Frullesk is a new technique and still under development. You could see it as a love child of Fair-Isle and Double Knitting. The technique combines the best features of both parents (you work with two yarns each row, every stitch is worked and is mostly knitted or purled) But it certainly has a set of unique features.
Frullesk is a knitting technique that uses two yarns each row. When you work a stitch with yarn A or B, the other yarn is stranded in front or at the back of the stitch. This is unique for the Frullesk technique, when you look at fair-isle for example, the yarns are always stranded at the wrong side of the work. For double knitting, the yarns are stranded between the layers.
An extra dimension
This active role of the stranded yarn adds an extra dimension to the work:
- In the texture – the stranded yarn ‘pushes’ the worked stitch into a certain direction, so some stitches create more depth in your work and create a clear texture.
- In your actions – with every stitch you also have to be aware of what to do with the stranded yarn.
- In charts – every field in the chart has to give information about both yarns
- In the look – Specially for stitches where the yarn is sometimes stranded in front of knitted stockinette stitches, you see a woven look
- Both sides of the work can be interesting and very different.
Knitting method
For patterns where a yarn is stranded in front of max. one stitch at a time, you can still work in the English style (carrying one yarn in your left hand and one in your right). But if a yarn is stranded in the front for more than one stitch at a time, it is certainly desirable to work with a knitting method that allows you to carry both yarns on your left hand (like the continental of combined method).
Constant tension
A constant tension (without straining yourself) is the easiest to work with. Your left hand is in control of the yarns and your right hand is in full control of the right needle so you can move it any way you like.
Working order of the yarns is important
When knitting with 2 yarns each row, there will always be one most left and one most right even if you are carrying both yarns on your left hand. The yarn on the left is gets the first action in every stitch and the right one follows.
For example: you knit one stitch with yarn A (held most left) and yarn B (held most right) is stranded at the back. Then you knit a stitch with B (right) and A (left) should be stranded in front of the stitch. In order to do so, you first move yarn A to the front side of your work and then you knit with B. The next stitch is also knitted with B and yarn A should now be stranded at the back of this stitch. So you first move A to the back and then you knit with B. When you look between the last two worked stitches you see that yarn A is at the bottom and B is on top. Would you have changed your working order: so first knit with B and then move yarn A to the back of the stitch, you would see B at the bottom and A on top. Changing your working order has consequenses for your work as you can see in the pictures here. The picture in the top shows a consequent working order and the picture below shows the result of and inconsequent working order.
This new knitting technique brings so many new options. So far 30 different frullesk stitches have been developed but this number will go up fast
Every knitting pattern of WOOL NERD that uses Frullesk, comes with a detailed description of this new technique including photos and lots of tips and tricks.
Curious how it all works and how you can do this yourself? Read the article that is attached to your frullesk pattern or visit one of the Frullesk workshops and learn is technique (and new stitches) step by step!