How to Change Colors While Knitting

Knitting is a terrific pastime that results in gifts for friends and family and yourself, of course. Whether you are a novice working on your first scarf, or an experienced knitter, you will at some point in your hobby find yourself challenged with a color change in your project. There are a few ways to make your color change a seamless transition in your project. The easiest way is to do a change at the beginning of a new row, but sometime your pattern may include some kind of special design which requires a change within the row. Either way changing a color is really not that difficult and you shouldn't lose any sleep over your more interesting and complex project. Got something on your needles that requires a new skill? If you are ready to do a color change read on.

Things You'll Need

• Knitting project with a color change
• 2 colors of yarn
• A tapestry needle to weave in ends

Instructions

How to Change Colors at the End of a Row

1. Cut your yarn. To add a stripe to a scarf or blanket you will want to finish your row with your first color. Cut the yarn of your first color, leaving a nice tail to weave in later.

2. Take your second color and again, leaving a tail, hold it in your hand along with the tail of the first color. Hold tightly.

3. Begin to knit with the new color. Once you have a few stitches done it will feel just as natural as knitting your first color.

4. 

   Weave in the ends later when you finish your project.

How to Change a Color in the Middle of a Row

1. Knit to the color change.

2. Cut the thread of your first color, leaving a tail at least 4" long to weave in later.

3. Grab your second color and hold it next to the first color thread, keeping a tail for each strand in your hand.

4. 

   Interlock the colors together near the last stitch by simply "hooking" one color around the other.

5. Then, holding the tails in your hand, knit a stitch in the new color. Pull the tails of both colors to tighten the stitch to match the others.

6. Continue knitting in pattern. Weave in ends later.

Tips & Warnings

• For a flawless color change be sure to use similar weight yarn.