Stranded (or Fair Isle) knitting patterns consist of repeated multicolor motifs. Try knitting a stranded swatch with this simple pattern, which creates little polka dots of color. You carry both colors only on those rows that have the dots (that is, Rows 1 and 5 of the 8-row pattern repeat).
You can read stranded patterns from a chart, but remember to read right-side rows from right to left and wrong-side rows from left to right.
To practice making a flat swatch with this simple stranded pattern, you need two colors, the main color (MC) and the contrasting color (CC):
Cast on 27 stitches (or any multiple of 8 stitches plus 3) with MC.
Purl 1 row.
Repeat the 8 rows of the chart to form the pattern.
Bind off when your swatch reaches the desired length, ending after Row 8.
