Thimbleanna » Double Knitting

Double Knitting

February 10, 2013 on 1:37 pm | In Knitting | 37 Comments

We made the trek to the Big City yesterday to visit TheFirstChild and SweetiePie. We had two main reasons for visiting:

The first reason was to give SweetiePie her very belated birthday presents. If you’ll recall, a few weeks ago, I showed you a knitting project. In late December, I took a class and learned how to double knit. Double Knitting involves using both hands and it was a BIG challenge for me. I’ve never been able to use my left hand effectively. Years ago, when we lived in Germany, I used to ride the train to work everyday, watching ladies knitting on the train in continental style. It seemed so much faster than the old English method of throwing the yarn. I tried and tried to teach myself continental style to no avail. Fast forward 30 years, and now I can knit with both hands!

Ha. I’m not very good at it yet (and I’m VERY slow), but I’m thinking I’ll give continental style a try again. Anyway, this project was for a Cowl from the pattern Double Knit Three: Dots, Spots & Arrows by Hilary Smith Callis. Here’s the outside of the cowl.

Double knitting is pretty cool — it produces a reversible piece of knitting. Every other stitch belongs to the other side. Did that make sense? For example, the odd stitches are knitting the outside and the even stitches are knitting the inside. Here’s the inside. you can see that I was having tension issues here and there, but hopefully I’ll get better.

I love the feel of double knitting — two soft, plush layers. I’m not sure I’ll ever knit anything terribly big with this method though — it is rather tedious. Here’s SweetiePie modeling her new cowl. We probably should have artfully placed it around her neck, but we were in a hurry and goofing off.

The reason we were in a hurry was because the boys were waiting on us. Which brings us to the second reason we were visiting the kids – to relive a piece of the boys’ childhood. Sadly, TheSecondChild couldn’t be with us. When the boys were little, they loved watching Top Gun. TheFirstChild was obsessed with it. We had little die-cast jet fighters to prove it and SweetiePie has told me that she refuses to watch the DVD version with TheFirstChild because he annoyingly recites all the lines. (Happily, SweetiePie, agreed to come along with us this time.) When I told TheSecondChild that we were going to go see the re-released IMAX 3D version, he laughed at me. Then he reminded me that I used to fast forward through the sex scenes and how could we possibly watch it in a theater where I didn’t have control? Yes, what a dilemma — I’m sure they’ve never seen those scenes before. When the time came, I made them cover their eyes.

We had a great time. TheFirstChild even commented he didn’t remember all the sexual overtones in the movie. I didn’t either. Obviously, speeding through the big scenes worked — and the spoken lines were over his head at the time. Bad Mother! Ah well, he doesn’t seem to have been damaged from it. The minute the music for the movie started, I could see my little 4-yr.old running around the house chanting “I feel the need…the need for speed!” How fun to go back and re-live those moments with my little boy.

One last photo for you. We were back in a corner of the theater taking pictures and laughing. SweetiePie pulling her model schtick and me snapping away. This was the best we could do for the sultry, pouty lip shot because we were laughing too hard.

So. A wonderful weekend in ThimbleannaLand. I hope you’ve had a good weekend too!
XOXO,
Anna

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I’m impressed with the knitting big time. I can only knit, not purl so only do big boring afghans and tiny baby hats (luckily I can reduce). And how fun to see the movie again as a family.
Now I am hoping to get some sewing time in today.

Comment by Mary ann — February 10, 2013 #
I’d never heard of double knitting….very impressive.

Comment by Annie — February 10, 2013 #
Anna, you are just TOO smart. I’m convinced you can do anything. Looks like you all had a good time, too. Memory Lane is a good place once in a while.

Comment by Elaine/MuddlingThrough — February 10, 2013 #
You clever thing you! I’ve seen the double knitting demonstrated, now if only I could knit continental style, I have tried. Love the scarf!

Comment by Janet — February 10, 2013 #
Sounds like a fun weekend indeed! And reliving childhood is always good.

The cowl is lovely and I am sure Sweetiepie loves it.

Not much to report here this weekend – a little 2 handed knitting of my own – but not double sided – Goldfish Mittens for Toddlers from Ravelry. Lecture by a famous Scottish artist/sculptor David Mach and Chinese new year at friends tonight – Tony had made amazing dim sum!

Comment by Di — February 10, 2013 #
I am impressed by the continental knitting! Love the cowl, I think I need to try double knitting.

