Techniques

Intarsia or Fair Isle? What Your Machine Can (and Can’t) Do

June 25, 2025
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Fair Isle (Also Called Jacquard)

Fair Isle knitting involves working multiple colors across a single row, usually two colors at a time. The unused color floats across the back of the work, creating a signature pattern and some additional thickness. Floats are produced on the purl side.

Automatic Patterning Machines: With a punchcard or electronic model, you can insert two yarns into the carriage. The machine automatically selects needles and knits both colors in a single pass.
Manual Machines: You’ll need to make multiple passes of the carriage—changing the yarn each time. Use slip or hold settings to control which needles knit and which do not.
More Than Two Colors: Possible on either type of machine, but requires hand manipulation and careful yarn control.

Explore the Classroom: Fair Isle / Stranded Knitting

Fair Isle knitting sample showing the knit side and purl side with yarn floats visible on the back — Fair Isle (floats)

Intarsia

Intarsia allows you to change colors mid-row without floats. Each colored area is worked with its own yarn source. It’s perfect for bold blocks of color or pictorial designs.

How Intarsia is Worked on Different Machines:

Manual Machines: Use slip or hold settings. Each color requires its own pass of the carriage. This is time-consuming but effective.
Built-In Intarsia Setting: Some machines offer an intarsia toggle or setting on the carriage. You lay yarn strands across selected needles and knit them in a single pass.
Intarsia Carriage: An optional accessory for some machines. This replaces the main carriage and is designed specifically for intarsia. Lay yarn strands across the bed and make a single pass to knit multiple colors across the row.

Visit the Classroom: Intarsia on the Knitting Machine

Intarsia knitting sample showing front and back with clean color changes and no yarn floats — Intarsia (no floats)

Final Thoughts

Both Fair Isle and Intarsia open the door to creative, colorful machine knitting. Choosing the right method depends on your machine’s capabilities and your project goals. Whether you're working with automatic patterning or a more hands-on approach, there's a colorwork solution for every knitter.

FAQs

Can I knit Fair Isle on a manual knitting machine?

Yes, but it requires multiple passes of the carriage with different yarns and careful use of the slip or hold settings to manage color selection.

Do I need a special carriage for Intarsia?

Not necessarily. While some machines offer an Intarsia carriage, others can use built-in settings—or you can knit Intarsia manually with multiple passes.

What’s the main difference between Intarsia and Fair Isle?

Fair Isle produces floats across the back of the fabric for color changes; Intarsia has no floats and uses separate yarn strands for each colored section.