# Unique way to make colour changing yarn



## Tove (Oct 27, 2012)

Today, January 7th, "Lolly 12" posted the link to the Tindra Hat (K). I liked this hat and explored the web site www.filcolana.dk - lots of free knitting patterns by different Danish designers, most have English translations.

I read the pattern for the 'Purple Rain', a dark grey sweater with multi-coloured border - http://www.filcolana.dk/sites/default/files/CK_purplerainEN2.pdf

To make one's own colour-changing yarn:
For the body: wind a yarn around the hand 15 - 20 times, cut and join it without a knot to the next colour. Continue this joining of different colours and make the lengths different. Wind the yarn into a tennis-ball size.
For the sleeve: exactly the same but 5 - 9 wraps on the hand


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## 1kathyr (Oct 20, 2014)

What a great idea!


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## berigora (Nov 27, 2012)

Thank you - lovely idea for magic ball! There are some great patterns on that site.


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## Ontario Silk (Feb 16, 2014)

Tove said:


> Today, January 7th, "Lolly 12" posted the link to the Tindra Hat (K). I liked this hat and explored the web site www.filcolana.dk - lots of free knitting patterns by different Danish designers, most have English translations.
> 
> I read the pattern for the 'Purple Rain', a dark grey sweater with multi-coloured border - http://www.filcolana.dk/sites/default/files/CK_purplerainEN2.pdf
> 
> ...


I have a question for you... I wish to make a zebra print throw blanket. I am a novice to knitting. Would this method you describe of making my own ball in black and white and rolling it into a ball work do you think??? I want to make random striping in black on white background.


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## ChristmasTree (Nov 28, 2011)

Great idea, and the sleeves will look the same as the body. As much as I hate cutting yarn I am going to try this!


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## Tove (Oct 27, 2012)

ChristmasTree said:


> Great idea, and the sleeves will look the same as the body. As much as I hate cutting yarn I am going to try this!


Me too, in fact, I have downloaded that pattern (and several others) and am going to give it a try.

Just think, we're not restricted to specific brands of yarn to get colour changing yarns.


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## Tove (Oct 27, 2012)

Ontario Silk said:


> I have a question for you... I wish to make a zebra print throw blanket. I am a novice to knitting. Would this method you describe of making my own ball in black and white and rolling it into a ball work do you think??? I want to make random striping in black on white background.


I am going to have to say no to your question. This will not work for zebra striping. You are going to have to knit with 2 ball of yarn, a white for the background, a black for the stripes. The reason is that you need specific stitches to have specific colours - what the method I introduced is a colour change at no specific location.

When you knit the background for zebra striping, you will use the white then change to black when knitting the stripes. There will be loose loops of yarn on the back of your work. 
The most common error when knitting with 2 colours is to make this loop too tight. Too tight a loop will pucker your knitting and it will usually not flatten out.

Your avatar looks much like looking out my window. Looks like you're in the deep freeze too.....a delightful Canadian winter


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## dannyjack (Nov 5, 2013)

Thank you for posting this pattern! It's lovely!


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## chickkie (Oct 26, 2011)

I would not want to have to deal with all those ends, and I won't put knots in my knitting, so I have to be satisfied with the way the yarn comes from the factory.


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## Tove (Oct 27, 2012)

chickkie said:


> I would not want to have to deal with all those ends, and I won't put knots in my knitting, so I have to be satisfied with the way the yarn comes from the factory.


That was my immediate thought too until I read that it was a knotless, loose-end-less joins, such as the Russian join or the woven (forgot the name, so therefore, there are no knots and/or ends


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## chickkie (Oct 26, 2011)

Tove said:


> That was my immediate thought too until I read that it was a knotless, loose-end-less joins, such as the Russian join or the woven (forgot the name, so therefore, there are no knots and/or ends


if you are cutting the yarn you will be joining somehow, so there are going to be ends to deal with.


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## Tove (Oct 27, 2012)

chickkie said:


> if you are cutting the yarn you will be joining somehow, so there are going to be ends to deal with.


One should think so but I learned off YouTube and members on KP that there are a variety of ways to join yarns that leaves no knots and/or ends.


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## Loistec (Jan 25, 2011)

Gorgeous sweater! Thank you for sharing, the russian join will take care of any "ends" of yarn, joining as you go along.
I may just have to try this!


