Intarsia is a knitting technique used to create patterns with multiple colours. Fields of different colours and materials appear to be inlaid in one another, but are in fact all separate pieces, fit together like a jigsaw puzzle.
Unlike other multicolour techniques (including Fair Isle, slip-stitch colour, and double knitting - look 'em up!), there is only one "active" colour on any given stitch, and yarn is not carried across the back of the work; when a colour changes on a given row, the old yarn is left hanging. This means that any intarsia piece is topologically several disjoint columns of colour. Intarsia is most often worked flat, rhowever, it is possible to knit intarsia in circular knitting using particular techniques.
Common examples of intarsia include sweaters such as this Barbour V-Neck Lambswool Argyle Jumper with large, solid-colour features like geometric shapes. Argyle socks and sweaters are normally done in intarsia. Here's the spec for this sweater:
• Intarsia knitted argyle
• Tradional Argyle
• 7 gauge lambswool
• Medium weight
• Barbour tonal branding on arm
• Full fashion fit
• Contrast back neck tape
• Hand wash only
See the rest of our Barbour International range at StuartsLondon.com
