Double Knit Coaster – Lucky Hearts

Create a reversible, 2-color design with double knitting! With two layers of fabric, this double knit coaster is thick and absorbent. Make a whole set to keep or as a gift!

DK weight yarn

Did you know the “DK” in dk weight yarn stands for double knitting? Because double knitting produces a 2-layer fabric, the lighter weight yarn is a good choice for it. For my coaster, I used up some stash yarn which is now discontinued. It was Caron Simply Soft Light in coral and cream. Any DK weight yarn will work – try it in cotton for super absorbency!

KAL Corner 2020 Knit Along

This design is part of the 2020 Knit Along at KAL Corner Knitting. Join us in knitting a new design every month, using DK weight yarn! You can find all the info on the main post, and join in the fun on the Facebook group. Don’t forget to enter the giveaway too!

How double knitting works

The basic concept is that you are knitting two pieces of fabric at the same time, one in front and one in back. Each pair of stitches represents one “front” stitch and one “back” stitch.

To get stockinette stitch on both sides, you knit the stitches on the front fabric, and purl the stitches on the back fabric. Whatever color you knit with will show on the side you are currently working on, and whatever color you purl with will show on the other side.

If you always use one color for the knits and other color for the purls, you will get two, solid color layers. Keeping the layers separate has it’s uses, but the real fun is in switching the colors to create reversible patterns.

Lucky Hearts Coaster

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Materials

• Yarn: DK weight yarn – 20 yds each in 2 colors.
• Needles: Size 8 / 5 mm knitting needles
• Notions: Yarn Needle

Project Level

Complex: 2 color double knitting

Size

4 inches square.

Gauge

Use pattern as swatch – coaster should be 4″ square.

Abbreviations used

k = knit
p = purl
BC = background color of the side you are working on
AC = accent color of the side you are working on
KBC = Knit background color (see Special Stitches)
KAC = Knit accent color (see Special Stitches)
Sel = Selvage stitch (see Special Stitches)
sl = slip purlwise
st(s) = stitch(es)

Because the pattern is reversible, the background and accent colors will be different for the two sides. In the sample shown, on one side the background color is coral and the accent color is cream, while on the other side it is reversed. BC and AC always refer to the side you are currently working on.

Recommended Resources

• 2-Color, Long Tail Cast On for Double Knitting
• Slip Stitch Edges for Double Knitting from Sockmatition
• 2-Color, Simple Bind Off for Double Knitting

Special Stitches

• Knit background color (KBC): K 1 in BC, bring both yarns to the front, p 1 in AC, bring both yarns to the back.
• Knit accent color (KAC): K 1 in AC, bring both yarns to the front, p 1 in BC, bring both yarns to the back.
• Selvage stitch (Sel): With both yarns at the back, sl 1, bring only AC to the front, sl 1.

Alternate (easier) methods

As written, the pattern makes smooth edges at the cast on, bind off, and sides. Working these edge stitches in pairs, instead of separately, makes chunkier edges but is easier to do. Here are some alternate, easier methods for the edges if you are new to double knitting .

• Cast on: Hold both yarns together and cast on 19 stitches with both yarns together, using your preferred cast on method. Arrange the stitches so they are alternating in color on the needle.
• Side edge: Sl the last pair of stitches on each row with both yarns held in front. On the next row, k both stitches together, using both yarns held together. It does not matter what order the yarns end up in on the needle since you are always working them together.
• Bind off: Bind off the stitches in pairs, using both yarns held together and a simple bind off.

Instructions

Cast on 19 pairs of stitches, using a 2-color, long tail cast on (see Recommended Resources). (38 sts total)

The color that is first on your needle when you start the next row is the BC for that side.

Scroll down for chart – written instructions are the same pattern as the chart.

Rows 1-2: KBC across to last pair of sts, Sel.

Row 3: KBC 1, KAC across to last pair of sts, Sel.

Rows 4-5: KBC 1, KAC 1, KBC across to last 2 pairs of sts, KAC 1, Sel.

Row 6: KBC 1, KAC 1, KBC 5, KAC 2, KBC 1, KAC 2, KBC 5, KAC 1, Sel.

Rows 7-10: KBC 1, KAC 1, KBC 4, KAC 7, KBC 4, KAC 1, Sel.

Row 11: KBC 1, KAC 1, KBC 2, KAC 2, KBC 1, KAC 5, KBC 1, KAC 2, KBC 2, KAC 1, Sel.

Row 12: KBC 1, KAC 1, KBC 1, KAC 4, KBC 1, KAC 3, KBC 1, KAC 4, KBC 1, KAC 1, Sel.

Row 13: KBC 1, KAC 1, KBC 1, KAC 4, KBC 2, KAC 1, KBC 2, KAC 4, KBC 1, KAC 1, Sel.

Row 14: KBC 1, KAC 1, KBC 1, KAC 5, KBC 1, KAC 1, KBC 1, KAC 5, KBC 1, KAC 1, Sel.

Row 15: KBC 1, KAC 1, KBC 2, KAC 11, KBC 2, KAC 1, Sel.

Row 16: Rep row 14

Row 17: Rep row 13

Row 18: Rep row 12

Row 19: Rep row 11

Rows 20-23: Rep rows 7-10

Row 24: Rep row 6

Rows 25-26: Rep rows 4-5

Row 27: Rep row 3

Row 28: Rep row 2

Row 29: Rep row 1

Bind off: KBC, pass 1st st over 2nd st, (k 1 with BC, pass previous st over last st, bring both yarns to front, p 1 with AC, bring both yarns to the back, pass previous st over last st) across.

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Chart:

Click image to expand

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I hope you enjoyed this washcloth pattern. A downloadable pdf of this pattern is available on Ravelry for a small fee. The fee for the pdf format is to offset the advertising revenue lost when you print or download the pattern rather than viewing it online.

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