Love... or not? - Free double knitting pattern for a coaster / cleaning pad

You can work this cute little coaster / cleaning pad either in classic double sided knitting, i.e. the whole heart on both sides or the broken heart on both sides, each in reverse colours. Or you choose the advanced version, the non-mirrored double sided knitting – then you will get the whole heart on one side, and the broken heart on the other.

If you go for the classic version, you can scroll down to the according knitting chart. However, if you choose the advanced version, please read the explanation for the non-mirrored double sided knitting first.

Material used:

• Cotton, e.g. Schachenmayr Catania (125 m / 50 gr), two different colours (one light, one dark), I used red and black; approx. 10 gr each (of course you can use any other / similar yarn)
• Circular needles 2.5 mm
• Additional circular needle 2.5 mm (alternatively 2.0 mm or 3.0 mm) for bind off
• Darning needle, scissors

Gauge (double knitted with both colours):

22 stitches x 34 rows = 10 x 10 cm

Size of the finished coaster / pad is approx. 10,5 cm x 10,5 cm

Please note: If you have a different gauge, the size of the finished product will be different, too.

You could also use bulkier yarn for this coaster (100 % cotton with 85 m / 50 gr), thus your coaster will become bigger, approx. 14,5 x 14,5 cm, and you will need more yarn (approx. 15 gr per colour).

Non-mirrored double knitting

When using the classic double knitting technique, the motif is mirrored on the back side, which doesn’t matter if it is a normal image. But if you knit letters / words, you would like them to be readable from both sides. Same applies for our project here, as we would like to get two different images. Therefore, both sides must be knitted a bit differently.

In the knitting chart, both sides are shown overlaying, i.e. both the whole and the broken heart are shown. As the two pictures are almost the same, this non-mirrored project is actually a quite easy one. Only the few stitches that mark the fracture must be worked differently.

In the example the coaster / pad is made of black and red. If you choose two different colours, use the dark colour as « black » and the light colour as « red ». This is important, so that you know with which colour to start or which colour is meant in the knitting chart.

Classic double knitting only has two options : « no motif » (= knit in main colour, purl in contrast colour) or « motif » (= knit in contrast colour, purl in main colour). Thus, front and back side show the same motif, just mirrored and with reverse colours on the back side.

The non-mirrored version offers the additional option, that the motif only shows on one side (so that you can knit the motif individually for both sides). So, for this coaster there is the option « knit AND purl in red / light colour». If you work one pair of stitches both in red (resp. in your light colour), on one side the red stitch will complete the whole heart, on the other side the red stitch will mark the fracture.

Please read the knitting chart cell by cell and work each pair of stitches deliberately, according to the colour information in the chart. After each row, you can control if the image shows correctly.

Tipp for correcting stitches you knitted with the wrong colour: If you should discover that you used the wrong colour for a stitch, you can either knit backwards. Or you can drop the stitch carefully up to the row where the wrong colour was used. Then you «knit» the stitch with the correct colour row by row with the help of a crochet hook. Repeat this for the second stitch of the concerned pair.

Let’s start!

Cast on 24 pairs of stitches (one pair of stitches = 1 knit in colour 1, 1 purl in colour 2) with the invisible cast on (if you are not sure how to do this, you will find helpful video tutorials on the internet). If you cast on rather loosely, I recommend to use the smaller circular needle 2.0 mm, only for cast on.

Of course, you can use any other cast on method suitable for double knitting that you are familiar with.

Please note: in Row 1, main colour must be black (resp. your dark colour). If you use the invisible cast on, begin with red (resp. your light colour), so after turning you will knit with black (dark colour) and purl with red (light colour).

Row 1

Now switch to the circular needles 2.5 mm.

Knit into back all black (dark) knits, purl normally all red (light) purls.

Cross threads when working the first pair of stitches and the last pair of stitches, thus the two sides will be connected at the edges.

Row 2 – Selvedge stitch

Work all knits in red (light colour), all purls in black (dark colour).

Do a nice selvedge stitch from row 2 on, always at the end of the row. It looks nice and it binds both sides together.

Last knit stitch (in this example red): slip stitch purlwise, yarn back (both colours)

Last purl stitch (in this example black): slip stitch purlwise, yarn back (red / light colour) respectively yarn forward (black / dark colour):

Turn; the red yarn (light colour) is front, the black yarn (dark colour) is back.

Knit and purl as usual.

Knitting chart for the motif:

You will get three different versions:

Version a) = the whole heart in classic double sided knitting; i.e. you will see the whole heart on both sides

Version b) = the broken heart in classic double sided knitting; i.e. you will see the broken heart on both sides

Version c) = “Love… or not?”  in non-mirrored double sided knitting; i.e. you will see the whole heart on one side and the broken heart on the other side.

You can knit version a) and b) according to the knitting charts. The version c) will be explained in detail in the following paragraph.

