time! Happy knitting!
@@BrooklynTweed_Official Thank you for the suggestions! I will definitely check them out as I’ve been looking for what to knit for my first colourwork pattern.
Wonderful.
Thank you! Happy knitting!
This is amazing! Thank you. Do you have a video on catching floats while maintaining color dominance?
Thanks for watching! We sure do: czcams.com/video/b9JWn5Rk_vE/video.html
I honestly think the left side looks more crisp and clean
You can certainly knit it whichever way you think looks best! As long as you're keeping each color held in the same position throughout, you'll get consistent results. Happy knitting!
This is an amazing tutorial. It has answered so many questions that I've had over the last few years since attempting stranded colorwork. Thank you so much! I love that little chart to constantly remind me of what I'm supposed to be doing. Not being a continental knitter I love the demo of both styles. Just an off-the-subject question..can you share what combo of stitches are you using on the edges of your swatch? It looks so great to not have wonky stitches up the sides.
Hi Deb! Thanks so much! (Right? The mini-chart is so helpful, especially if you've put your knitting down mid-row and you're trying to remember which color was in which hand!) For swatching colorwork in the round, Jared likes to knit the first and last two stitches of each round with both colors held together - this helps keep the edge stitches snugged down neatly!
So, since I'm a continental knitter, I would hold the dominant yarn in my right hand? A very good, thought provoking tutorial. One hand or two?!
Hi Sandra! You'd still hold your dominant yarn in your left hand (if holding one color in each hand) so that the floats travel below the background color. Happy knitting!
Hi there!! I want to make a swatch like yours (green one) in the tutorial. Could you please make a video tutorial for beginners in colorwork /stranded knitting like me ???
Check out our Swatching 101 & 201 tutorials on our website! brooklyntweed.com/pages/swatching-101
brooklyntweed.com/pages/swatches-201
This is very helpful. Thank you! What if your pattern has more than 5-as many as 8-stitches in a row of the background color? How do you catch floats without upsetting the color dominance?
Check out our Trapping Floats tutorial! czcams.com/video/b9JWn5Rk_vE/video.html
Thank you for posting this video, it was so helpful! I do have a question though, would trapping floats affect color dominance since it twists the strands of yarn?
Thanks for watching, Steph! Great question! Since you're moving your float yarn back to its original position right after you trap it, your color dominance won't be affected (I'm working on a sweater with long floats right now!) Happy knitting!
Where did you get your watch? Looks nice
Thank you for the video! It was a great explanation of color dominance. I'm fascinated by the way you hold the two colors in your right hand. I can't quite figure it out from the video and Google hasn't turned up anything like it. Is there a name for the technique?
You are so welcome! Great question - Google turns up a lot of "two-handed colorwork" results but no "one-handed colorwork"... Kate Atherley at Modern Daily Knitting did a post about it a few months ago though! www.moderndailyknitting.com/community/handy-tips-for-stranded-colorwork/
@@BrooklynTweed_Official Thanks! This is really helpful!
I'm currently using 3 colors and struggling with tension and noticed in this video you didn't really discuss catching floats. This becomes a major issue in motifs with long gaps between colors. How do you deal with dominance there?
Hello! Check out our Trapping Floats tutorial: studio.czcams.com/users/videob9JWn5Rk_vE/edit
Question: I see a Lot of Swatches such as yours with the ends of the rows cut off, and I noticed that there are loose yarns behind the colorwork swatch. Can you please tell me what this is called or how I can find information on how to do this??? Ive been searching for this technique for months, but do not have any idea what it would be called! 😅 Thanks in Advance! 🙏🏻🫶🏻 Your Videos are Amaaazing!!
Hi Saralise! This is "speed swatching" for circular knitting - check out our Swatching 101 resource page for how it works! brooklyntweed.com/pages/swatching-101
@@BrooklynTweed_Official oooooo! Cool! Thanks! 🤩🫶🏻 Now if I could just get someone to reply to my Wholesale Inquiry……🤣🤣🤣
@@BrooklynTweed_Official that was Incredibly Helpful!!!! Thank You! 🤩🙏🏻🫶🏻
@@KiSaralise just as soon as we can grow our production!
Thanks a lot.
How do you finish your little square as on the green one? I love to turn my trial swatches into coasters...
The fringed edges are from "speed swatching" for circular knitting - check out our Swatching 101 resource page for how it works! brooklyntweed.com/pages/swatching-101 (We love a good swatch coaster!)
Great... but the reverse side? Is it the same for pearling back?
Yes, you'll hold your dominant and background colors the same way on both sides!
What if your purling on flat work? Do do you hold dominant color in right hand or keep it in left?
Great question! You'll still hold your dominant color in the left hand (if using two hands) as you want it to travel under the background color. Happy knitting!
@@BrooklynTweed_Official Thanks!
What about doing colourwork on the purl side? Is dominant colour still stranding on the bottom?
Great question! Exactly so, you'll just keep your dominant color coming from underneath on both sides. Happy knitting!
What if you have to catch a long float? Won’t the yarns twist? Sorry if I missed this in the video.
Great question! Check out our Trapping Floats tutorial for tips on wrangling the twists: czcams.com/video/b9JWn5Rk_vE/video.html
@@BrooklynTweed_Official thanks! Also I can’t believe what a difference this technique made in both the overall tension of my stranded colorwork and the ease of managing the yarn. Prior to learning this, I must have been randomly putting one color dominant and then the other through the course of a project and constantly having to stop and untwist the yarn. I love the look of colorwork and now it’s also fun to knit it!
What if I’m catching floats? Does that mess it up?
Not at all! (Check out our Trapping Floats tutorial to see how we do it! czcams.com/video/b9JWn5Rk_vE/video.html )
Now what happens when there are 3 colors for example?
Great question! Some colorwork patterns have a little color dominance chart next to the main colorwork chart to remind you which color is dominant on each row - very helpful on those 3-color rows! Whichever color is dominant for the row should always travel below the other color(s).
@@BrooklynTweed_Official I see, thank you!
What about the wrong side?
Great question! Often for stranded colorwork you'll be working in the round - we found this tutorial helpful for working stranded colorwork flat: czcams.com/video/V3v4fOOdH0k/video.html
I actually like the "wrong" side better 🤷♂
I often wear my colorwork hats float side out! Our Florin pullover pattern is designed to be worn either way also :D