Purlgrid editorial team
Why is my colourwork tight or puckered?
An engine can count a strand’s span in stitches and convert it with gauge. It cannot feel your yarn, judge your hand tension or guarantee that a finished fabric will stretch comfortably.
The short answer
Look at the unused strands across the back as well as the stitch count. Tight floats can pull the fabric inward even when every row contains the correct number of stitches. Swatch in the actual colourwork method and inspect the relaxed fabric.
Separate count errors from tension problems
First count the stitches. Missing or added stitches are a different problem from the right count compressed by short floats. Spread the worked stitches enough to see how the unused strand lies across their backs.
Make a sample in the same flat or round construction as the project. Plain stockinette and stranded colourwork can behave differently. Compare the washed and dry sample rather than forcing the colourwork into the dimensions of another fabric.
Read the warning as a physical span
A float measured in stitches has a different length at a different gauge. The example below converts an actual span using our gauge-based checker rules. Those limits are Purlgrid’s design rules, not universal standards for every knitter and yarn.
A catch marker is a suggested place to secure a permitted float. It is not a promise that any very long gap becomes suitable just by adding a marker. Our checker can ask for a redraw when the span is beyond its stated limit.
Choose a technique that suits the colour areas
Repeated small motifs may suit stranded colourwork. Large separate areas may be easier with intarsia. Tiny details can be added later with duplicate stitch on suitable stockinette fabric. The best method depends on the construction, not just the number of colours.
Use the teaching checker to locate a problem and inspect its proposed repair before applying it. Keep the original design available. A changed chart must still be sampled; a mathematical pass does not prove comfortable tension.
A worked example from our engines
| Unworked span (stitches) | 11 |
|---|---|
| Stitches per 10 cm | 22 |
| Span length (cm) | 5 |
| Engine catch threshold (stitches) | 5 |
| Engine redraw threshold (stitches) | 9 |
The example values are generated when this page is built. They demonstrate the stated model and inputs; they are not physical sample measurements.
Before you continue
- Count the fabric stitches before diagnosing floats.
- Measure gauge in the actual colourwork construction.
- Compare the strand length with the checker’s stated rule.
- Review any proposed redraw, then sample the result.
More questions, answered
Will blocking always remove puckering?
Do not rely on it. Finishing can settle some fabric, but a strand that physically cannot span the relaxed stitches may still restrict it. Test the fabric rather than promising a correction.
Are Purlgrid’s float limits universal rules?
No. They are explicit rules used by our engine and scaled with gauge. They help flag designs for review, but different materials and making methods need human judgment.
Can I just catch the yarn every few stitches?
Catching may help within an appropriate design, but placement, fabric appearance and tension still matter. A checker warning to redraw a long area should not be treated as permission to ignore it.
Will changing the colours change the float count?
Changing only the colour values preserves the graph. Changing which cells belong to which colour changes the spans and needs a new check.