From: jgibson@cts.com To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: KNIT: double knitting answer Charlene de la O asked for a reference telling how to do double knitting (i.e., knitting a tubular fabric on a pair of straight needles). --> Mary Thomas's classic Knitting Book tells how (on page 165 of the Dover edition). She describes the basic method, which produces a tube sealed at the ends, and says it is good only for belts and ties. Which of course would be true. --> The Threads article Charlene inquired about is in issue 12 (Aug/Sept 1987), pages 64-67. It is by Bee Borssuck, entitled "Knitting Round on Straight Needles: In which the slip stitch comes between the knits, and the fabric splits asunder for a splendid finish." She describes such tricks as making open-ended tubes, making horizontal casings (for example, for a drawstring waist), and double-knit ribbing (for example for collars and button-edges). -------------------------------------- From: Charlene De La O To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: Re: KNIT: double knitting Double knitting was described to me as a way to knit circularly on two straight needles. I guess it's called "double" because it's also a way to knit a double-thick piece of fabric, with stocking stitch facing out on each side (the reverse stocking stitch sides face one another). Or, alternatively, with reverse stocking stitch facing out and regular stocking stitch on the inside. There is a book on it by Beverly Royce, entitled _Notes on Double Knitting_ which explains it all. Nell sent me the directions on how to do it double and closed at each end... ======================================================================== Nell's directions: Cast on double the number of sts for the finished width - for example if you are working at a tension of 8 sts to the inch in stockinette (3 ply on a 3 and a quarter mm needle) you would need 80 sts for a 10-inch width ordinary stockinette, therefore cast on 160 sts for tubular knitting). Cast on an even number of sts. *K1, bring wool to front, slip 1 purlwise, take yarn to back, rep from * all across row. That's it - repeat that row for about 46 ins. Cast off, knitting 2 tog all across row. Fringe ends. ======================================================================== In my earlier post, I was wondering if the same technique could be used for tubular pieces so that you could use the technique for socks and gloves and such. The answer that I received from Lizzy is, yes, it can be used that way. After playing with the technique for the "closed" version, I've decided to get the book to learn more about it. I originally didn't want to buy yet another new book on knitting, but I think the whole thing is so neat, that I probably will. I don't know if it works well for two-color knitting or not. Charlene. cdelao@treska.usc.edu -------------------------------------- From: Teri Pittman To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: KNIT: Double knitting A really good example and use of double knitting is in Handspun, Handknit (I hope that I've finally managed to get the name right). There is a pair of gloves that uses the double knit technique for the finger--in fact you could almost the entire glove that way. It's a really neat pattern and the perfect way to do the fingers--none of that 13 stitches on three dp's. I hear the the Beverly Royce book is the definitive book on the subject. In the early 70's, there was a pattern in a major crafts magazine of a ruana (a type of poncho) done is double knitting so that it had different stripes on each side. I never finished mine--wound up with a long scarf!! It was a neat idea though. You could also do a vest in double knit and use it to make channels, to be filled with insulation. An early Knitters had an article where they used the technique to make an edging for the front of a handwoven vest. It's an interesting technique and worth looking into. Teri Pittman