Free Spirit Topper Knit-Along: How to Perfect Your Ombre

Before you begin, I want to point something out that has come up on the Ravelry forum. This topper is knit in two parts.  If you look at the Lion Brand photo of this garment, you will see the two sides’ colorway match up nicely.

The bottom starts on the darker color and works into lighter and then repeats.  If this matters to you, I encourage you to take a look at your 4 skeins of yarn and see if you can find two that seem to begin around the same place in the pattern.  I did not think of this before I began and just knit up a swatch using the first skein I grabbed out of my bag.  When I look more closely at the 3 remaining skeins, I can see which one I want to start my 2^nd piece on.

The skein in the middle appears to start near the same place my first side started (after I knit the gauge).  When making a project with two nearly identical pieces, it is sometimes suggested to begin each one at the same time.  If matching up the colors concerns you, I suggest starting both sides of the project, putting one on a stitch holder or waste yarn while you finish the other, and then coming back to it.

When it comes time to change skeins (as each side will require 2), don’t be afraid to start into the skein a little ways to continue to match the color. Save that yarn, in case you end up needing it. You can weave in the ends in the back or experiment with a Russian Join.

Some of you are wondering why there is a blue marker in this photo! I put it there during the seed stitch portion so that I know which side is the right side. Later, it is easy to tell because the V Stitches (stockinette) side is right and the bumps (purl) are the back.

I would love to hear from you down below in the comments or on the Ravelry forum — how much does it matter to you that you have the color matching between both pieces, or do you think it is a non-issue?

Next week I will be writing about reading your knitting!

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I am Kristy Glass and I am so thrilled to be infiltrating the Lion Brand blog to lead you in the 2015 Fall Knit Along! Even though I learned to knit as a girl, my passion for fiber arts has escalated at a very steep rate these past several years. I returned to knitting and began crocheting about 8 years ago after I suffered an unexpected health setback leaving me feeling completely out of control. Hand work was a healing salve for my body and soul as I suffered through a long healing process. Thankfully I continue to use knitting to aid meditation, solace and a feeling of accomplishment. I knit year round, despite weather changes, and I am highly anticipating us all knitting together on this project. I have completed over 100 projects including scarves, cowls, hats, hand warmers, phone cozies, afghans, pillows, sweaters and yarn bombing. My most recent passion has been making sweaters and actually wearing what I make!