Yesterday we looked at Double Knitting as a way of introducing color into your work. We found out that it also creates a double thick fabric as you are knitting two pieces of fabric at the same time. You have the option to ‘interlock” the two pieces of fabric and create two pieces of fabric that are the reverse images of each other. There are a few different was of doing this and we are looking at two of them – knitting stitches from one piece f fabric and purling the stitches from the other (the reason behind this and the technique are laid out in yesterday’s post) and today we will look at a second technique involving slipped stitches.
Method 2 – In this method we are going to make a tube by knitting flat – or back and forth. Yes, it’s a secret magic trick that even David Copperfield doesn’t know about ;-). You can cast on in a few different ways for this one depending on what you’re making. If it is a scarf and there will be fringes on the end,a regular cast on is fie. If you’re going to make a stocking stitch scarf (that doesn’t curl – how cool is that!) and have the ends visible, you may want to use the provisional cast on we talked about during lace knitting. We will go back later and place the cast on on two needles and graft the stitches together, creating an invisible seam.
When you actually start your knitting, you will be working with one color and slipping the stitches of the second color. The important thing to remember is that you slip the stitches of each alternate stitch and you do so with the yarn in front. So let’s say you are making just a simple tube in one color, you need an even number of stitches. You may have picked up on the fact that you always work in pairs when double knitting – kinda makes sense doesn’t it? You also need double pointed needles – circulars are great because they are double pointed and come in varying lengths. Take up the yarn and knit the first stitch. With the yarn in front (wyif), slip the next stitch. Bring the yarn back to the back and knit the next stitch. Again, wyif, slip the next stitch. Make sure that you are bring the yarn to the back and to the front between the tips of the needles, not over them. If you carry it over the needle you will be doing a YO and we don’t want that.
Once you get to the end of the row, slide the work back to the beginning and now wyif, slip the first stitch, then knit the second and repeat this process to the end of the row. Continue in this manner until you have made a tube the length you desire. I say a tube because you are actually creating two pieces of fabric right beside each other and there will be a gap between them, making it an actual tube. Once you are finished, you can place the stitches on two needles and do a Kitchener stitch to bind off and close up the tube. Or you can leave the tube open, place it on a stitch holder and you have the finger for a glove. Eureka! Double Knitting doesn’t have to just be about color, although you could add color to this technique by making stripes. This process though creates something rather special in knitting – a flat edged stocking stitch fabric that doesn’t curl! Think of the uses! That Doctor Who scarf I have always wanted to make now seems a hole lot easier. I have already mentioned fingers for gloves. Since Double Knitting creates a double thick fabric, this would be great for a blanket – nice and warm. Or a cover for something thin – an iPad or smaller laptop – or a cell phone! There are lots of possible uses for it.
Now what say we want to do color work using this method? Well, think of the stitches in this manner. You will need to have a multiple of four stitches with the following being how they are situated on the needle. The first stitch will be the main color on the right side of the work or first piece of fabric (refer to yesterday’s post to see about right and wrong sides) and will be knit. The second stitch is the same color and is the wrong side of the second piece of fabric so it gets purled. The third stitch is still the same color but again the right side of the fabric and needs to be slipped with the yarn in front (wyif). The fourth stitch is the wrong side again and this one gets slipped with the yarn in back (wyib) – we’re on the other piece of fabric. After you finish a row repeating this procedure, you again slide the work to the other end of the needles and repeat the same process with the second color. The order changes slightly though … the first stitch is slipped wyib, the second slipped wyif, the third stitch is knitted and the fourth purled. Can you picture which stitches are which and how they correspond to each other?
During this technique (which is easier than it sounds here – you just have to try it), you are only ever working with one yarn at a time so even beginners will have little trouble with it. Also, the knitted and slipped wyib stitches come forward while the others (purled and slipped wyif stitches) recede to the back as they are on the other piece of fabric. Like the method we talked about yesterday, the knit and purled stitches are the front and back (front of the second piece of fabric) while the slipped stitches are are what allows you to alternate colors in whatever manner you need.
I couldn’t find a video showing this technique for Double Knitting (maybe I’ll do one myself), but I did find another showing the technique we talked about yesterday. I’m including it today because there’s other useful information in it. There’s also a link to a podcast that you may want to subscribe to.
Hugzzz 😎