Stranded Colourwork (Fair Isle) Basics
Stranded colourwork is the traditional two-colour technique of the Fair Isle and Shetland traditions: two colours per row, alternating frequently, with the unused colour carried as a "float" along the wrong side of the work.
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Two-handed knitting
The fastest stranded technique holds one colour in each hand: the dominant colour in the dominant hand (Continental in the left hand, English in the right). Each colour is picked or thrown with its own hand, eliminating the need to drop and pick up colours.
Float length
Floats over more than five stitches must be caught (twisted around the working colour) to prevent snagging. For dense Fair Isle, floats rarely exceed three stitches and the issue does not arise.
In partnership Tools and supplies that make this technique easier.
Yarn dominance
In any two-colour row, one colour will appear slightly more dominant. The dominant colour is the one held in the left hand (for two-handed knitters) or carried under the other (for one-handed knitters). Always carry the same colour as dominant throughout a project for consistent shading.
Tension
The most common stranded mistake is pulling floats too tight, which puckers the fabric. Spread the stitches on the right needle as far as the previous needle row before working each new stitch — this keeps the floats relaxed.
Abbreviation reference
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| MC | main colour |
| CC | contrast colour |
Tips
- Hold the dominant colour in the left hand for consistent yarn dominance.
- Spread stitches on the right needle to keep floats relaxed and prevent puckering.
- Catch floats every 3–5 stitches to prevent snagging.
In depth
Stranded colourwork creates a fabric twice as thick as single-colour stockinette, with the unused colour forming horizontal "floats" along the wrong side. The technique was developed in Northern Europe (Shetland, the Faroes, Norway) for warm garments in cold maritime climates and remains the warmest knitted fabric in common use.