Let's Talk Floaters!

[ColortheWorldKNITS]

I love color work and drool over knitting patterns with beautiful rows of color worked in various patterns and objects.  However, no one ever seems to show the wrong side of their work so it makes me wonder if they share the same shame as I...the dreaded unanchored floater yarns!   What to do with these stinkers has always been a thorn in my side.  And yes, I've watched videos and thumbed books but can't seem to grasp the anchor me in method.  Sooo, they just hang there waiting for a ring or a watch to get caught and pull them producing a Litany of words my mother told me not to use or the devil would get me (?)  Well, lately I've avoided color work completely and flinch from photos accidentally glimpsed while scanning patterns.  Anyway, this topic brings me to this group as 12 Step Programs don't even mention floaters and how to conquer them.  Please offer me as much advice as you have stored up with the method that works best for you.   But remember you will be trying to help a fairly simple minded person with a floater block!!!

Blessings, Brenda Brasher/Color the World Knits/Etsy Shop

[ForeverWindingWool]

I feel your pain. 

You're way ahead of me, though!  I can't even get to the point of floaters because I cannot seem to knit with 2 strands!!  I am an English-style knitter that yearns to knit well continental style but I knit so tightly continental that I have to move up 2-3 whole needle sizes larger!  I just don't know how to knit loose enough, or know what technique to use to be able to do these beautiful hats, mittens, and sweaters.

I just wanted to chime in and let you know you're not alone.  I think we all struggle with not being able to learn that one new technique that seems to elude us. 

The bad thing about living in the day and time we do, we don't have many people around us that can sit beside us and teach us new techniques (at least I don't).  Sure, we've got YouTube, but YouTube can't sit beside you and say, "good...good...now wait a minute, don't put your needle in the stitch from that direction, it's from this way".   Learning knitting, let alone new techniques can be very isolating nowadays.