Double-sided stitch textures
Explore a range of double-sided stitch patterns to use on scarves, shawls, collars and buttonbands with Bronagh Miskelly
THERE ARE many times when we might want to use a reversible stitch pattern for our knitting – one that looks equally good on both the right and wrong side. Scarves, shawls and cowls are obvious examples, but a reversible fabric can be useful for collars and bands, and when you might want to fold a knitted piece, such as the brim of a slouchy hat.
For most people, the first thing they learn to knit is a reversible pattern. The basic knitting stitch is garter stitch, where we work back and forth in rows of knitting. It is simple, and definitely the same each side, but as our knitting skills develop, we tend to move towards stitch patterns that have a distinct right and wrong side.
However, there are ways to combine knit and purl stitches, or to adapt stitch patterns, to create reversible fabrics from basic textures to lace and cable designs, and I will be exploring a few of them here.
MOSS STITCH
Moss stitch variations are very useful reversible stitch patterns. They can be used to create a fabric that is more robust than garter stitch and looks interesting by itself, but moss stitch is also useful as a background to reversible cables, as we will see later on.
Our first example ( 1+2) shows basic moss or seed stitch. Over an odd number of stitches this is worked K1, (P1, K1) to the end on each row. This means that when looking on one side, the knit and purl stitches alternate across your work and up and down it. It is, in effect, a one-stitch check pattern. Double moss stitch ( 3+4) gives a more woven look. Here the pattern works over four rows: Row 1: K1, (P1, K1) to end. Rows 2 and 3: P1, (K1, P1) to end. Row 4: K1, (P1, K1) to end. You are alternating knit and purl across the row on every stitch, but it only changes every two rows in the vertical columns.
BASKET STITCHES AND CHECKS
Moss stitch patterns alternate knit and purl stitches to create reversible texture. Basket and check patterns take this a step further, with alternating blocks of stocking stitch and reverse stocking stitch.
In the version shown here ( 5+6) the blocks are four stitches wide and five rows deep, but in principle you can go for any numbers you think look good. You can also go for uneven block patterns, for example starting with five-stitch stocking stitch blocks separated by two-stitch reverse stocking stitch blocks. Remember that on the wrong side, this would be five-stitch reverse stocking stitch blocks and two-stitch stocking stitch blocks.
It is possible to create diamond checks in the same way as you would in colourwork. The diamond would start with one stitch in reverse stocking stitch on the first row, three stitches on the second and so on.
REVERSIBLE LACE PATTERNS
Some lace patterns have a tiled effect, for example diamond, leaf and flame type stitch patterns. These lend themselves well to reversible adaptations using the same principle as the basket stitches.
The example here ( 7+8) uses a flame stitch with central decreases and yarnovers at the edges of the motifs. Rather than being a stocking stitch-based pattern, the version here has motifs in both stocking stitch and reverse stocking stitch.
In this example, for the first half of the pattern the central decreases are worked knitwise and the yarnovers are in reverse stocking stitch, so that one set of diamonds reduces as the reverse ones grow. In the second half, this swaps around and the decreases are worked purlwise.
REVERSIBLE LACE TEXTURE
(worked over multiple of 10 sts + 13)
Row 1: K1, K2tog, K3, yo, (P1, yo, K3, sk2po, K3, yo) to last 7 sts, P1, yo, K3, SSK, K1. Row 2: P5, (K3, P7) to last 8 sts, K3, P5. Row 3: K1, K2tog, K2, yo, (P3, yo, K2, sk2po, K2, yo) to last 8 sts, P3, yo, K2, SSK, K1. Row 4: P4, (K5, P5) to last 9 sts, K5, P4. Row 5: K1, K2tog, K1, yo, (P5, yo, K1, sk2po, K1, yo) to last 9 sts, P5, yo, K1, SSK, K1. Row 6: P3, (K7, P3) to end. Row 7: K1, K2tog, yo, (P7, yo, sk2po, yo) to last 10 sts, P7, yo, SSK, K1. Row 8: P2, (K9, P1) to last st, P1. Row 9: K2, (yo, P3, sp2po, P3, yo, K1) to last st, K1. Row 10: P3, (K7, P3) to end. Row 11: K3, (yo, P2, sp2po, P2, yo, K3) to end. Row 12: P4, (K5, P5) to last 9 sts, K5, P4. Row 13: K3, (K1, yo, P1, sp2po, P1, yo, K4) to end. Row 14: P5, (K3, P7) to last 8 sts, K3, P5. Row 15: K3, (K2, yo, sp2po, yo, K5) to end.
Row 16: P6, (K1, P9) to last 7 sts, K1, P6. These 16 rows form the pattern.
Another way of creating reversible lace patterns is to look to traditional lace designs such as Shetland lace, where lace stitches are worked on a garter stitch ground rather than on stocking stitch. You can see lots of examples of this type of lace in Shetland stitch dictionaries and lace treasuries.
REVERSIBLE CABLES
One of the most interesting and effective types of reversible stitch patterns are reversible cables. These look complicated because we are used to cabled fabric being stocking stitch based, so that you only see the crossed stitches clearly on one side.