Knitting chart version a) the whole heart

Explanation (every cell = one pair of stitches):

White cell = knit in main colour, purl in contrast colour
Blue cell = knit in contrast colour, purl in main colour
 

Rows with odd numbers (1. and further): main colour = black / dark colour, contrast colour = red / light colour
Rows with even numbers (2. and further): main colour = red / light colour, contrast colour = black / dark colour

Knitting chart version b) the broken heart

Explanation (every cell = one pair of stitches):

White cell = knit in main colour, purl in contrast colour
Blue cell = knit in contrast colour, purl in main colour
 

Rows with odd numbers (1. and further): main colour = black / dark colour, contrast colour = red / light colour
Rows with even numbers (2. and further): main colour = red / light colour, contrast colour = black / dark colour

Knitting chart version c) Love… or not?

Explanation (every cell = one pair of stitches):

White cell = knit in main colour, purl in contrast colour
Blue cell = knit in contrast colour, purl in main colour
Pink cell = knit AND purl in red resp. light colour
 

Rows with odd numbers (1. and further): main colour = black / dark colour, contrast colour = red / light colour
Rows with even numbers (2. and further): main colour = red / light colour, contrast colour = black / dark colour

Tip: when double knitting in rows, main and contrast colour change with each row. Before you start each row, identify which is the main colour in this row and whether you work the chart from right to left or from left to right. For example, you can work all rows with odd numbers from right to left (in working direction), and all rows with even numbers from left to right (against working direction).

Detailed explanation for version c)

Rows 1-4

According to the knitting chart, the first four rows of the coaster „Love… or not?“ are worked uni (i.e. knit in the respective main colour, purl in the respective contrast colour).

Row 5

The knitting chart is read from right to left, with black / dark colour as main colour.

12 x k black / p red

1 x k red / p black

11 x k black / p red (selvedge stitch at the end of the row)

Turn.

Row 6

The knitting chart is read from left to right, with red / light colour as main colour.

10 x k red, p black

3 x k black, p red

11 x k red, p black (selvedge stitch at the end of the row)

Turn.

Row 7

The knitting chart is read from right to left, with black / dark colour as main colour.

11 x k black, p red

3 x k red, p black

10 x k black, p red (selvedge stitch at the end of the row)

Turn.

Row 8

The knitting chart is read from left to right, with red / light colour as main colour.

9 x k red, p black

1 x k black, p red

1 x k AND p red

3 x k black, p red

10 x k red, p black (selvedge stitch at the end of the row)

Turn.

Row 9

The knitting chart is read from right to left, with black / dark colour as main colour.

9 x k black, p red

3 x k red, p black

1 x k AND p red

3 x k red, p black

8 x k black, p red (selvedge stitch at the end of the row)

Turn.

Row 10

The knitting chart is read from left to right, with red / light colour as main colour.

8 x k red, p black

2 x k black, p red

1 x k AND p red

4 x k black, p red

9 x k red, p black (selvedge stitch at the end of the row)

Turn.

Continue the motif according to the knitting chart till row 36. When you have stitches in the same colour, make sure to always pull the other colour tightly. If the thread is carried too loosely, it may show through the stitches. In row 36 you don’t need to do a selvedge stitch, just knit and purl the last pair of stitches.

Now it’s time to bind off. As it fits perfectly with the invisible cast on, I will show you the invisible bind off here.

Invisible bind off:

Cut the red yarn / light colour. We continue binding off with the black yarn / dark colour. Cut the black / dark yarn and leave a strand in the length of approx 4 x the width of the coaster / pad (about 40-50 cm).

Separate the stitches in the front (all knit stitches) and back (all purl stitches) on two circular needles (you will need the additional circular needle now):

Take the first knit stitch from the left to the right tip of the current needle (1st needle). Take the first purl stitch on the additional needle (2nd needle). The next knit stitch again goes from the left to the right tip of the 1st needle, and the next purl stitch goes to the 2nd needle. And so on, until all stitches are separated:

Put the long black / dark strand into the darning needle.

Stick the darning needle purl wise into the 1st stitch on the 1st needle and pull through. The stitch stays on the needle.

Stick the darning needle knit wise into the 1st stitch on the 2nd needle and pull through. This stitch also stays on the needle.

*Stick the darning needle knit wise into the 1st stitch on the 1st needle. Drop this stitch off the needle. Stick the darning needle purl wise into the 2nd stitch on the 1st needle and pull through, this stitch stays on the needle.

Stick darning needle purl wise into the 1st stitch on the 2nd needle, drop this stitch off the needle. Stick darning needle knit wise into the 2nd stitch on the 2nd needle and pull through, this stitch stays on the needle.*

Repeat *-* across.  Pull the yarn continuously, but not too tight, so that the bind off will be stretchable.

Weave in all ends. Done 😊 

I hope you had some fun trying out the non-mirrored version. Of course, you could use the motif not only for a coaster or a cleaning pad, but also for many other things / accessories – be creative! In my opinion, this motif is perfectly suited for teenagers who suffer from mood swings. It could also be a help for smaller children to express their feelings.

Another idea would be to combine the motifs with other motifs for a blanket – if you like, browse my blog, there are some other squares in the same size. My daughter likes to play with the little squares, or she uses it as a blanket for small cuddly toys.

Maybe you would like to write in the comments about your ideas and projects, or you would like to show a picture of your creation in the Crazypatterns photo gallery?

If you liked this little project, I invite you to visit my shop – there you will find many double sided knitting patterns. If you follow my shop, you will always be informed when there’s news 😊

Please feel free to ask questions either by direct message or as a comment here on the blog site.

Kind regards, Sonja