Meet designer Melissa Leapman and dive into colorwork with simple stripes. Melissa shows how to start new colors and carry up the yarn to minimize tails. With Melissa's tips, the yarn you need is always on the correct side, and stripes in the round look even. Finally, learn a fun effect: ruching.

Colorwork charts show what your knitting will look like, providing an at-a-glance roadmap for your stitches. Melissa walks you through chart-reading basics, row by row, explaining stitch repeats and symbols. She also shares tips for keeping track of where you are.

Create fascinating color patterns and texture simply by slipping some stitches rather than knitting them. Practice with Melissa's windowpane pattern, then master more ornate mosaic knitting. Try linen stitch and an embossed pattern by putting yarn floats on the right side of your knitting.