Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Double Knitting with Lucy Neatby
This weekend I attended Lucy Neatby 's Annual Christmas Open House. As always, it was a lot of fun. And I had a chance to admire her new double knitting pattern, the Moonstone Scarf.
Lucy Neatby has to be the "Queen of Double Knitting" because she does things with this technique that I have not seen anywhere else. For example, with the Moonstone Scarf, she incorporates an ingenious technique to give a quilted effect. Not only is the piece fully reversible with positive/negative reversal of colours, but it has added surface dimension, too. The result is a beautiful, cushy, comfy scarf.
She even does double knit socks. I mean, who else does that?
I am more often drawn to Lucy's double-knit scarf and shawl patterns. Partly because a scarf is a good place to begin with this technique, if it is new to you. But also because a scarf is a showpiece and with double knitting, you can happily show both sides. In fact, you want to show both sides. No need to hide woven-in loose ends or ragged back-of-work.
I just love her Paintbox Scarf. Here she uses two contrasting colours of Kauni Effektgarn and allows the changing colours to create the "paintbox" look. With its simple geometric motif, this pattern is a good place to start with learning double knititng.
As is this String of Pearls pattern:
And then when you have a good handle on this fascinating approach to knitting, the randomness of the Bubbles Scarf will hold no mystery for you, even if it does for everyone else.
If you want to learn all about double knitting, there is no better teacher than Lucy Neatby. You can learn directly from her through her DVD: Double Knitting Delight 1.
I know I am now inspired to take up double knitting. I even carry the Kauni Effetkgarn that Lucy uses in several of her double knitting patterns. I have everything I need to get going.
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