Tvåändsstickning

If you're looking for a way to knit a very warm, dense, wind-resistant fabric, look no further. Tvåändsstickning is the ticket! Tvåändsstickning, also known as Swedish twined knitting and two-end knitting, uses two strands of yarn that are twisted in between each stitch. Most patterns for this type of knitting are circular (think very warm socks, mittens and hats!) but there's no reason why you can't use this technique with flat knitting. Traditionally, tvåändsstickning is done with one color using both ends of a skein. However, the creative possibilities are countless since your favorite stitch patterns will take on a new twist (literally) and you can combine standard knitting with this technique row to row. Even though it is traditionally done in one color (one skein), there are no tvåändsstickning police to stop you from using more.

The technique itself is quite simple: pass the current working yarn over the previous working yarn. This is the traditional method. However, you can also pass the current working yarn under the previous yarn — just make sure whichever one you choose you do so consistently. It takes only a little extra time to do this technique and it creates such a nice warm, wind-resistent fabric that it's worth whatever extra time, effort and yarn is needed, especially if you live in a very cold climate. The stitches on the RS of the fabric (picture on the left) will be elongated and the ones on the WS (picture on the right) will be twisted. The only tricky part of this technique is not getting the two working yarns twisted. The tips below should give you some ideas of how to keep this from happening. A picture tutorial is also included below.

Right Side of FabricWrong Side of Fabric

Needle Knitters

For those who also needle knit, how-tos can be found here:

Traditional Method
Non-Traditional Method
Tips
Picture Tutorial
Video

Traditional Method

  1. Cast on however you'd like.

  2. Knit off the first peg as usual.

  3. Using the tail from the other end of the skein, knit off the second peg.
    You now have two working yarns, each coming from a different end of the skein. If the front of the loom is facing you, the working yarn you used to knit off the first peg (end A) is on the right and the working yarn you used to knit off the second peg (end B) is on the left.
  4. Let end B lie across the back of the loom and bring end A over the top end B.

  5. Knit off the next peg.
    Now end B is on the right and end A is on the left.
  6. Let end A lie across the back of the loom and bring end B over end A.

  7. Knit off the next peg.

  8. Repeat steps 4-7 for the rest of the fabric.
    Essentially, whichever end becomes the active working yarn is brought over the top of the other.
  9. Bind off however you'd like using end A.

Non-Traditional Method

  1. Cast on however you'd like.

  2. Knit off the first peg as usual.

  3. Using the tail from the other end of the skein, knit off the second peg.
    You now have two working yarns, each coming from a different end of the skein. If the front of the loom is facing you, the working yarn you used to knit off the first peg (end A) is on the right and the working yarn you used to knit off the second peg (end B) is on the left.
  4. Hold end B in your right hand and and grab end A with your left and and bring it behind (under) end B.

  5. Knit off the next peg.
    Now end B is on the right and end A is on the left.
  6. Hold end A in your right hand and and grab end B with your left and and bring it behind (under) end A.

  7. Knit off the next peg.

  8. Repeat steps 4-7 for the rest of the fabric.
    Essentially, whichever end becomes the active working yarn is brought over the top of the other.
  9. Bind off however you'd like using end A.

The tvåändsstickning technique is not difficult and some of you have probably done it while knitting columns of colors unknowingly. The hardest part of this technique is to keep your working yarns from getting twisted. With two working yarns coming from the same skein, that can be quite a feat. Here are some tips to help:

  • Keep your skein in your lap. Normally, you have a lot of slack in the working yarn to the loom to help you keep from knitting to tightly. Here, you need to keep things a bit more under control. Keep enough slack on each working yarn so that it's not taught on either one between the skein and the loom but keep the working yarns short.

  • Turn the skein as you knit. To help you keep the correct yarn on top, turn the skein back and forth with each stitch. This will not only keep the correct yarn on top but will also keep the yarn from becoming twisted.

  • Try working from the inside of the loom when working the knit tbl (e-wrap) stitch.

  • Use a double-pointed needle or hairpin to secure the skein. See Bagateller for more information.

The tvåändsstickning technique uses two working yarns, one from each end of the skein. In this tutorial, different color yarns are used to help you differentiate between the two working yarns (end). They will be referred to as End A and End B throughout the tutorial. Which one is the current, or active, working yarn changes with each stitch. End A will be active for one stitch, End B the next, End A for the one following that, and so on.

This is a picture tutorial of steps above for both the Traditional and Non-Traditional Methods. Steps 1-3 are the same for both so the Non-Traditional Method picks up at step 4. The difference between the two is how the working yarn crosses. For the Traditional Method, it crosses in front; for the Non-Traditional method, it crosses in back. You can use either method, but you should not mix them. The last two pictures are of the RS and WS of the fabric. The twisting will appear on the WS; the RS looks basically the same except the stitches are a little elongated.

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Coming soon!