How to knit intarsia in the round

When you try to find information about knitting intarsia in the round on the internet, most of the time you’ll be told that it’s not possible. The big problem when you try to do it: your yarn ends up at the end of your row, while you need it to be at the beginning.

If you don’t like bending the knitting rules, you’ll have to learn how to live with it: knitting intarsia in the round cannot be done. If, on the other hand, you don’t mind a little experimenting, there are actually two methods to solve this problem:

• the yarn over method
• the ‘stranded intarsia’ method

Yarn over method

1. Knit in the round until you’ve done the last row before the intarsia starts.
2. Use your main and contrast colours as you would when knitting intarsia flat, until you get to the end of the row.
3. Turn your work, so the wrong side is facing you.
4. At the beginning of the row, do a yarn over.
5. Since you’re working on the wrong side of your work, purl the rest of the row as you would when knitting flat, but do not work the last stitch of the row yet.
6. Purl the last stitch of the row together with the yarn over you made in the beginning of the row, seaming both sides together while doing so. Pull tight enough.
7. Turn your work, so the right side is facing you again.
8. At the beginning of the work, do a yarn over.
9. Since you’re working on the right side of your work again, knit the rest of the row as you would when knitting intarsia flat, but do not work the last stitch of the row yet.
10. Knit the last stitch of the row together with the yarn over you made in the beginning of the row, by knitting through the back loop of these two stitches.
11. Repeat steps 3 to 10 until the whole intarsia part is done.
12. Continue knitting in the round as you would normally do.

Pros and cons

Examples of the seam

What it looks like

On the outside	On the inside

‘Stranded intarsia’ method

1. Knit in the round until you’ve done the last row before the intarsia starts.
2. Start working the contrast colour, but: instead of using a separate strand of yarn every time you change from contrast colour to main colour, use only one strand per colour. When you’re not using the second colour, carry it around in the back every two or three stitches, as you would for stranded knitting.Note: Don’t pull your yarn too tight, it’ll take the stretch out of your work. Don’t leave it too loose either, or you’ll create holes in your work. To maintain a nice stretch, make sure that you can still spread your stitches on your needles as you would when working with one colour only. It may take some practice, but you’ll get there.
3. When you’ve reached the end of your row, cut the contrast colour yarn if you haven’t done so already. Make sure to leave a long enough tail to weave it in once you’re finished.
4. Continue knitting in the round, adding the contrast colour to each row when you need it, carrying it along the back of your work until you’ve reached the last stitch on that row.
5. Repeat steps 3 to 4 until the whole intarsia part is done.
6. Continue knitting in the round as you would normally do.

Pros and cons

+	–
No seam You can keep on knitting in the round while doing your colour work	You’re dragging the colour your not using along behind your work, which goes against the intarsia rule For each row done in intarsia, you’ll have 2 ends to weave in, which may add up to a pretty high number of ends!

What it looks like

On the outside	On the inside

Now it’s up to you

So, I’ve explained both methods I’ve tried before. Personally, I prefer the stranded method. Have you used one of these methods before? Do you happen to know any other methods? What’s your favourite? Let me know!