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Embroider on Knit Tutorial – Duplicate Stitch

I love the look of Fair Isle knitting, and knitting with various colors. Often you have to count stitches in order to do this, and sometimes I just want to add some detail to my knitting without difficulty (I have a toddler that almost always interrupts me, so I really need mindless knitting projects-ha ha!).  It’s really easy to embroider using “duplicate stitching”, and I am so happy to have learned this! I am posting this picture tutorial on how it is done. And stay tuned – this little swatch is turning into a fun little pattern in the next day or so!

Step 1:

  • Thread a tapestry needle with a length of your contrast yarn (for this, I used an off white color)
  • Leave a tail under the fabric that you will weave into like colors at the end
  • Pull through, under the selected “V” stitch (see how the knitting stitches are a bunch of “V”s – pull your yarn through the base)
Step One Duplicate Stitch
I made the mistake of using a tapestry needle the same color as my swatch. Sorry! You can see the needle if you look closely! Pull up through the fabric.

Step 2:

  • Put needle through both “legs” of above stitch.  So you go to the stitch ABOVE the stitch you are covering with your new yarn. See the picture below:
Step Two Duplicate Stitch Embroider
See how my needle is going through the stitch above the “V” that I am embroidering?

Step 3:

  • Pull through, but don’t pull too tight.
Embroider on knit
You’ve started your embroidery

Step 4:

  • Thread through the bottom of the “V”
Last step duplicate stitch
Once you pull through, you will have a completed embroidered stitch! You will also be set up to continue to the stitch above. If you are not stitching above, just pull through the base of the “V”.

 

Step 4: If you want, you can continue upward

Stitching Above Last Duplicate Stitch
Making another stitch above the previous stitch. Once finished weave in ends to like color.

You can also move left or right under the fabric in order to embroider any stitch.

DSC_2992
This is the reverse side of the fabric. You can see my moves to the different stitches.

I can just imagine how many fun details can be added to simple projects. Have you tried this before? If you’ve embroidered on knit, what methods have you used?

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7 Comments

  2. These are just lovely and I especially like the color for this time of the year!

  3. These little Mits are simply BRILLIANT !
    The tutorial on the embroidery is indeed priceless – I can’t wait to get started 🙂
    Bless you Jessica for sharing your talents – can’t wait to find more creative gems of yours 🙂
    You would have a medium ladies sweater you could reccomend ?
    Nothing fancy just one of those plain baggy favourites to chuck on over jeans and snuggle into.
    Sandra from Sydney Australia.

    1. Hi Sandra,
      I am so glad that you like these mitts! Thank you so much for your kind words about them, and you are more than welcome for the patterns. It’s fun for me to share and post them!
      Oh Sandra, I wish that I had a good pattern that was easy for a sweater. I have yet to knit a sweater, but I’d love to find a good one just like what you are talking about. I just knit a sleeveless top for the first time…..maybe this fall I will work on an easy sweater pattern. Until then, if you find any good ones, feel free to let me know. 😉 Thanks again!

  4. This is the first time I ve seen your website Jessica. I needed to learn to do this knitting stitch embroidery which is what I call it …here in Australia. Did you do anymore to the swatch ? Im wanting to stitch simple flowers on a cardigan for my granddaughter and am wondering what you might have added to the swatch….thank you and I’ve been enjoying looking at your blog. Clever lady.
    Jeniffer

    1. Hi Jennifer from Australia! Thanks for taking the time to let me know that you’ve found the embroidery stitch helpful here. I simply did some little details, just a stitch here and there to make it look a bit like fair isle. It is an easy trick to make nice details. Some simple flowers would be lovely on a cardigan. Great idea!

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