Intarsia color change on vertical line for garter stitch

We create garter stitch by knitting or purling every row. It is an easy pattern in knitting. I like garter stitch because it is soft, cushy and reversible.  Anyway, when we make an Intarsia color work in garter stitch both sides wouldn't look exactly the same. In garter stitch, one side is clear-cut and the other not. If you knitted a vertical stripes in garter stitch, you can see the broken line formed between the two vertical stripes. Though it is not a reversible stitch, to me, both sides are equally attractive. How to change color on the vertical lines in garter stitch? Let's take a look at the steps below. I found that this is the most common and easier method which many knitters like to apply it on their knitting projects.

When changing color at the right side of the garter stitch knitting work, first of all, knit to the part where you want to change color. Then, insert the the right needle knitwise into the new color stitch. At the back of the work, drop the old color and pick up the new color from under the old color. Now, knit the next stitches or knit to the next color change with the new color.

When changing color at the wrong side of the garter stitch knitting work, it is worked differently. First of all, knit to the point of the color change and then bring the old color to the front between the two needles. Drop the old color, pick up the new color from under the old color and then bring the new color between the two needles to the back of the work. Now, knit the next stitches or knit to the next color change with the new color.

The photo shown above is a sample of  intarsia vertical stripes in garter stitch knitting fabric. Do you think both sides are equally attractive?




I had been thinking about how to knit reversible Intarsia vertical line in garter stitch for my project like a scarf. I had been searching from internet but it seemed nobody to do so. If many knitters believed that it was impossible to do reversible vertical line in garter stitch or it was not an good idea?  Why not have a try? Yes, I had tried several methods but I couldn't get any method that can be used to create a reversible vertical stripes in garter stitch. What I got only an almost reversible look on both sides. Why I said so? The reason is when the two different colored yarns being twisted would interlock with one another in an opposite direction compare to the previous row. As a result, the vertical stripes in garter stitch make a broken line and the broken line on each side is in different color. Here show you the way how I knit this almost reversible vertical line in garter stitch. Let‘s look at the photos and steps below.

1.  Knit to the part where you want to change colors. Drop the old color, bring the new color up between the two needle and to the back of the work.
2.  Insert the needle knitwise into the next stitch and then pick up the new color that you brought from the front of work just now from under the old color. Knit the next stitches or knit to the next color change.

• Repeat the steps in every row, you will see the result after a few rows.

The above photos shown is the sample of my garter vertical stripes knitting fabric. You can see that the color of the two broken lines at both sides are different, one is blue and the other is brown.  Can you differentiate the two broken lines?

Although this method couldn't create a look that exactly the same at the both sides but it is good enough for me ......

Intarsia color change on vertical line or diagonal line for stocking stitch

A knitting style called "Intarsia color work" is very versatile and common. This is a style of knitting where you are making blocks of color and each block with their own ball or bobbin of yarn. To make this kind of work, basically we have to know how to cast on multiple colors of yarns, how to change colors on a vertical or diagonal line and how to join in a new color yarn.

Straight vertical stripes in multiple colors is the simplest Intarsia pattern. Before we start to make a vertical stripes for the knitting, we have to know how to cast on different colored yarns for each vertical stripe on the needle.

Today, I would like to show you the way I  do the above mentioned methods on stocking stitch (stockinette). There are some methods of doing Intarsia color work on garter stitch. I will try to post the methods later.

Casting on two colors

Here is a simple way on how to cast on two different colored yarns in order to create two straight vertical stripes in different color respectively.

1. Cast on a few stitches with blue yarn by using the long tail cast-on method.
2. Make a slip knot with white yarn and place it on the needle. Twist the white and blue yarns as shown in the photo.
3. Now, pull the both ends of blue yarn backwards and start to cast on a few stitches with the white yarn.
4. Done.

Changing colors in a vertical line

When changing colors in a vertical line, the both yarns must be twisted on every row so that they interlock without leaving a hole.

1. At a vertical color change on the knit side, drop the old color and pick up the new color from under the old color. Now the two colors are twisted. Then knit the next stitches with the new color (or you might knit to the next color change according to how many color blocks you have).
2.  At a vertical color change on the purl side, drop the old color and pick up the new color from under the old color. Then purl the next stitches with the new color (or you might purl to the next color change according to how many color blocks you have).

This is a sample piece of my vertical stripes knitting fabric. Stripes in stocking stitch make a clean line on the knit side and a broken line on the purl side.

