How to Double Knit: Dual Sided Runestone Coasters
Introduction: How to Double Knit: Dual Sided Runestone Coasters
Bienvenue, and please enjoy my extremely overthought and most definitely over-explained instructable on double-knitting, inspired by and written for the knitting and crochet speed challenge in January 2022.
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I like double knitting so much. It’s so fun!
For me, it is simultaneously mindless and challenging, and really works well with my ADHD. :)
Some other reasons I love double knitting:
* It is twice as warm due to being twice as thick.
* Soooo squishy!!!
* It doesn’t roll like standard knit fabric does, so you don’t have to worry about edge stitches or other ways of making the sides flat.
* Because of the switching back and forth of the 2 colors of yarn, your pattern is mirrored on the other side in opposite colors which is just so mentally stimulating. (See the important note about patterns later on.)
Anyway, these coasters were my idea of something cool and useful in multiple ways, but also fast for I am an impatient soul.
Plus also I am *definitely* adding this to my resume.
The end.
… I mean… of the introduction. Actually the actual project is going to start now.
The beginning!
Supplies
- 2 colors worsted weight cotton yarn, (I used some from my stash so I don’t know the manufacturer, make or model, sorry fam.)
- Size 9 knitting needles (I used a Chiaogoo 26”circular needle, but straight needles will work just as well.)
- scissors or other cutting tool (not your teeth, please)
- yarn needle if you want to sew in the yarn tails (I didn’t because I am lazy and also cotton tends to not unravel in my experience but you do you, boo.)
- Printed version of your pattern if preferred. I based my pattern on this version of the gridded runes, and added stitches to either side of the rune to equal the number of stitches I had (15 K/P pairs): https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/small-elder-futhark-rune-chart
Step 1: Double Knitting: the Detailed Written Out Explanation
1) Double knit fabric is created the same way as stockinette fabric, (knit the knits and purl the purls), but you are essentially knitting both sides in stockinette, at the same time, in one piece. No really!
2) Regular ol’ double knitting shows the front/smooth/right side of a piece of knitted fabric on *both* sides of the fabric. You do this by knitting all the stitches of the first color, and purling all the stitches of the second color, alternating knits and purls.
So after a row is finished, your needle looks like this:
<=PKPKPKPK==]
where all the P (purl) stitches are black and all the K (knit) stitches are white.
3) You can track where you are in a pattern by counting the stitches of one color, and automatically skipping the next stitch of the opposite color.
Every knit will have an opposite color purl, no matter what.
***Think of them as soulmates. They will always be next to each other. 557
Each with the other, K and P, opposite colors but always counted together as one. *soulful gesture* ***
For example, In the most basic pattern, the stitches on every side repeat knit, purl, knit, purl, over and over. The only thing that changes is the color of yarn used in each stitch.
On one side the knits are black and the purls are white. BWBWBW = KPKPKP
On the other side it is the opposite, the knits are white, and the purls are black. WBWBWB = KPKPKP
Don’t worry it’ll make sense once you get going.
Trust your pattern and yourself. It’s actually way less complicated than it seems, but it’s so extremely easy to get overwhelmed and confused and frustrated. I like to make notes in my printed pattern so as to keep my brain straight. But usually after the first couple times I double check myself, I realize I know what I’m doing and I can see the pattern starting to make sense.
Oh, about that. The pattern, I mean.
You should definitely note: If you use any patterns that are meant to be viewed in one direction only, like certain letters, numbers, etc., this method of knitting will reverse the image *exactly*, like if you were to see it in a mirror. 312