Multistranding combines two or more strands in each stitch, as you create a knit or crocheted fabric.  The technique is also called carrying along, since the multiple strands are held together and worked as one.  You can think of the resulting fabric as a kind of tweed, but much less regular in pattern than the woven version.  The two strands will trade places at the front and back of the fabric on a random basis, creating a pattern called marling (see below).  Marling on the purl side is especially interesting — we like to design multistranded projects that are knit sideways, purl side out, to take advantage of these random stripes.

Some reasons to try multistranding:

• Project time/weight/cost savings.  In a practical sense, multistranding allows the possibility of using a larger needle, thus making the process quicker. Two or more strands fills more space than if they were plied together with a binder strand. This allows you to make a lighter fabric on larger needles than you would expect. Since all yarns are valued by weight, your project cost will be less by doing this than by using a large, heavy yarn of the same quality.

• Softening or Strengthening a fabric. A favorite yarn with wonderful color or texture may lack other properties that you need for a specific project. If your favorite lacks softness, knit it alongside another strand that helps it to feel softer — something cushiony, or furry — even a lace weight mohair will work wonders.  If strength is deficient, knitting alongside a strand of a high twist yarn (in just about any material) produces a much more durable fabric..

• Tweaking the gauge. If you find a pattern and a yarn you like, but the yarn knits up to a little finer gauge, try adding a fine strand of another yarn to bulk it up just a little. You can also start with double stranding a yarn in the next gauge category down. For instance, if a pattern calls for worsted weight, you can try 2 sport weights or two dk weights as well as different needle sizes. There is so much to be discovered by experimentation that you may well decide that you prefer your fabric to the “intended” one, because you have now created a completely unique fabric that you can be proud of!

• Stretching the yield. If you need to make a yarn go further, you can also run it with another yarn intermittently. Think of it as a component in a cooking recipe or an herbal remedy. It is unlikely that you will see a formula that has equal amounts of every ingredient. Sometimes a little is just right, and sometimes you want something more powerful. Most of the time, I end up using yarns that are very different from each other in fiber content, gauge, or feel to reach the right balance.

Yaqui #9 and Tweetie #2 knitted on size 10 needles.
Top: Garter Stitch, Center Diagonal Rib, Bottom Stockinette Stitch. Adding Yak to the Silk/Merino/Alpaca of Tweetie turns this into a luxurious bulky weight yarn. The color of the Yak makes this a fantastic Fall choice or for anyone loving browns. This could be a favorite cardigan or throw!

Scarab #13 and Chutney 11. Stockinette with drop stitch rows knitted on size 9 needles. You can see how easily multistranding is a method of taking craft into art. I love it when associations jump to mind. This fabric reminds me of stones with mica in them. The drape of this would be beautiful in a skirt! Fringe of Scarab at the bottom would look like strands of beads and behave similarly.

Sylph 16 and Tsuki 10 knitted on size 10 needles in Garter Drop Stitch. By my calculations a 16″ X 66″ shawl done this way and blocked would weigh about 7 ounces (about 200 grams). Monica, who made this swatch is drawn to tropical/island colors and this fits right in. Perfect shawl for that wedding in Hawaii – especially with some abalone or pearl beads along the edge.
Amazing how that little strand of Tsuki changes everything in this case!

Tags: art yarn, artfibers, crochet, fabric design, fashion knitting, fiber art, knitting, merino wool, multistranding, silk, silk bourette, swatching, tweed

This entry was posted on Monday, October 19th, 2009 at 3:59 pm and is filed under design, stitch. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.