Comment by Kate — February 10, 2013 #
i REMEMBER Top Gun at our house when my kids were little!!! the EXman had just installed a surround sound system, and he would blast it so loudly that the frame of the couch would vibrate every time the jets took off – ha ha ha!!!

And the double knitting is VERY impressive! i worked with a man whose Swedish grandmother taught him to double knit – he made a teal and white snowflake afghan that was absolutely gorgeous … actually, he made it twice – he found ONE STITCH on the third or fourth row that was wrong and took out the entire afghan to re-knit it!!! i told him he was cuh-razee, but he said that his grandmother would never have let him get by with that mistake…

Comment by dianne — February 10, 2013 #
Gorgeous knitting, Anna! I feel like I have missed so much lately. Your gingham quilt is fabulous, absolutely fab. It’s also on my list to make this year. Well, that is if I get time to sew. Hope all is well and there are no more mousies!

Comment by Karin — February 10, 2013 #
How pretty! Slow or not…looks great. Good for you trying something new. Sounds like a fun visit.

Comment by Kris of dandelion quilts — February 10, 2013 #
Love the cowl! I can hear the Top Gun theme song in my head right now. Sounds like a fun time.

Comment by Corrie — February 11, 2013 #
Very very impressed with your double knitting! I wouldn’t know where to start! Haven’t seen Top Gun in years… and I can’t remember much about it.

Comment by Gina — February 11, 2013 #
OMG – double knitting? love it. I’ve never heard of this and it is amazing!!
love the photos with sweetie pie.

Comment by barbvedder — February 11, 2013 #
What fun! I’ve used that fast forwarding trick lots of times! I spent the weekend shoveling out from 22″ of snow (luckily I have 2 other men in the house to help) and the evenings were spent recuperating by sitting under an afghan I’m crocheting for Frannie. Almost finished. I love the cowl. Those polka dots are right up my alley! I have tried continental also, but it slows me down. It’s hard to change methods, but you make me want to give it another try!

Comment by Marsha — February 11, 2013 #
Oh my goodness that cowl is beeeee-u-tiful and sweetiepie does a wonderful job modeling it. I can’t imagine trying to double knit – I can’t even do it with traditional way – I’d probably find myself with yarn wound all over me – a real all thumbs gal when I try that knitting stuff. Great job Ms. Thimbleanna. The joke between my sister and I is that Top Gun is still playing at our movie theater – you know being from a smaller town than the big city where she lives lol. Always a classic movie to watch.
Hugs – Mrs. Farmhouse

Comment by karen — February 11, 2013 #
Your double knitting is amazing Anna!

It made me laugh reading about Top Gun because it happened to be on telly the other night and we started watching it. I was telling the children how I had really loved it when I was about Dot’s age – but then we ended up turning it off because we weren’t sure it was suitable for Fred! ;o) xx

Comment by lucylocket — February 11, 2013 #
How pretty and what a cool new skill. I knit continental but I find purling harder. My sister volunteered me to finish an afghan for a friend. The friend’s mother had started it before she passed. It is a red heart pattern and simply soft yarn BUT I am enjoying it. I also have a Daybreak going, inspired by one you posted long ago.

Comment by Anne — February 11, 2013 #
Beautiful work, Anna! I did not double knit my piece with yarn in each hand, I had them both in my left. I will have to look into this!

My favorite Top Gun scene is the beach volleyball scene. ;)

Comment by Karen — February 11, 2013 #
LOVE the dots! I’ve never tried double knitting ~ might give it a whirl after seeing this!
Did I mention, I LOVE the dots!

Comment by Jan — February 11, 2013 #
My son was in junior high when Top Gun came out. We watched it millions of times. That’s when he decided he wanted to be a Navy pilot when he grew up. Turns out he is color blind, which means no flying, but he’s a Lieutenant in the Navy, thanks to Tom Cruise!!!

Love the knitting!!

Comment by Jean — February 11, 2013 #
I’ve never tried double knitting, and I’ve never seen Top Gun!!

Comment by frayedattheedge — February 11, 2013 #
i was WONDERING what on earth you were knitting with that method! good job!! you. are. amazing. sweetiepie will love her reversible cowl i’m sure! in case you didn’t already have enough reasons to adore me, i knit continental. i think i may pull out top gun and watch it with the kids. hope all is well this week for you, thanks for the frequent posting, your adoring fans applaud you fervently.
b.

