If you’ve ever dabbled in stranded colorwork, you’ve likely run into this question: How should I trap my floats? Whether you're a beginner working through your first fair isle chart or a seasoned knitter who’s been at it since the days of knee socks and cassette tapes, the answer depends on your project—and your goals.
Let’s take a look at three different traditions of stranded colorwork and when (or if!) float-trapping is the right fit.
The Shetland Tradition: Let It Float
Traditional Shetland-style colorwork is most often knit in the round and steeked at arm, neck &/or openings. Patterns typically shift between foreground and background colors every few stitches—especially in the case of “peerie” motifs. In this style, floats are rarely long enough to worry about.
A good rule of thumb? Trap floats only if they extend beyond 1 inch (or about 7 stitches in fingering weight yarn). Otherwise, let them float freely across the back.
To avoid floats peeking through to the front of your fabric, follow these tips:
- Use woolen-spun yarns that bloom when blocked (like Jamieson’s Spindrift)
- Avoid superwash yarns, which are smoother and less forgiving
- Stagger your traps so they don’t land in the same spot row after row
- Use smaller needles—typically US 3 or smaller for fingering weight
▶️ Here’s a helpful video showing how to trap floats when knitting in the round holding one yarn in each hand.
This method keeps your fabric fairly stretchy and smooth—ideal for sweaters and mittens.
The Armenian Tradition: All-Over Texture
Unlike the Shetland style, Armenian colorwork intentionally traps floats every 2-3 stitches, even when it’s not strictly necessary. The result is a dense, sturdy fabric with an all-over speckled look, as the “locked” floats peek through to the front.
Though slower to knit, this style is useful when:
- You’re making children’s garments, where loose floats can snag easily
- You want a flecked appearance on the face of your fabric
- Your pattern uses widely spaced motifs with long floats
- You prefer a fabric with less stretch
- You want an alternative to Intarsia for small blocks of color
Flat colorwork is often more challenging to trap, especially on purl rows. Some knitters find the Portuguese knitting method helpful here—it keeps the yarn tensioned around the neck and speeds up the trapping process.
For a deeper dive into this technique, check out our post: “Why Every Knitter Should Learn the Armenian Lock-Stitch.”
The French (Jacquard) Tradition: Keep It Separate
The Jacquard technique—named for 19th-century inventor Louis Jacquard—takes a completely different approach. Rather than trapping floats, you let them travel freely on the back of the work, unattached to the front-facing fabric. This creates a sort of double layer, with several key benefits:
- Maximum stretch in the finished garment—perfect for hats or socks
- No peek-through, even with slippery yarns like silk or superwash wool
- Clean lines on the right side of the fabric
There’s a bit of a learning curve, as you’ll need to plan ahead and sometimes add extra stitches to keep your tension balanced. But if you’re working with sleek yarns or want to maintain the elasticity of the original fabric, it’s well worth exploring.
Summary: How to Choose the Right Float-Trapping Technique
When it comes to colorwork, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Each float-trapping method serves a different purpose, depending on your yarn, project, and desired outcome:
- Shetland style: Best for traditional colorwork
- Armenian style: Ideal for durability, speckled texture, and reduced float length
- Jacquard: Great for superwash yarns, stretch retention, and clean colorwork
✨ Pro Tip: If your float is longer than an inch, it’s worth trapping—especially in fingering weight yarns.
So next time you’re knitting with multiple colors, take a moment to think about how your floats will behave. A little bit of planning goes a long way in creating beautiful, long-lasting garments.
