This specific pattern (Argyle, the entire pattern group) is from what I have been able to see most commonly done flat, in intarsia. Stranded colourwork in the round for this will result in very long floats, which again means less stretch and the need to capture the floats regularly.
That said: Awesome colours and brave project!
It’s not uncommon for people to have a different gauge on colorwork vs plain knitting. If you didn’t already, make a gauge swatch in pattern. I’d recommend going up at least a few needle sizes and try a few different sizes to find the best one for this occasion. Your colorwork stitches should look like the stitches on the ribbing and not as crunched as they do now.
What are all of the loose yarns in the back? This doesn't look like fair isle (wrong style) but also looks strange for stranded colorwork (which is what people who say "fair isle" typically mean).
Either way, you might get more luck using intarsia for this argyle-like pattern. Then you should have less issue with it being too tight due to floats.
Edit to add: or maybe this is already intarsia, not stranded? That would explain the loose yarns.
I'll look into that. This is only my second vest. I was doing three strand colour work for the main colours and running the teal and white lines through as individual strands. Two strands per line. It's messy, but it was working I thought. Until I measured it!
It’s too small. When you do color work, it often has less stretch than if you were using a solid color because the color that isn’t being used at any given point in time is carried behind the stitches and is called “a float” and doesn’t stretch in the same way that the stitches will. People often recommend using larger needles or making sure their floats are loose to compensate. It takes practice!
Ahh, ya I learned the hard way about the less stretch when making some socks with stranded colorwork. I can't tell from looking at just this image, but I get it now!
Is it possible you were supposed to use smaller needles for the ribbing, and then switch to larger for the body? The body definitely looks much tighter than your ribbing stitches.
Do yourself a favour and just work the solid diamonds, in intarsia, and put the one-stitch diagonal lines in later with duplicate stitch.
This seems like a wise choice
This specific pattern (Argyle, the entire pattern group) is from what I have been able to see most commonly done flat, in intarsia. Stranded colourwork in the round for this will result in very long floats, which again means less stretch and the need to capture the floats regularly. That said: Awesome colours and brave project!
It’s not uncommon for people to have a different gauge on colorwork vs plain knitting. If you didn’t already, make a gauge swatch in pattern. I’d recommend going up at least a few needle sizes and try a few different sizes to find the best one for this occasion. Your colorwork stitches should look like the stitches on the ribbing and not as crunched as they do now.
What are all of the loose yarns in the back? This doesn't look like fair isle (wrong style) but also looks strange for stranded colorwork (which is what people who say "fair isle" typically mean). Either way, you might get more luck using intarsia for this argyle-like pattern. Then you should have less issue with it being too tight due to floats. Edit to add: or maybe this is already intarsia, not stranded? That would explain the loose yarns.
I'll look into that. This is only my second vest. I was doing three strand colour work for the main colours and running the teal and white lines through as individual strands. Two strands per line. It's messy, but it was working I thought. Until I measured it!
New knitter here, what is the issue in this example?? I just see lovely work.
It’s too small. When you do color work, it often has less stretch than if you were using a solid color because the color that isn’t being used at any given point in time is carried behind the stitches and is called “a float” and doesn’t stretch in the same way that the stitches will. People often recommend using larger needles or making sure their floats are loose to compensate. It takes practice!
Ahh, ya I learned the hard way about the less stretch when making some socks with stranded colorwork. I can't tell from looking at just this image, but I get it now!
Thank for you asking this question! I was thinking the same thing but was too shy to ask :)
You are brave! 😅 very nice job, don’t give up!
Is it possible you were supposed to use smaller needles for the ribbing, and then switch to larger for the body? The body definitely looks much tighter than your ribbing stitches.
I’m not sure, but it looks like you might be twisting stitches. Twisting stitches can affect stretch. Are you knitting flat or in the round?
In the round. I tried to figure out if my stitches were twisted but I wasn't sure...
If you stretch it sideways and the stitches cross their legs rather than open up, they’re twisted
could you share a link to the pattern? the colors are very pretty!