Things You'll Need:
- Light colored worsted weight yarn
- Dark colored worsted weight yarn
- Size 4 knitting needles
- Size 6 knitting needles
Interlocking knit is a technique that produces a double-sided fabric with two right sides. Both sides are stockinette stitch with patterns positive and negative in nature. The technique is worked in two colors and is reversible.
This technique can produce simple or complex designs similar to fair isle or intarsia, but is much easier. There are no floats as in fair isle or complicated maneuvers to interlock the colors as in intarsia. There are no tails to weave in except the cast-on and bind-off tails. The process uses each yarn evenly (there are an equal number of color A and color B stitches), so there are fewer tension problems.
The doubled fabric of interlocking knit is ideal for items such as potholders or hot pads, scarves and warm winter hats.
Hold both colors together and cast on 30 (or any even number) stitches with size 4 needles. Be careful that your working yarns don’t twist. You should have 60 stitches on your needle alternating in color starting with light color and ending with dark color.
Change to size 6 needles. Hold both colors to the back and knit 1 dark. Move both colors to the front and purl 1 light. Continue to the end of the row being sure to move both colors with each stitch, but work the stitch with only one color. Purl the last stitch with both colors.
Hold both colors to the back and knit 2 together with light. Move both colors to the front and purl 1 dark. Continue to the end of the row moving both colors with each stitch and knitting the lights and purling the darks. Purl the last stitch with both colors.
Hold both colors to the back and knit 2 together with dark. Move both colors to the front and purl 1 light. Continue to the end of the row moving both colors with each stitch and knitting the darks and purling the lights. Purl the last stitch with both colors.
Work this row with opposite colors to produce the interlock. Hold both colors to the back and knit 2 together with dark. Move both colors to the front and purl 1 light. Move both colors to the back and knit 1 dark. Continue to the end of the row working with opposite colors and being sure to move both colors with each stitch. Purl the last stitch with both colors.
Work 2 rows with same colors as in row 2 and 3. End every row with purl the last stitch with both colors. Begin every row with knit 2 together with the same color as the last purl stitch in the previous row. Be sure to move both colors with each stitch.
Reverse colors for an interlock as in row 4. Repeat this pattern until you have 36 rows. This produces alternating stripes 3 rows wide in each color.
Bind off by knitting two stitches together with both colors with size 4 needle.
Tip
Always move both colors, but work each stitch with only one. Designs are infinite. This is just a simple design to introduce the technique. If you’re proficient with both English knitting (throw the thread) and Continental knitting (pick the thread), you can hold one color in each hand and English knit the right yarn and Continental knit the left one. Otherwise, carry both colors in one hand. If your work ends with and odd count row, bind off in purl stitch.
References
Writer Bio
Jennie Hennesay has been an avid promoter of natural living including various healing modalities such as herbology, aromatherapy and reflexology for more than 11 years. She has been writing about these subjects for various websites for more than five years. Hennesay is also a beaded jewelry designer and has been publishing her designs and writing beading tutorials since 2007.
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