Wait, what? Multistrand yarn? What is that?

French Morocco by Life's an Expedition.

Exclusively on Etsy in the lifesanexpedition store.

Life's an Expedition multistrand yarn is composed of multiple strands that have not been plied. If your jaw is on the floor right now, pick it back up while I wait...Okay? Ready? It's not hard to use. I knit with it in a dimly lit room while watching TV using double-pointed needles and trust me, I am not the greatest knitter who ever lived. Granted, if you just learned to knit last week, you won't be able to use it without practice, but if you are an advanced beginner, you should be able to get the hang of it pretty quickly.  I've been winding it and selling it online since 2003 and only know of two people who simply threw up their hands and gave up.

Proof that it can be done. Ta da!

Beginners: I recommend getting comfortable with a single strand first.  If you feel you know what you're doing with one strand, you can eventually handle two.  Then three.  Then more.  Begin with large needles and work your way down to medium needles.  I don't think I have ever used my brand of multistrand yarn on size 4 needles or smaller, but that's not a big concern, since I seldom make any multistrand yarn in a gauge smaller than DK.

Your biggest challenge will be to knit each stitch in its entirety, without dropping a couple of strands. But if you get most of the strands into the stitch and drop the rest--I know, I know, the very thought creeps you out and I feel uncomfortable writing this--but even if it happens, your project will NOT unravel and with all those colors going on, your mistakes will be less noticeable.

In some ways, it's actually easier than single strand knitting, in which every stitch counts and every mistake shows and every dropped stitch means chaos and frogging.  And I'm the sort of person who hates to rip out rows and redo it. (Admit it.  You hate it, too.)

Visit Life's an Expedition on Etsy.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/LifesAnExpedition?
A second problem you may encounter when you're using multiple strands is that one

One of my customers made this with Medieval Violets.

strand will sometimes be stretched out or seem "longer" than the others as you work your project.  Chenille yarn is notorious for this.  If you reach the end of a row--that is, you're on a seam--and your piece has a right side and a wrong side, go ahead and tie up the slack on the pesky strand that is too long. Then when you sew up the seams, you can incorporate the slack into the seam. 

What if you don't have a seam?  What if you're making something like a blanket, without a right side or wrong side?  You can loop the "longer" strand around the needle a second time as often as needed to make it catch up with the strands. I have created yarns in which I never had to do this at all throughout the entire project. But sooner or later, most multi-strand knitters face the problem of uneven strands. 

 

Zenith Star. Only in my Etsy shop: LifesAnExpedition

Or sometimes I see it happen when some of the strands are much thinner and/or a different fiber than the others. It has not put me off of multi-strand knitting, but someone who is using multiple strands for the first time might freak. Just remember, most knitters DO get the hang of it and if you are clever about fudging the yarn a bit here and there, you will relax. 

Knitters and crocheters who are really into elaborate stitches sometimes resist the notion of multiple strands, because they have so much going on just following the pattern.  I can understand that.  Multistrand knitting is easier when you are doing a straight garter or stockinette with minimal increases, decreases or shaping. But I've done seed stitch and ribbing with multiple strands and loved the results.  And I've had customers go on an entrelac binge with Life's an Expedition yarn. And I wove countless scarves with it, despite the special challenges that a weaving loom presents.  I'm not good at crocheting with it, but frankly, I'm not good at traditional crochet.

Lastly, someone who is super-picky about their craft might never enjoy it.  Also, anyone who is devoted to knitting socks or anything on very small needles might not have the patience for multi strands.  Good luck to you.  I re-post this same article every year or two so that people can find it more easily.  If I haven't convinced you yet that you will likely get the hang of multistrand yarn and actually like it, I will point out that I have a number of customers who have purchased over $1,000 worth of it from me over the years.

dj runnels

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If you're having trouble knitting with multistrand yarn

I virtually never have problems knitting with multistrand yarn.  Crocheting, yes.  Weaving, a little.  

But knitting with it is easy for me... unless one or two strands are chenille. 

Azalea is for sale in my Etsy shop.  See links to the far right.

Chenille has a tendency to stretch and sometimes you have to wrap the chenille strand around the needle twice.  Or tie up some slack every ten rows. 

But let's back up a moment.  If you are a rank beginner, I recommend getting comfortable with a single strand of yarn first.  Then two strands on fairly large needles.  Then two strands on slightly smaller needles.  Then three strands.  I have had a couple of customers write to me and say, "I can't get the hang of this!" But only a couple of people have said this since I opened Life's an Expedition in 2003.  Virtually everyone DOES get the hang of it. It does take practice.  The fewer the strands and the larger the needles and the simpler the pattern, the easier it will be. But I have one customer who is a huge fan of entrelac using many strands of my yarn. 

Monaco is also in my Etsy shop.

Your biggest challenge with multistrand yarn will be to knit each stitch in its entirety, without dropping part of it. But if you get two of the strands and drop the rest, the piece will NOT unravel and with all those colors going on, your mistakes will be less noticeable. In some ways, it's easier than single strand knitting, in which every stitch counts and every mistake shows.  Since I hate to frog, I really like this feature of multistrand knitting.  People who are more anal will have more trouble taking a casual attitude to their work.  Especially if their work requires attention to tiny details, as in a pair of intricate socks.

Visit Life's an Expedition on Etsy.

A second problem you may encounter when you're using multiple strands is that one strand will sometimes be stretched out or seem "longer" than the others as you work your project. (I mentioned this a moment ago.  It tends to happen with chenille.)   If you reach the end of a row--that is, on a seam--and your piece has a right side and a wrong side, go ahead and tie up the slack on the pesky strand that is too long. Then when you sew up the seams, you can incorporate the slack into the seam. 

This is Cabana.

OR if you are making a blanket or something on which there is no seam and/or both sides will be seen, you can loop the "longer" strand around the needle a second time as often as needed to make it catch up with the strands. 

I have created yarns in which I never had to do this at all, but sooner or later, most multi-strand knitters face the problem of uneven strands. 

Multi-strand knitting is easiest when you are doing a straight garter or stockinette with minimal increases, decreases or shaping.

dj runnels

Life's an Expedition multistrand yarn is sold exclusively at the Life's an Expedition shop on Etsy.

An example of using multiple yarns in one project.

Hope I don't sound like a broken record, but I am sometimes asked how it is possible to use more than one strand, or more than one yarn, in a single project.  And I did promise that I would show examples on my blog once in a while.

Here is a freeform crochet scarf called Brighton that I listed on Etsy.  It contains four yarns by Life's an Expedition:  Nightscape, Castle Gold, Millefiori and Tantallon Castle.

The most challenging part in working with so many yarns is dealing with color breaks.  Many people refuse to knot the yarn and are adamant about weaving it in, but I find that the ends come loose after awhile.  I tend to knot the yarn (gasp!) using a square knot.  Very important.  It must be a real square knot.  There are knots that look like square knots, but they are not.  If you have any doubts about whether or not you are tying it correctly, ask a Boy Scout for help.  (No, I AM serious.  It's kind of hard to tell with me, I realize, but I am being serious at the moment.)  Often I will pick up a needle and thread and secure the knot to the back of the garment to make sure it doesn't work its way to the front.  I do this especially when I mix yarns while making a handbag because a handbag needs to be super durable.

dj runnels
Life's an Expedition on Etsy.