3 Products that Make Stranded Colorwork Easier

Learning to knit stranded colorwork is a process that requires patience and practice. Initially, working with two yarns in the same row can be quite challenging, but once you grasp the technique, it opens a world of colorful possibilities. Along your knitting journey, you’re likely to hear about various colorwork tools on the market. These innovative gadgets and gizmos are designed to simplify your knitting process and enhance your overall experience.

Today, we’re sharing three of our favorite products (and a bonus item!) to make your life easier.

Must-Have Colorwork Tools

Knitting Thimble

One of the biggest challenges in colorwork knitting is managing your yarns. As you learn to maintain dominant and nondominant yarns, they can become twisted. To help tackle that, consider picking up a knitting thimble or a knitting ring.

Related: Learn to Knit Colorwork

This tool is used most often by continental-style knitters, but English knitters will find them helpful as well. They’re worn on your index finger between your first and second knuckles. Strands of yarn run through the loops and help to maintain the dominant and non-dominant positions.

For a truly unique knitting ring, we recommend Corina Lunita’s Knitting Colorwork Ring. They’re handcrafted from sterling silver and are adjustable for a custom fit. We love the decorative bands and the options for managing more than two yarns. And you don’t have to take our word for it. Yarn Fest attendee Adrianne had this to say about these rings: “It dramatically reduced the amount of time I need to knit a row. And it made crossing yarns on long stretches much easier.”

Related: 3 Methods for Holding Yarns for Stranded Colorwork

Dual Yarn Holder

We all know how convenient a Lazy Susan is, right? Now make it yarn! Spinning yarn holders (also called yarn buddies) rotate and allow you to effortlessly pull yarn from the outside of a ball of yarn.

A dual yarn holder is a colorworker’s dream! It’s another way to keep your yarn from tangling while you stitch. Our favorite yarn buddies are handcrafted models. Skilled woodworkers turn and shape slabs of oak, maple, cherry, and other wood to make these tools. Our best advice with these is that if you see one you like, grab it. Handmade items like these are often one-of-a-kind.

Magnetic Board and Ruler

Most colorwork patterns include knitting charts. To make reading those charts easier, a magnetic board and ruler are very handy. We love Coco Knits’ Maker’s Board and Ruler & Gauge Set for this very reason.

Using a magnetic board and ruler is very straightforward. Simply place your chart on the board and align the ruler along the bottom edge of the row you’re working. As you complete each row, move the ruler up to the next row in the chart. The ruler blocks the view of the rows below making it very easy for your eyes to go straight to the row you’re working on when referencing the chart.

Bonus Item: Oblong Yarn Basket

Our technical content editor, Sandi Rosner, has Daisilly’s “Untangle My Yarn” Bowl on her knitting wish list for two-color projects. She doesn’t care for how constricting it can be to put your working yarn through grommets in a colorwork knitting bag. Sandi loves this yarn bowl for its style and practicality.

These are just a few of the many colorwork tools on the market. All work to make your knitting life easier. We’ve shared our favorites. Now we’d like to hear yours! Have you tried any of these products? Share your experiences in the comments below.

Serial yarn sniffer Kerry Bogert loves to spend her time knitting when she’s not collaborating with the team at Interweave or editing Interweave Knits magazine. Her passion for making things with her hands is only matched by her love for her children and a well-attenuated stout. Kerry endeavors to never stop learning, buying yarn, or collecting beads. Read her latest articles at Interweave.com.