Colourwork Float Adjustment Calculator — Extra Yarn for Colourwork

Stranded (Fair Isle) colourwork typically uses 10-20% more yarn than plain stockinette. The floats on the back consume extra yarn. Two-colour patterns use slightly less extra than three or more colours. Always buy 15% more yarn than the pattern suggests for stranded work.

Most knitters catch floats longer than 5 stitches (about 2.5cm in DK weight). Very long floats can snag on fingers and create uneven tension. For children's garments, catch floats at 3 stitches. Thicker yarns create shorter floats at the same stitch count.

Intarsia uses only about 5% more yarn than plain knitting because there are no floats — each colour is worked in its own area. The extra comes from the overlapping twists at colour boundaries. However, you need separate yarn sources for each colour area.

Spread stitches out on the right needle when carrying the float behind to ensure the float is long enough. Knit colourwork on needles 0.5-1mm larger than your stockinette gauge. Block the finished piece firmly to even out the fabric.