When creating reversible cables, you use single rib stitches (K1, P1) across 4, 8, 12 or any other multiple of four stitches, rather than knitting on the right side and purling on the wrong side. The column is worked in rib throughout, including on the cable row.
In our example ( 9+ ), we have an eight-stitch cable. The cable row is worked as follows: Slip next four stitches on to cable needle and hold to back, (K1, P1) twice, (K1, P1) twice from cable needle. You can see this in action in the photo below. Because the cable divides after a purl stitch, you have pairs of knit and purl stitches in each half. This means your rib is maintained across the cable row.
On the notional ‘right side’ of our pattern, holding the stitches to the back creates a right-leaning cable as you would expect. What you will find, though, is that the same is true when you flip your work over. Because of this, especially if you are using a moss stitch for the background of your cable, it is a good idea to attach a safety pin or removable stitch marker to side of the work that you will work the cable on – otherwise you may find it difficult to know whether you are on an even-number or an odd-number row.
If you want to create a reversible plait-style cable, you can use the same approach - but remember that each section of your cable must have pairs of knit and purl stitches. This means having 6, 12, 18 and so on stitches in your cable.
You can also adapt this ribbed cable technique to replicate travelling cables. Our example in pictures + uses a cable to outline a shape or panel.
In a conventional cable pattern, a section of the cable would slope by working a series of knit and purl cable stitches. For example, to create an effect similar to the lower right of the panel, you would work something like Tw3 – slip next stitch on to cable needles and hold to back, K2, P1.
However, this doesn’t work for reversible cables, because the cables would not look the same on both sides. So, to create the impression of a travelling reversible cable, we actually create a mock cable using increases and decreases to shift the pattern across the work.
In this example, the right-sloping sections are worked as follows: work in moss stitch to 1 stitch before four cable stitches, K2tog, P1, K1, P1, M1. This moves the four cable rib stitches on stitch to the right – on the other side of the work it has moved to the left. Equally the left leaning slopes are worked as M1, K1, P1, K1, P2tog.
REVERSIBLE CABLE DIAMOND
C8B: Slip next 4 sts on to cable needle and hold to back, (K1, P1) twice, (K1, P1) twice from cable needle.
Cast on 24 sts. Row 1: (K1, P1) to end. Row 2: (P1, K1) 4 times, (K1, P1) 4 times, (P1, K1) to end. Row 3: (K1, P1) 4 times, C8B, (K1, P1) to end. Row 4: As row 2. Rows 5-8: Repeat rows 1-4. Row 9: (K1, P1) 3 times, K1, K2tog, P1, K1, (P1, K1) into next st, M1, K1, P1, K1, P2tog, P1, (K1, P1) to end. Row 10: (P1, K1) 3 times, P1, (K1, P1) twice, K2, (K1, P1) 5 times, K1. Row 11: (K1, P1) 3 times, K2tog, P1, K1, P1, M1, K2, M1, K1, P1, K1, P2tog, (K1, P1) to end. Row 12: (P1, K1) 3 times, (K1, P1) twice, K4, (K1, P1) twice, (P1, K1) to end.
Row 13: (K1, P1) twice, K1, K2tog, P1, K1, P1, M1, K4, M1, K1, P1, K1, P2tog, P1, (K1, P1) to end.
Row 14: (P1, K1) twice, P1, (K1, P1) twice, K6, (K1, P1) 4 times, K1.
Row 15: (K1, P1) twice, K2tog, P1, K1, P1, M1, K6, M1, K1, P1, K1, P2tog, (K1, P1) to end.
Row 16: (P1, K1) twice, (K1, P1) twice, K8, (K1, P1) twice, (P1, K1) to end.
Row 17: K1, P1, K1, K2tog, P1, K1, P1, M1, K8, M1, K1, P1, K1, P2tog, P1, K1, P1.
Row 18: P1, K1, P1, (K1, P1) twice, K10, (K1, P1) 3 times, K1.
Row 19: K1, P1, K1, M1, K1, P1, K1, P2tog, K8, K2tog, P1, K1, P1, M1, P1, K1, P1. Row 20: As row 16. Row 21: (K1, P1) twice, M1, K1, P1, K1, P2tog, K6, K2tog, P1, K1, P1, M1, (K1, P1) to end. Row 22: As row 14. Row 23: (K1, P1) twice, K1, M1, K1, P1, K1, P2tog, K4, K2tog, P1, K1, P1, M1, P1, (K1, P1) to end. Row 24: As row 12. Row 25: (K1, P1) 3 times, M1, K1, P1, K1, P2tog, K2, K2tog, P1, K1, P1, M1, (K1, P1) to end. Row 26: As row 10. Row 27: (K1, P1) 3 times, K1, M1, K1, P1, K1, P2tog, K2tog, P1, K1, P1, M1, P1, (K1, P1) to end. Row 28: As row 2. Rows 29-32: Rep rows 1-4 These 32 rows form a full pattern repeat.
Once you have got to grips with the principles of reversible textures and stitch patterns, it can be interesting to experiment with different combinations to see what is possible. In general, regular stitch patterns are the most likely to give you good results.