Double Knitting from a Chart – Reversible Colorwork
You know how to knit, but do you know how to double knit? Double knitting is a versatile technique that creates two layers of fabric at the same time. Learn how to create reversible, colorwork designs by double knitting from a chart!
What is Double Knitting?
Imagine if you had two separate pieces of knit fabric, and you held them with the wrong sides together, so that the right sides are facing out. Now alternate between the two fabrics, working one stitch from the front one, and then one stitch from the back one. This, in essence, is double knitting.
Knitting and Purling
With the wrong sides together, our fabrics are facing in opposite directions. The front fabric is facing us, and the back fabric is facing away from us. This means that the stitches on the front fabric are right side (RS) stitches, and the stitches on the back fabric are wrong side (WS) stitches.
If we want to create a stockinette appearance on both sides, we need to knit the front, RS stitches, and purl the back, WS stitches. Since we’re alternating between the two fabrics, this means alternating between knits and purls, very much like ribbing.
Two working yarns
In the example above, each layer of fabric was separate, so it had its own working yarn. If you continue using one yarn only for the front and one yarn only for the back, without ever letting them cross, you will always have 2 separate pieces of fabric. I once used this technique to knit a pair of socks, one inside the other, on double pointed needles.
Moving the yarns together at all times keeps them from twisting. So when you want to knit, move both yarns to the back, and when you want to purl, move both yarns to the front. If you DO allow the two yarns to cross, they will tie the fabric together into one, double layer fabric.
Double Knitting Colorwork
Now suppose our two layers of fabric are also different colors. Let’s say color 1 is in the front, and color 2 is in the back. We could keep them entirely separate by always working the front stitches in color 1, and the back stitches in color 2.
But what if we switched things up? Suppose we switched the colors for one pair of stitches, and worked the front stitch in color 2, and the back stitch in color 1? That would tie our fabrics together, and give us one stitch of the opposite color on each side. This is the basis of colorwork in double knitting.
Background and accent colors
We now have both colors being used on both sides, to create mirror images. So how can we talk about the two colors without getting confused? Let’s look at the design as a whole, and designate one color as the background color and one as the accent color for each side.
This is the Lucky Hearts Coaster. On this side, the background color is clearly peach, and the accent color is cream.
On this side, it is reversed. The background color is cream, and the accent color is peach.
Getting started
There are many cast ons for double knitting. For the one I used in this pattern, see my two-color long tail cast on tutorial.
Reading the Chart
Here is a small section of the colorwork chart for this pattern. You can find the whole chart and pattern here. This chart shows only one side of the coaster. It does not show the mirror image on the other side, because it would be exactly the same. This means that each square represents 2 stitches – a knit stitch for the front side, and a purl stitch for the back.
White squares
The white squares show where we want to see the background color. Knit the first stitch with the background color for the side you are working on. This puts the background color in front. Now remember that the colors are reversed on the other side. The accent color for this side is the background color for the other side. So purl the next stitch with the accent color, and that will be the background color on the back.
Black squares
The black squares show where we want to see the accent color, so it’s the exact opposite of the white squares. Knit the first stitch with the accent color, and purl the next stitch with the background color.
Slip stitch selvedge
For this particular pattern, I used a slip stitch selvedge to create a nice edge. For the last pair of stitches, I first slipped one purlwise, then moved only the accent color to the front, and then slipped the last stitch purlwise as well. When moving the accent yarn to the front, make sure to twist it over the background yarn. This will tie them together for a sealed edge.
Putting it all together
Let’s work through row 24 of this chart together. Normally, you would read the chart from the side that the number is on, but in this case it’s symmetrical so it doesn’t really matter.
First we see a white square, so knit the first stitch with the background color. Now move the yarns so both are in front.
Then, purl the 2nd stitch with the accent color and move both yarns to the back.
Next, we have a black square, so knit the first stitch with the accent color. Now move both yarns to the front, purl the next stitch with the background color, and move both yarns to the back again.
As you can see, I like to tension my background color in my left hand and my accent color in my right hand, but feel free to hold the yarns in whatever way works for you.
After that there are 5 white squares. So for the next 5 pairs of stitches, knit the first one with the background color and the next one with the accent color. Remember to move both yarns forwards and backwards together.
Two more black squares means knitting with the accent color and purling with the background color for 2 more stitches. Then there’s one pair of the background color, 2 more of the accent color, 5 of the background color, 1 of the accent color, and finally our slip stitch selvedge as described above.
You’ve completed a row of double knitting!
Double Knitting from a Chart – Video Tutorial
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10 Comments
Kristina V
I am creating a pattern for a batik-inspired blanket that will be a baby shower gift for a close friend. **I want to double-knit the pattern, but I don’t know if I have to double my initial count for the center pattern stitches?** I would really appreciate it if you can help me answer this question! Thank you for creating such a thorough explanation of how to double-knit!
Pia Thadani
You are working a double layer fabric, so yes, for every stitch in a normal piece you will need 2 (1 front and 1 back) for a double knit piece.
Kristina
Thank you so much for your quick reply! That is exactly what I needed to know before starting this blanket ^_^
Kat
I just cant understand how to get just one ‘v’ for each stitch when I am doing two rows for each line of the graph? Or am I doing it wrong? ie after I have done two rows when I start next row it creates another v
Pia Thadani
Ok, your comment is on the Double Knitting tutorial – for double knitting you do not do 2 rows for each line of the chart.
I think you may be mixing it up with the Mosaic Knitting tutorial – Mosaic knitting charts are different, and you DO do 2 rows for each row on a mosaic knitting chart.
Look at the size of each box on the chart and you’ll see – for double knitting, each box is much shorter than it is wide, because it’s only one row, and knitting stitches are shorter than they are wide. Whereas on my mosaic chart, because the box represents two rows (in garter stitch, for that one), it’s closer to square.
Now the confusion may be because of a recent comment on the mosaic tutorial, which asked if you could use a mosaic chart for double knitting…my answer was yes, but you might want to double up on the rows so that the image isn’t squished. If you’re trying to use a mosaic chart for double knitting and are doubling up on the rows, then yes, you will have 2 Vs for each row on the chart.
Does that make sense?
Kat
Thank you it does and just so I have it clear in my brain you have to reverse colours on the graph in your head for the alternate rows of pattern?
Pia Thadani
For double knitting, yes, because you’ll be on the opposite side of the work, so your background and accent colors will switch.
Kat
Great, thank you for all your help!
Debbie Carroll
How do I prevent the “wrong” color from showing through? When I switch colors to create the pattern, I get a bar of the pattern color to the left of that knit stitch showing through.
Thank you!
Pia Thadani
Are you remembering to always move both yarns together? Bring them both to the front when you purl and bring them both to the back when you knit. That way they shouldn’t cross over each other.