Helix Knitting for Stripes
Helix knitting creates jogless stripes by working two colours in alternate rounds, with the unused colour waiting at the start of the round. The two colours twist around each other up the inside of the work, producing perfectly jogless stripes.
Recommended A printable technique cheat-sheet for your knitting bag.
Setup
Cast on with colour A. Join in the round. Knit one round in colour A. Without cutting A, drop it and pick up colour B. Knit one round in colour B. Continue alternating, dropping each colour in turn.
How the jog disappears
Because each round of one colour is followed immediately by a round of the other (with no full revolution before the colour change), the colour transitions form a continuous spiral that has no visible step.
In partnership Tools and supplies that make this technique easier.
Limitations
Only works for 1-row stripes. For 2-row or wider stripes, use the slip-stitch jog fix instead.
Tension
Pull the colour change taut on each round to prevent ladders. The two colours twist around each other up the inside of the work; if not pulled tight, the twist becomes loose and the stripes look uneven.
Abbreviation reference
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| MC | main colour |
| CC | contrast colour |
Tips
- Use helix only for 1-row stripes; for wider, use slip-stitch.
- Pull each colour change taut to prevent ladders.
- For 3+ colours, the same technique works with three balls of yarn.
In depth
Helix knitting is the only technique that produces truly jogless 1-row stripes in round knitting. The trade-off is the two strands twisting up the inside of the work, which is visible only when the garment is turned inside out.