How To
Little Lessons: Duplicate Stitch
Welcome to the color party! Today is all about adding extra colors to your knitting.
The beautiful Rosy Mittens from Field Guide No. 23 Glow use a joyous five colors in the Norwegian motif on the back of the hand but just two main colors on the palm. This poses us with a knitting conundrum: how do we work a row that uses five colors? By far the easiest way to handle this beautiful motif is to knit the mittens with just the two main colors and add the three contrast colors with duplicate stitch.
In today’s video tutorial I walk you through how to work the duplicate stitch embroidery. It’s really straightforward: you just have to follow the path of the yarn already in the fabric. Adding the accent colors in this way cuts down on ends to weave in, and reduces general fiddliness.
And even better, once you have mastered the technique, you can go to town adding colors to every project in your wardrobe. Duplicate stitch is freeing— you aren’t constrained to rows or rounds, so you can doodle your way across the fabric working up and down, to left and right as the whim takes you.
Video notes: If you are watching on YouTube, you can hover over the time bar to see the different sections of the video, which is handy if there’s a particular thing you want to re-watch. The video also has subtitles which you can display by clicking on the CC button.
I hope you will now be itching to thread a tapestry needle and duplicate stitch all over your knitting. (Duplicate stitch is also a great method for mending knits that are wearing thin.) Happy duplicate stitching!
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Very useful. Thanks.
Thanks for such clear instructions. Jen’s videos are so often saved in my library of helpful videos. Speaking of which, thanks also for including the subject in the title: makes finding the video later so much easier.
Your videos are SO wonderful, Jen! Thank you very much for shepherding us through this! And, as you say, such a useful technique to apply to so many projects!
Duplicate stitch demystified! Thanks so much for this tutorial!
Duplicate stitch has been a challenge for me-particularly understanding directional change. This is the best instructional video! The step by step instructions are very clear and potential problems in execution are discussed in advance. Many thanks!
I’d tune into Jen’s videos just to listen to her gentle, calming “all is well” voice – the fact that I always learn something valuable and exciting is always icing on the cake! Now I’m off to go knit something so I can play with duplicate stitch.
Some of your for sale items are outrageously expensive, e.g. knitting bag at over $200. At least for us normal humans living on a budget these prices inhibit knitting with most of this yarn. Disappointing.
Hi, Frankie! MDK does a ranfge of knitting bag options that range in price. The Skill Set tote is an option that’s as roomy as the more expensive felted bag you’re referring to. It’s got an adjustable strap and a zippered interior pocket – and is currently on sale for less than $30. There’s also a Knitter’s Bucket Bag that hovers around $60. We try to offer options for everyone. Hope you find something you like, and thanks for looking!
I’ve always thought duplicate stitch was deceptively simple. It’s not simple at all and this video is a godsend. Thank you so much for making so many things clear. I’m sure Hunter Hammersen is as delighted as I am to see this timely How To!
I am so glad Jen is still doing things for MDK. She is a wonderful, calm Ned great explainer/teacher.
Will it be harder to duplicate stitch on the mitten? Jen was working on a flat swatch?
My swatch was in the round so it’s just the same as the mitten.
How marvelous to see Jen Arnall-Culliford slide right back in 🙂
Thank you so much for this excellent tutorial on duplicate stitch. I feel much more confident about it now!
I love your videos. Thank you for your help.
Best ever tutorial for duplicate stitch! Excellent visuals, pacing and commentary.
Jen’s tutorials are the best! What always puzzled me about duplicate stitch was how to carry the yarn or deal with lots of ends on the backside. Thank you so much for including that in the tutorial! I love Jen’s books… so glad to see her back at MDK!