Duplicate stitch is the easiest way to add color to any knitting project made in Stocking stitch. Duplicate stitch is embroidering an additional stitch, in a new color, over the knitted object you have completed. You can use almost any color work chart to add Duplicate stitch designs to hats, sweaters and more. Here are a few free patterns from Yarnspirations.com that use Duplicate stitch. More Duplicate stitch patterns are at the end of the page, under the instructions. Reading A Chart Duplicate stitch designs are almost always accompanied by a chart. The chart is a visual representation of the design you wish to use to embellish your work. On the chart, each square is one knit stitch. Each knit stitch will be color coded to show which color you should add to your project. You may find it helpful to write in the numbers for any rows that are not labeled and the columns in the repeat. Tips Use a sticky note to cover up the rows you’ve already worked. To begin working your Duplicate stitch, you will need an object with a Stocking stitch field, a yarn needle, and about 2 yards of yarn in the color you will use for the Duplicate stitch design. You will begin by working a field of Stocking stitch on which your Duplicate stitch will be worked (it would be a hat, blanket, sweater, anything really!). In my example I’ve chosen Red Heart Soft. For my example, I have cast on 26 stitches, worked a swatch with 20 stitches of 20 rows of Stocking (the rest worked in garter stitch). I worked 2 of the pattern repeats from the chart above. Determine where your Duplicate stitch will be placed. Thread your length of yarn onto the yarn needle. Bring the yarn, from the back to the front, through the bottom of the visible V on the right side of your work: Follow the loop of yarn made by knitting Stocking under the stitch(the V) above. This is how it will appear: Take the yarn back through the bottom of the stitch (the V). Adjust the tightness of your stitch so that it covers the stitch below. Repeat this for each subsequent stitch. And eventually, your pattern will begin to emerge.
