How to Mix For Fabrics
What is Mixing?
Mixing — or multistranded knitting — gives you the freedom to fashion your perfect fabric. Yarns are designed to mix and mingle, allowing your creativity to shine through in your choice of colors and fibers. The yarn combinations are full of possibility – and a pleasure to explore.
Create Custom Fabrics
You can combine yarns to create your own custom fabric for your favorite patterns. The Mix Cheat Sheet, which lists a selection of yarn combinations with their relevant gauge and needle size, can serve as a starting point. You can match the gauge on the Mix Cheat Sheet to the required gauge in your pattern and, after swatching to ensure you like the resulting fabric, cast on in the new yarn combination.
You can also take the mixing concept one step further: use the leftover yarn from your favorite projects and mix them in new combinations in swatches. The Mix Cheat Sheet can provide suggestions for needle size and suggested gauge, but swatching is a chance to make a fabric that is entirely your own.
Join a Mix Party
If you would like additional help in designing a custom fabric, contact your LYS to see if they can arrange a Mix Party to help spark your creativity and explore new yarn combinations in a warm and supportive group atmosphere.