Free Knitting Patterns - Heart Double Knit Hot Pad

Video of this project.

There is also a Complete Project video of this Heart Hot Pad pattern on the KnittingHelp.com CD

Materials:

Worsted weight cotton in red and white. I used Sugar N Cream; it took about half a skein of each color.
Size 9* needles for hot pad and size 7 to bind off with.

(*Amy's notes: I used size 6 needles, and size 3 or 4 to bind-off with. I find I needed smaller needles than typical, when doing double knitting. See what works for you.)

About Double Knitting

Double Knitting is working both sides in one row. The charts show one half of the work. For each square there is a knit st for the side facing you of the color indicated and a purl st for the other side of the color not shown. This will be explained on the first line of the instructions.

I like a two color cast on. You can do a Long-Tail Cast-on with both strands of yarn worked as if they were one strand. Then work each strand as its own stitch on the first row. If you Cast on this way, then Cast-on 30 of these double stitches, to end up with 60 workable stitches. Or you can use a single backward loop cast-on in one color; which is what is pictured in the photo, and demonstrated in the project video on the KnittingHelp CD. Cast-on 60 stitches in this case.

To keep the edges tidy and attractive I purl the last st using both colors together and slip the first st of the next row.

To keep the bind off from ruffling use a needle 2 sizes smaller than the one you have knit with. Bind off with alternate colors as they are on the needle; i.e. k the color facing you and p the color on the other side.

Instructions:

R=red   W=white

Cast on as described above, so you have 60 strands/stitches to work on the next row.

Row 1: sl first st, *with both colors in back k1 W, with both colors in the front p1 R, repeat from * across to last st, with both colors to the front p last st with both colors.

Row 2: sl first st, with both colors in back k1 R, with both colors in front p1 W, *with both colors in back k1 W, with both colors in front p1 R, repeat from * to the last two sts, with both colors in back k1 R, with both colors in front p1 W, p last st with both colors.

Each square on the chart represents two sts, one facing you to k in the color shown and one not shown to be p in the color not shown.

When the chart is completed use the smaller needle and bind off in alternate colors; k the k sts and p the p sts in the colors they were worked on the previous row. When you get to the last 3 sts, k across these sts in one color (either, it doesn't matter which) and work as an I-cord.* I worked in alternate colors but it could be done in one color. Work for about 20 rows and then sew the end down to the beginning of the I-cord for a loop to hang your hot pad.

*I-cord instructions (video above): On double point needles, k 3, do not turn the needle but slide the sts to the right end of the needle they are on, pull the yarn across the back tightly and knit the sts. Repeat this for the length desired.

Questions?

If you're not clear on how to do something, take advantage of the Knittinghelp forum! Please ask on the forum first, before emailing

Pattern by Nancie Kremer, ©2005