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## yona (Feb 7, 2011)

Nice!


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## lovey (Nov 11, 2011)

Ontario Silk said:


> I have a question for you... I wish to make a zebra print throw blanket. I am a novice to knitting. Would this method you describe of making my own ball in black and white and rolling it into a ball work do you think??? I want to make random striping in black on white background.


Don't know why not!


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## lsavitz (Jun 13, 2013)

Tove said:


> To make one's own colour-changing yarn:
> For the body: wind a yarn around the hand 15 - 20 times, cut and join it without a knot to the next colour. Continue this joining of different colours and make the lengths different. Wind the yarn into a tennis-ball size.
> For the sleeve: exactly the same but 5 - 9 wraps on the hand


How do you join without a knot?


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## JoyceinNC (Oct 28, 2011)

Many thanks! Love the Purple Rain pattern - have to sit down and check out the rest of the site. Thanks for the instructions about making my own color change yarn. I assume this is for wool yarn, joining without a knot probably wouldn't work on acrylic.

Thank you, thank you!


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## JoyceinNC (Oct 28, 2011)

Tove- are you Danish? I sure love the designs on this web site, but when my father's family left Denmark and came to the U.S., they decided they would be "American" and not speak Danish at home or teach it to their children. My loss.

When I clicked on the designs, the patterns came up in Danish. I'll have to look again, more closely, for a link to English.

Thanks so much!


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## marimom (Aug 27, 2011)

I could not find how to download the free patterns and there are many lovely ones. Can someone help me out here? Thanx.


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## Tove (Oct 27, 2012)

lsavitz said:


> How do you join without a knot?


lsavitz, there are several ways of joining yarn without knots or ends. I think the most popular one is the Russian join and the best way to explain is to go to YouTube and type Russian Join. There is at least one other way to do it, just can't remember the name, perhaps another KPer can help there.


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## marimom (Aug 27, 2011)

Just figured out how to download these wonderful patterns so do not need response to my last request. Now if only I can find equivalent yarns I will be a happy camper, oops, I mean knitter!


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## Tove (Oct 27, 2012)

JoyceinNC said:


> Tove- are you Danish? I sure love the designs on this web site, but when my father's family left Denmark and came to the U.S., they decided they would be "American" and not speak Danish at home or teach it to their children. My loss.
> 
> When I clicked on the designs, the patterns came up in Danish. I'll have to look again, more closely, for a link to English.
> 
> Thanks so much!


JoyceinNC, yes I am a Danish immigrant. I came in my mid twenties but my parents immigrated in 1959. It was a common thing for immigrants back then to 'blend in' as fast as possible, This could be the reason they chose not to speak Danish to the next generation.

Almost all of the patterns on this web site have English and German translations. If you can't find an English translation, let me know, I'll either find it for you or help you translate.


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## Tove (Oct 27, 2012)

marimom said:


> I could not find how to download the free patterns and there are many lovely ones. Can someone help me out here? Thanx.


marimom, let me know the name of the garment and I'll send the link to you


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## Tove (Oct 27, 2012)

marimom said:


> Just figured out how to download these wonderful patterns so do not need response to my last request. Now if only I can find equivalent yarns I will be a happy camper, oops, I mean knitter!


Happy you found the right links. To get the right yarn, get one that has the same number of stitches/needle as given on the pattern. If you have problem with this, bring the pattern to a yarn store, they can usually give great yarn substitutions.


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## MidMdRoots (Feb 9, 2013)

Ontario Silk said:


> I have a question for you... I wish to make a zebra print throw blanket. I am a novice to knitting. Would this method you describe of making my own ball in black and white and rolling it into a ball work do you think??? I want to make random striping in black on white background.


Saw this option

http://stitchover.com/?tag=free-knitting-pattern

http://stitchover.wordpress.com/animal-print-charts/

zebra chart at bottom


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## rustyb (Aug 11, 2011)

Beautiful! Thanks!


