Yeah, the title is oxymoronic, but that is what I discovered through my work.
I love stripes and don’t like seaming. I naturally looked for techniques to work stripes in the round seamlessly. I came across the TECHknitter’s post on the stuff, but after several trials, I gave up knitting stripes in the round…
When I knitted Sheelseeker by Heidi Kirrmaier, a pullover pattern with 2-rounds stripes all over, I remembered that there was a jogless stripes technique in a hat pattern I’d translated, Brynja Beret by Hélène Magnússon – it’s one of the privileges of my work :).
I tried the technique and it worked marvelously fine!
This technique is also explained in Hélène’s latest book, Icelandic Handknits: 25 Heirloom Techniques and Projects (if you love the Nordic style knitting, you’ll find your happiness as French people say ;)).
Here’s the how-to.
(Yarn used: Ístex LÉTTLOPI)
1. Work with Color A to the end of the rnd.
2. Slip back the last st onto LN.
3. Knit the replaced st with color B.
Continue with color B but stop at the last st.
4. With RN tip, lift the Color A st just below the Color B st (both worked at the previous rnd) onto LN.
You have the Color A st and Color B st on LN.
5. Knit these 2 sts together.
The Color B st is behind the Color A one and invisible from RS!
I continued knitting stripes. The arrow shows the end of rnds.
Notable advantages of this technique are:
1/ Unlike “travelling stripes technique”, the end of rnds stays at the same point;
2/ Can be used for 1-rnd stripes, unlike the technique which uses slipped st and consequently requires at least 2 rnds.
If you’ve never been satisfied with other techniques, try it!
This method really works, even for 1-row stripes! Thanks so much for sharing and helping to make my striped project jog-free.
thank you for your comment, happy to hear it worked for you 🙂
Yes, it works! My search for the best jogless-stripe technique is over! Thank you so much.
This is the method I use and it works great!
Hi, could you kindly explain the transition from the last step back to the the beginning – when I have subsequent one-row stripes for example?
Sorry, maybe it’s a stupid question from a knitting rookie… Thanks in advance!
Hi! Thank you for your question.
When working 1-round stripes, you need to do the steps every round. After knitting Color A and Color B sts together as discribed, slip back the stitch to your left hand needle, and knit it with the color A, the color of the next round. When you get back to the last st, lift the color B st 1 row below and work 2 sts together.
In short, you work the last st of the round twice, first with the color of the round and then with the color of the next round. And when you get back to the last st, lift the st below and knit them with the color of the round, then with the color of the next round. Hope it helps!
Thank you for your comprehensive reply and patience! I’ve got it now, finally.
Best method and explanation I could find. Thanks for sharing and your kindness!
I’m using this method now with 2-row stripes. What do you suggest doing to close up the little gap at the beginning of the round when changing yarns? I’m trying different techniques including twisting them once, wrapping one over or under the other to trap the old yarn, and just picking up the new yarn and not twisting but pulling it snug. Neither is perfect so I’m wondering if there’s something special you do. Thanks!
Thank you for leaving a comment. I knit very tightly the stitch in the new color that will disappear, but there is always a little space between two stitches. It’s not visible in the photo because the yarn is bulky and fluffy. You can perhaps try traveling stripes?