Intarsia is a method of knitting with multiple colors where each color zone uses its own separate bobbin or length of yarn. Unlike stranded colorwork, the yarn is not carried across the back of the work. The knitter twists the old and new yarns together at each color change to prevent holes, creating a single-layer fabric with a picture or geometric block.
Heard on the job
The argyle sweater requires careful intarsia work to keep the diamond edges crisp and the tension even.
Also heard as
- picture knitting
Do not mix it up with
- Fair Isle: Intarsia uses separate bobbins for large color blocks without carrying yarn across the back, while Fair Isle carries unused yarn behind the fabric in continuous strands.
Related terms
Fair Isle
A traditional stranded knitting technique used to create complex, multi-colored geometric patterns.
Float
A length of yarn that passes over multiple opposing threads without being interlaced.
Double knitting
A technique that simultaneously produces two layers of knitted fabric on a single pair of needles.