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## Maltova (Jun 24, 2014)

Breath taking! There's always something new to learn here on KP! Thanks for posting. Have just downloaded the pattern..am going to try this for sure


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## JoyceinNC (Oct 28, 2011)

Tove said:


> JoyceinNC, yes I am a Danish immigrant. I came in my mid twenties but my parents immigrated in 1959. It was a common thing for immigrants back then to 'blend in' as fast as possible, This could be the reason they chose not to speak Danish to the next generation.
> 
> Almost all of the patterns on this web site have English and German translations. If you can't find an English translation, let me know, I'll either find it for you or help you translate.


When I went back to the web site the second time, I saw the link for language translation right at the top. Ooops! There are several patterns on my list to download. I love the way color is used.

My father's grand parents came to the U.S. in the late 1800's, and yes, they did want to blend in as soon as they could. I understand their feelings, just wish some of the language would have been passed down so it would be a little more familiar to me. What a great thing it is to be able to look at and download wonderful patterns from around the world! Thanks for the link, I'm looking forward to visiting it often.


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## laceandbits (Jun 23, 2011)

chickkie said:


> I would not want to have to deal with all those ends, and I won't put knots in my knitting, so I have to be satisfied with the way the yarn comes from the factory.


Me too.

And if you look at the photographs basically it's Fairisle with the colour changing at the edges, very rarely in the middle of the row, so why not just knit from the balls and change colour each row at the ends. Still lots of ends to darn in, but not in the work for me.

But it is a pretty pattern so thank you for finding it and the Fairisle does look good with the subtle striping.


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## laceandbits (Jun 23, 2011)

lsavitz said:


> How do you join without a knot?


Didn't notice the 'without a knot' bit. Spit and rub, or Russian join, both of which create a thicker bit however careful you are. I still don't see why not just change colour at the row ends which would be stronger and less hassle.


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## Ontario Silk (Feb 16, 2014)

You are only 45 minutes from us (Alexandria) you are the closest person that I have met here on KP. And yes the weather is certainly frigid . Our house was groaning and cracking and popping for the last 3 days. I was worried for the foundation but Hubby says it is normal. He reminded me to NOT touch the patio doors or windows because they can crack.

Stay warm. Good time to knot afghans... They think I am doing it for them but I think in the back of my mind is the added warmth on my legs as I knit. LOL Have a great day.


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## chickkie (Oct 26, 2011)

I went back to the original post, and the information there says to spit splice the yarns - that's because it is wool. There is where the no knot thing comes into play. There are still all those ends to deal with - even if you are spit splicing them (which personally I don't trust, but that's my opinion) there are still ends to deal with. It would take a lot of time away from the knitting process and by the time I was part way through I would be so fed up with it. 

It might be good for some knitters, just not for me.


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## Browniemom (Sep 24, 2012)

Nice site and patterns. Luv your hint too. Thank you very much for sharing.


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## Chemchic (Dec 16, 2012)

Thank you, Tove! it's always fun to learn something new...or be awoken to something you forgot about.


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## belinda (Mar 30, 2011)

chickkie said:


> if you are cutting the yarn you will be joining somehow, so there are going to be ends to deal with.


If you're going to be cutting and joining the yarn anyway, why bother doing it first? If you do it as you knit, you know the color changes exactly when you want it to.


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## knitnshirl (Jan 6, 2013)

I recently made a long mobius infinity scarf using Red Heart Boutique Changes yarn. The yarn, as the name states, changes...not in colour, but in type and weight of fibre. The person who bought the scarf asked for another one, but in specific colours. Rather than go searching for the yarn, I made my own using magic knot between the sections from yarn in my stash.

Because I was changing types of yarn (ribbon, eyelash, mohair, and two types of novelty synthetic yarn), russian join or spit join would not have worked. 

I measured out approximate lengths on my swift and knotted together before winding into a cake. So I didn't need five balls of yarn around me as I knit and I liked not having to stop, cut and knot every couple of rows. 

The recipient loved it.


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## Cynthia Turner (Oct 16, 2012)

Lovely sweater! Thank you for posting!


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## lsavitz (Jun 13, 2013)

Tove said:


> lsavitz, there are several ways of joining yarn without knots or ends. I think the most popular one is the Russian join and the best way to explain is to go to YouTube and type Russian Join. There is at least one other way to do it, just can't remember the name, perhaps another KPer can help there.


Thank You!


