The Knitting Fiend

This article shows you how to work “duplicate stitch” which is also sometimes called “swiss darning”. It’s a simple way to embroider over knit stitches; if done correctly, it looks like you knit the stitches in using a different colored yarn. I used it to embroider the “X’s” on the argyle sock pictured here.

One of the neat things about duplicate stitch is that you can add the decorative element, and then remove it. When Jim and I were poor graduate students, he wanted a fancy, schmansy blue Illini sweater with a big orange “I” on it for a big football game. We didn’t want to blow big bucks buying a sweater for one game. So, I embroidered an “I” on his nice navy blue sweater. After the game, I removed it.

Budget minded mothers can also embroider one child’s name on the sweater, then change it when it is handed down to the next kid. Genius!

I will demonstrate the technique by creating a blob on my knit baby rat. You can find the pattern to knit the toy rat here.

I think with this technique pictures are worth a thousands of words. So, “how to work duplicate stitch in pictures”. I show close-ups when I think they might help. The main thing you need to know: Pull the strand just tightly enough to cover the stitches below nicely, but no tighter!

Well, of course you trim those strands!

Stumble it (and place in Knitting/crochet!)

9 Comments »

1. I couldn’t remember how to duplicate stich on knits. Thanks so much. I have been looking for this for years.

   Comment by Gerhild Huber — 11/25/2005 @ 10:09 pm

2. I need to add duplicate stitch to an argyle sock. Do you have pictures for doing this please.

   Thanks

   Comment by Brigid Brown — 3/26/2007 @ 1:12 pm

3. [...] Annie’s Attic has a little duplicate stitch tutorial, and Lucia ‘The Knitting Feind’ has a more detailed tutorial here. [...]

   Pingback by How To's-Day: Darn Socks! - Knitting Without Needles — 5/29/2007 @ 7:33 am

4. CAN I CORRECT AN ERROR USING SUPLICATE STITCH ON A SHAWL THAT HAS A BROKEN RIB PATTERN?

   Comment by BOBBIE INNENBERG — 6/11/2007 @ 4:28 am

5. How would I proceed a duplicate stitch of a heart. Any information please send Thank you Katherine

   Comment by katherine ......davis — 9/10/2007 @ 12:01 pm

6. Hi Katherine,
   To duplicate stitch a heart, you first need to print out some knitters graph paper. Then, sketch a heart on there. Fill in the grid boxes to get as close to the correct shape as you can. Then, duplicate stitch the heart on, following the graph.

   Comment by lucia — 9/10/2007 @ 2:52 pm

7. I have the heart pattern but I don’t know how to do the duplicate stitch as to increase on it It just doesn’t look right what I am doing? Can you explain how to do this? Katherine

   Comment by katherine ......davis — 9/10/2007 @ 7:27 pm

8. Is it possible to embrodier on a garter stitch as opposed to stockinette?

   Comment by J — 11/9/2007 @ 7:31 pm

9. [...] Duplicate Stitch at The Knitting Fiend: A slightly longer color photo tutorial showing a block of duplicate stitches. [...]

   Pingback by Color knitting with charts | Do it Yourself — 1/18/2008 @ 10:39 am

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