struggling with intarsia

[warthog]

any tips please?

it's a kaffe fassett jersey with about 30 different colours on 3mm needles with 4 ply. i'm new to intarsia so thought this would be a good way to learn. haha

problem is that the knitting isn't very even and the stitches on the left hand, purl edges of each section are about twice the size of the others. looks ok from a distance but horrible close up. i've tried knitting really tightly to try and avoid this but no luck.

so, are there any handy secrets??? please please please - it takes me 30 mins to knit one row as it is!!!

[warthog]

better description of the problem: on the left-hand side of each shape, the first stitch knitted in purl is huge.

i will try and take a photo but my camera doesn't have a macro lense so i suspect that you won't be able to see what i'm talking about...

[warthog]

yes i am twisting the yarn. i've done swatches with no problem. it's not straight lines that are the problem, but diagonals. i've looked at loads of books and online videos...

what's the name of his new book?

[cluckychook]

When you have twisted the yarn and are about to do the next stitch you need to pull the yarn tight. This should prevent uneven stitches.

It may be better not to start with a Kaffe Fassett as your first intarsia project. Zoe Mellor and Lucinda Guy do some nice intarsia designs with just two or three colours.

[warthog]

cluckychook - you sound FAR to sensible! i like to live on the wild side

ok, i think i've got it sorted. i changed to slightly smaller needles, and doing as cc suggested, pulling the yarn tight when joining. i thought i had been doing it, but the wool is rather rough and sticks together. so a yank has been doing the trick.

will post pic when it's finished. or maybe when the back's finished anyway!

thanks for the help all!

[warthog]

ahahahahahahahahahhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

i've just been on knitting help and she says if the diagonal is to the left, DON'T twist the yarn. so i'll see if that works.

[warthog]

well i've only managed to do one row today, so it'll be tomorrow before i can see whether it works or not. it takes anywhere between 15 to 30 mins to do a row and dd refused her nap at lunch. sigh

that website is the dog's bolleaux.

[warthog]

which is the poppies one? in the patterns library?

i must say i'm really enjoying knitting with all the different colours. new experience for me!

[warthog]

well i read one of his books' instructions, and it's totally different to the way i've been doing it. so i knitted a practice swatch and his method works better than mine (and the knitting help one). on left-hand diagonals, he carries the wool for a couple of stitches aka fairisle, so that the wool is in the right place for the next row and doesn't pull.

amazing. i've learnt so much in the last week than i have in the last year! amazing what learning a new technique will do for you.