Changing colors in a diagonal line

When changing colors in a diagonal line, the both yarns must only be twisted on every other row.

1. When making a right diagonal on the knit side, insert the needle knitwise. Bring the old color over the new color, pick up the new color up from under the old color. This will twist the both new and old yarns as shown in the first photo. Then knit the next stitches or knit to the next color change with the new yarn.
2. On the purl side,  insert the needle purlwise. Pick up the new color from under the old color and purl the next stitches or purl to the next color change with the new yarn. The both yarns shouldn't be twisted.

1. When making a left diagonal on the purl side, insert the needle purlwise. Bring the old color over the new color, pick up the new color up from under the old color. This will twist the both new and old yarns as shown in the first photo. Then purl the next stitches or purl to the next color change with the new yarn.
2. On the knit side,  insert the needle knitwise. Pick up the new color from under the old color and knit the next stitches or knit to the next color change with the new yarn. The both yarns shouldn't be twisted.

The first photo shown is a right diagonal line on the knit side; the second photo shown is the left diagonal line on the purl side; the third photo shown is a right diagonal line on the purl side and the last photo shown is a left diagonal line on the knit side.

Joining a new color 

I only use one method to join a new color for my Intarsia color work. It is easy, I use it to join a new color at the beginning or in the middle of a row.

First, insert the needle through the desired stitch on the left needle. Wrap the new yarn around the right needle and leaving a tail of yarn about 4 inches long. Normally, I will insert the needle through the stitch knitwise at the knit side and insert the needle through purlwise at the purl side. Then hold the both ends and pull the yarn out to create a stitch. Don't worry about the tail, just let it hanging there because you will finish off the tail by weaving it into the knitting piece after the piece is finished.

I use another method to join in a new color from the beginning when I make the horizontal stripes for other knitting patterns. Please click here  to visit the relavant post.

Taiwan Buddhist Tzu-Chi Foundation Malaysia (KL & Selangor Branch)

Last two weeks, we had a short visit to Taiwan Buddhist Tzu-Chi Foundation Malaysia (KL & Selangor Branch).

Taiwan Buddhist Tzu-Chi Foundation Malaysia (KL & Selangor Branch) is located along Jalan Kepong, KL. According to one of the volunteers there, the KL Jing-Si Hall was designed as a green and eco-friendly building due to global warming. She also said the hall was specially designed in a way that it could get natural air and direct sunlight to brighten up internal space of the building in order to minimise the usage of air-conditioners and save electricity.

The volunteers there were so nice. A nice volunteer brought us to visit the whole building and patiently explained to us the histories and stories of Tzu-Chi.

The entrance of Taiwan Buddhist Tzu-Chi Foundation Malaysia (KL& Selangor Branch)

KL Jing-Si Hall

Outdoor scene

There were many huge posters hanging on the wall along the ramp walkway that led to the other floor.  The posters there gave us the information about the histories and the missions of charity of Tzu-Chi. I was interested in the histories of "The founding of Tzu-Chi" and  "The spirit of the Bamboo Bank Era".

According to one of the posters there,  in 1966, while Master Cheng Yen was visiting a patient at a local clinic, she saw a pool of blood on the floor. Master Cheng Yen was told that the blood was from an indigenous woman suffering from labour complications and could not afford the deposits. The overwhelming sorrow prompted Master Cheng Yen to make a great vow and establish Tzu-Chi in Hualien, Taiwan.

Another huge poster mentioned that Master Cheng Yen established Tzu-Chi with the concept of self-support, diligence and frugality. It began with Master Cheng Yen and five disciples, each producing an extra pair of hand sewn baby shoes every day; and thirty housewives each saving NT$0.50 (about RM0.05) from their grocery money in a bamboo bank daily. This was the charity fund to help the needy. This is how the spirit of the "Bamboo Bank Era" began.

Interior of Taiwan Buddhist Tzu-Chi Foundation Malaysia (KL& Selangor Branch)

Beside the Jing-Si Hall was the Jing-Si Books & Cafe. The interior design was modern and the decorations were beautiful. We enjoyed sitting there and having a cup of coffee, what a comfortable feeling!

Jing-Si Books & Cafe

Interior of Jing-Si Books & Cafe

Tzu-Chi Continuing Education Center

I have a feeling that the world is full of goodness and beauty of mankind....