In weaving and knitting, a segment of yarn that crosses over two or more adjacent yarns without interlacing or catching. In woven fabrics, warp or weft floats create patterns like satin and twill. In stranded colorwork knitting, floats are carried across the back of the fabric to hide unused colors. Long floats can catch or snag easily, so they are often secured or caught if they exceed a certain length.
Catch your floats every five stitches so the back of the sweater doesn't snag on jewelry.
In stranded knitting, keeping floats loose is critical to prevent the fabric from puckering.
Related terms
Warp
The set of lengthwise yarns held in tension on a loom before weaving begins.
Weft
The transverse yarns inserted over and under the warp to create a woven fabric.
Twill
A woven fabric structure characterized by distinct diagonal lines or ridges.
Fair Isle
A traditional stranded knitting technique used to create complex, multi-colored geometric patterns.