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## Tove (Oct 27, 2012)

JoyceinNC said:


> When I went back to the web site the second time, I saw the link for language translation right at the top. Ooops! There are several patterns on my list to download. I love the way color is used.
> 
> My father's grand parents came to the U.S. in the late 1800's, and yes, they did want to blend in as soon as they could. I understand their feelings, just wish some of the language would have been passed down so it would be a little more familiar to me. What a great thing it is to be able to look at and download wonderful patterns from around the world! Thanks for the link, I'm looking forward to visiting it often.


I have a link to another Danish knitting designer. Lover her designs 'though most are for purchasing. There are however a couple of free ones, take a look www.ruths.dk I was going to give you a direct link but somewhere something is not connecting so I could not bring up her web page.

My favourite of her designs (free) is her 'Kauni' cardigan. It has an all-over pattern, knit with 2 balls of yarn but long strand colour changing yarn and one starts at different spots on the balls of yarn. This gives an incredible look.


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## Tove (Oct 27, 2012)

Ontario Silk said:


> You are only 45 minutes from us (Alexandria) you are the closest person that I have met here on KP. And yes the weather is certainly frigid . Our house was groaning and cracking and popping for the last 3 days. I was worried for the foundation but Hubby says it is normal. He reminded me to NOT touch the patio doors or windows because they can crack.
> 
> Stay warm. Good time to knot afghans... They think I am doing it for them but I think in the back of my mind is the added warmth on my legs as I knit. LOL Have a great day.


There are at least 3 KP members in this town, I have not met any of them but should you come to town sometime, let me know, it would be great to meet another KPer 

It is the frost quakes that gets me.... sure can be noisy, especially in the middle of the night when the world should otherwise be so quiet.


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## Tove (Oct 27, 2012)

knitnshirl said:


> I recently made a long mobius infinity scarf using Red Heart Boutique Changes yarn. The yarn, as the name states, changes...not in colour, but in type and weight of fibre. The person who bought the scarf asked for another one, but in specific colours. Rather than go searching for the yarn, I made my own using magic knot between the sections from yarn in my stash.
> 
> Because I was changing types of yarn (ribbon, eyelash, mohair, and two types of novelty synthetic yarn), russian join or spit join would not have worked.
> 
> ...


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## JoyceinNC (Oct 28, 2011)

Tove said:


> I have a link to another Danish knitting designer. Lover her designs 'though most are for purchasing. There are however a couple of free ones, take a look www.ruths.dk I was going to give you a direct link but somewhere something is not connecting so I could not bring up her web page.
> 
> My favourite of her designs (free) is her 'Kauni' cardigan. It has an all-over pattern, knit with 2 balls of yarn but long strand colour changing yarn and one starts at different spots on the balls of yarn. This gives an incredible look.


Thank you! I'll look this up when I have a few minutes to sit at my computer (without the assistance of my 3-yr-old grandson!). I have also found some wonderful patterns on the Lopi website.

Frost quakes???? I saw a post by a KP member in Canada that it was so cold outside, she couldn't touch the windows or they would crack. Wow! That's cold!

P.S.- I got a connection error also. I'll do some snooping around later.


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## chickkie (Oct 26, 2011)

JoyceinNC said:


> Thank you! I'll look this up when I have a few minutes to sit at my computer (without the assistance of my 3-yr-old grandson!). I have also found some wonderful patterns on the Lopi website.
> 
> Frost quakes???? I saw a post by a KP member in Canada that it was so cold outside, she couldn't touch the windows or they would crack. Wow! That's cold!
> 
> P.S.- I got a connection error also. I'll do some snooping around later.


not all of Canada is that cold. In fact, some parts of Canada are warmer than some of the US states.


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## Tove (Oct 27, 2012)

JoyceinNC said:


> Thank you! I'll look this up when I have a few minutes to sit at my computer (without the assistance of my 3-yr-old grandson!). I have also found some wonderful patterns on the Lopi website.
> 
> Frost quakes???? I saw a post by a KP member in Canada that it was so cold outside, she couldn't touch the windows or they would crack. Wow! That's cold!
> 
> P.S.- I got a connection error also. I'll do some snooping around later.


Good luck, if you can't access I'll send you the free pattern , yes, grandchildren are wonderful at 'helping' on the computer


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## Hannelore (Oct 26, 2011)

Interesting concept.


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