How to Knit, Patterns
Demystifying Double-Sided Knitting
I’ve gotten a few requests — okay, a TON of requests — on how his whole double-sided knitting thing works. Yesterday, Jac and I took advantage of our snow day (there’s an Icepocalypse here in the Philadelphia area) and we shot a how-to video on the subject. Unlike our other videos, this one is on the long side, but I will take you through how to cast on double-sided knitting, do the stitches, follow a color chart, and cast off. If you follow along through the whole video with your own yarn and needles, you’ll make a cute bookmark just in time for Valentine’s Day. Download this color chart, hit play, and follow along.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzVFgc1Z3M4]We’d love to see your bookmarks, so please share your links in the comments sections!
~ Megan-Anne
Knit fast. Die warm. Caffenistas do it well.
*Edited February 15, 2014 to add pictures.
Wow, I always thought double-knitting was really complicated but that simplifies it so much! My blanket might be double sided after all (if I ever get a chance to start it of course) Thank you muchly!
You’re welcome! I’m glad I could help. :D
Great tutorial! This is one of my all time favorite techniques because the end result looks so much more complicated and intricate than it really is :)
Thank you! The best part of double-sided knitting, for me, is that there aren’t so many pesky ends to deal with. I hate weaving in ends with a fiery passion of a thousands suns.
Lol me tooooo! Mom insists that working them in as you go is easy, but I can’t seem to get the hang of it
Hi! I really love your website and am soooo excited about your blanket KAL. I know that this may sound like a really dumb question, but I’m not too experienced with double-sided knitting. I don’t quite understand how you do three colors in double-sided knitting, like in the Wonder Woman square…is it hard? Thanks! :)
I mean, I understand how to do it two-color…just not three-color.
On any given square only 2 colors are used at a time. So for Wonder Woman, at the end of the stars you break the white yarn and add the red. At the end of the fade you break the blue and add the yellow :). You don’t have to do anything fancy when you switch colors, just knot the ends and then tuck those ends into the square when you’re done.
Thanks for the quick reply! I really love all of these squares…I can’t pick a favorite!!!! :) :) :)
Thanks <3
Could this be done “croknitting” with a knook?
We’ve never tried out a knook, but as long as you’re able to do color work, and both knits and purls, I can’t see any reason you shouldn’t be able to use it for double sided knitting patterns.
Pingback: Double Knitting | Knitting & Kitties
Pingback: 2014 Geek-A-Long: Lord of the Rings | Lattes and Llamas
Pingback: 2014 Geek-A-Long: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea | Lattes and Llamas
Pingback: 2014 Geek-A-Long: Firefly | Lattes and Llamas
I spent days combing youtube and books and cobbled together an understanding of double-sided knitting from numerous sources, so I could make a scarf for myself, and here you are with an awesome all-in-one video for the whole process! Excellent tutorial, thank you so much! I’ve got a lot of catching up to do on this knit-a-long too!
Pingback: 2014 Geek-A-Long: The Princess Bride | Lattes and Llamas
Pingback: 2015 Geek-A-Long: Scully | Lattes and Llamas
I have wanted to look at your video for a while–finally got the chance and it is just perfectly wonderful! Clear, concise, easy to follow. Thank you so much! : )
Ann
I just found this site last night during an insomnia bout and began my first double sided square…the tutorial was excellent, thank you so much. In my head I need to remember to not try and match the color on my needle with the working yarn I need to use when making the pattern part…let it go…thank you again!
I wish this pattern were in the Ravelry database (or if it is that I could find it). I hate to share a project without crediting the designer. Also, awesome video tutorial!
I don’t think Megan-Anne ever put it in the database. But she was the one who designed it. Her name is DrLlama on Ravelry.
Great video, could you hold the knitting yarn in your left hand and purling yarn in your right hand and do this?
I’m a big fan of 2 handed yarn management for color work when doing stranded knitting, but it’s not as useful here. I find that doing that creates gaps between sts, and that I spend so much time correcting that, I may as well have just done one handed yarn management.
I am brand new here and to double sided knitting. I knit continental style and can not figure out how to hold my yarn…. Any advice?
The only advice I can give is based on my experience with it, but while I also knit continental when I’m not doing double-knitting, I find the only way to be efficient in double is to hold my yarn in the English Knitting style. It’s super awkward to switch up until you get used to it, but now I can go back and forth between styles without thinking about it. Good luck!
I am so confused as to what that cast on is? How does it hold? I attempted this once before and it didn’t work out, so I want to try again.
Hi, in the double knitting video, we are using the backwards loop cast on.
Hi! I love your sight and the double knitting. You taught me how to do it and I enjoy it sooo much. I do have one problem with it, however, the lettering in The Princess Bride- As You Wish and the 42 in The Hitcherhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy-Frankie and Benjy. I just don’t get how to read the charts, I tried and tired and tired. I haven’t been able to find any help. Any tips? Thank you.
Hello Megan-Anne,
Thank you for these article and video. I trying to knit NO FACE. For me everything was good until row 5, stich 16. I do not know how to continue. Do I have to purl or knit…Using with color… I ‘l lost when there is more than 2 changes…I hope you could help me. Best Regards?.
Hi,
Any time you are following a color chart for double knitting, all of the squares shown are knit squares. The purl squares are not shown on the chart. ALWAYS purl with the color you did NOT knit with. So, if you are using 2 colors, we’ll call them A and B: A=the white on the chart, and B=the black. If the chart shows a white square you will knit with white. Since you knitted with white and you ALWAYS purl with the color you did NOT knit with, now purl with B. If the chart shows a black square, knit with color B, and purl with color A. Always bring both yarns forward to purl, and back to knit.
Pingback: 2014 Geek-A-Long: Pong – Lattes & Llamas
Pingback: 2016 Geek-A-Long: Sonic the Hedgehog – Lattes & Llamas
Pingback: 2015 Geek-A-Long: Tesla – Lattes & Llamas
Pingback: 2015 Geek-A-Long: Professor Farnsworth – Lattes & Llamas
Pingback: 2015 Geek-A-Long: Professor Frink – Lattes & Llamas
Pingback: 2014 Geek-A-Long: Dr. Who – Lattes & Llamas