Comment by brigette — February 11, 2013 #
I love the idea of double knitting and all the design possibilities it promises. I knitted a lovely little practice swatch once, and the only thing I remember is that it was concentration-intensive, but I’m sure would be more relaxing once I forged all the proper neural pathways to make all the right motions more automatically.
I looooove cowls, I should try making one.

Comment by WendyBee — February 11, 2013 #
Wow that knitting looks impressive and I’m sure produces very warm results.
…and if you didn’t need it for warmth, well you could use it to pull over your eyes for the sex scenes :o)

Comment by Sew Create It - Jane — February 11, 2013 #
I love this post!!!! First off that Cowl is so cute (you had me at the Dots), and your knitting is beautiful. LOL… telling the story about zipping through Top Gun. Sounds like a fun, family time!!

Comment by Cheryl — February 11, 2013 #
I have been wanting to learn how to double knit. Boy it looks like you got it down to me!! Clarice

Comment by clarice — February 11, 2013 #
What a fun visit!! SweetiePie looks the stuff in the pouty photo! Off to investigate double knitting.

Comment by Meredithe — February 11, 2013 #
What a wonderful, wonderful weekend! Love Sweetie Pie’s cowl…you’re amazing!

Comment by Carol — February 12, 2013 #
Wow Anna, two hand knitting looks advanced stuff. Like you I’ve never got the hang of continental style knitting but I now have a hankering to give that double knitting a go – it sounds perfect for a cowl as it would be super thick and cosy. The 3D version of the film sounds like a lot of fun, and it’s lovely that it recaptured lots of memories x

Comment by Julie — February 12, 2013 #
Wow, that reverse knitting is really cool! Very impressive, Anna. I crochet, but have yet to learn to knit. It’s such a long list, you know, of things that I want to try or learn. I am going to have to live a very, very long time…

On the other note, um, seriously HOW MANY TIMES have you watched a movie again now and been shocked at what you missed back in the day? For me, it’s something like EVERY movie. I mean, hello, the entire gist of Dirty Dancing was about a girl needing an illegal abortion so Baby had to save the day by dancing?? What? I swear, I thought it was all about the dress and that lift at the end!

Comment by Denice @inkstitch — February 12, 2013 #
Top Gun!!! I was a senior in high school when Top Gun was released in theatres. I’ve watched it gobs of times. That Tom Cruise…he might have his hang-ups but there is no denying his hunkiness.

Comment by Cassie — February 13, 2013 #
And, lucky lucky Sweetie Pie. That cowl is the bomb. Handknit and polka dots? Shut up! I like that even better than Tom Cruise!

Comment by Cassie — February 13, 2013 #
Thank you for yet another inspiration – and for all the times you have inspired me. I’m currently working on a cable throw after seeing the beautiful one that you recently knitted. You are the BEST. Although that double knitting looks awfully confusing. Thanks Anna!!

Comment by Glassquilt — February 13, 2013 #
Happy Valentine’s Day!

Comment by Marsha — February 14, 2013 #
Wow! I missed this somehow—Is blogger trying to cheat me? When I was growing up “double knitting” referred to the thickness of the yarn—the equivalent of worsted I think. I didn’t know you could knit two sides of something at the same time so they were joined. The cowl is gorgeous! You’ll never grow old Anna —don’t they say that constantly learning new stuff is the secret of eternal youth?!

Comment by molly — February 14, 2013 #
Too funny!

I haven’t heard of double knitting. That’s pretty cool. I also can’t learn to knit with my left hand. I have knitted so long with the right, I just can’t get motivated to practice the other way. I know how…I’ve tried it…it seems like a worthwhile thing to do, but I just can’t see spending the time to get as fluent as I am with my right hand!

Comment by Stephanie in MI — February 15, 2013 #
I wish I knew how to knit.But I’ve already expressed that to you. :)

Comment by Sharon Yeager — February 15, 2013 #
The cowl is gorgeous, but wow, double knitting sounds challenging! Congrats on learning to knit with both hands.

I loved your story about Top Gun. My neighbor used to be in the military, and one night he had a bunch of his buddies over and they watched Top Gun at full blast, singing along drunkenly with all the songs. It was pretty funny.

Comment by Stacy — February 17, 2013 #