This pattern uses double knitting to knit a small tubular shape, the advantage of this method of working is that it can be worked on a pair of needles and therefore isn't as fiddly as ferreting around with a set of four needles with just a few stitches. For maximum flexibility in your knitting, use a pair of dpns, in case you wish to go into conventional circular knitting for the pattern section.
I have opted to work my double knit tube in reverse St. st, it is so much easier and quicker than working double knitting with a St.st. right side. Be careful not to split your yarn or twist any stitches when sliding sts from needle to needle.
What we aiming for is a hollow shape, starting small, bulging out in the middle and tapering off to a point at the top. Just before reducing down to 4 sts at the top, the tube will be opened and stuffed, using yarn scraps or unspun wool. I like to decorate my ornaments mainly in the fat middle section, if you wish to do coloured patterns or fancy stitches at this point it is easiest to change on to a set of four needles and work the decorative round/s in this way before returning to the plain tapering section and double knitting.
Yarn, any weight, use up your scraps. I prefer to use a firm fabric, needles slightly smaller in size than usual for the weight of yarn, this produces a dense fabric that covers the stuffing well. Fine yarns look very detailed and delicate and once you have the hang of what is going on they are not much harder to handle. Stay away from fluffy or dark yarn for your first try!
Abbreviations:
s1 - slip 1 St. purlwise.
inc1- use a purl raised increase, make one new stitch by purling into
the stitch below the next one.
P2t - purl two together (following special instructions for double
knitting. These are in the pattern as you go)
K2t - knit 2 together
Cast on 4sts
Rows 1 and 2: (p1, s1) twice. This results in one round of work, the
first and third stitches on Row 1 become the near side of the tube. The
stitches that were slipped on Row 1 are worked on Row 2 and become the
far side of the tube.
Rpt rows 1 & 2, twice more. Three rounds in total. - this produces the lower point of the ornament.
Increase row, nearside, (inc 1, p1, s1) x 2. This creates 2 news sts on the nearside fabric.
Increase row, far side, (inc 1, slip next st onto a cable needle at the front of the work, s1, purl the st from the cable needle, s1.) x 2.
These 2 rows = 1 increase round and produce an inc in every st, total now, 8 sts.
The use of the cable needle is to rearrange the near/far side sts back into their alternating pattern again. This can be accomplished without a cable needle as follows :- Work the inc1, slip the RH needle behind the next st and into the following st (belonging to the fabric of the opposite side), allow the first st on the LH needle to drop off briefly, slip the following st across to the RH needle and then recapture the loose st onto the LH needle. If nervous of this method, stick to the cable needle for a while!
Work 3 rounds of (p1, s1).
Now that you have a few more sts, the advantages of reverse St. st. become clearer, it is possible to slip the needle into both the st to be slipped and the following st to be purled at the same time, allow the slip st to drop on the opposite needle unworked, before purling the 2nd st.
To check it really is a tube, squeeze the sides of the fabric inwards and feel it open out!
Inc round - as before, increase in each stitch - 16sts
Work 2 rounds.
Inc round - as before, increase in each stitch - 32sts Work 2 rounds.
Now lets go for the glitz! Working either in double knitting or by sliding the sts off the needle, opening out the work and replacing the sts onto a set of 4 needles, work a few rounds of whatever patterns take your fancy. Fish out some fancy yarns, silks, rayon, sparkly stuff, beads, fluff, extraordinary colours, variegated yarns, you only need a couple of feet of them.
Remember to leave any tails of new colours dangling on the outside the work for easy darning later and the longer the pattern section that you work, the less spherical your shape will become. Suggestions. Stripes! Dead easy in double knitting or in the round. Work one round in each colour and carry the non working colour up on the inside of the tube.
Fairisle/ stranded patterns. Easier in the round.
Textural things, such as bobbles or popcorns on alternate stitches.
Elongated stitches double wrapped around the needle on the first round, slipped on the next and worked again on the third round. (In fact why not slip a bead onto the elongated stitches while you're at it!)
Garter bumps - I like these. With a new colour, Col B, 1 round knit and 1 round purl. With original colour A, 1 round knit. With Cols A & C knit 1 round in alternating colours, next round knit all the Col A sts in Col A and purl all the Col C sts with Col C. Work one round Col A. With Col B, 1 round knit and 1 round purl. We could go on forever, just have fun.
When the patterning is complete, work one round in background colour, if you have converted to circular knitting replace the stitches back onto one needle. To do this, divide the sts onto 2 needles one with the near side fabric stitches and the other the far side sts. With the two needles side by side, slip the sts alternately across onto a third needle, beginning with a near side stitch.
Decrease row, near side. (Slip the RH needle into the first 2sts of the nearside fabric - missing out the st from the opposite side, purl these sts together, as you slip the sts off the needle the st from the far fabric, sandwiched between the two sts is released, recapture it on the LH needle, s2), rpt to end of row. (A cable needle may be used if you don't like loose sts!)
Decrease row, far side. (p2t, s1) to end of row.
These 2 rows = 1 decrease round and produce a dec in every st, total now, 16 sts. Be sure to strand firmly to keep the same gauge as before.
Work 3 rounds. (P1, s1)
Dec round, as before, 8sts remaining
Work 3 rounds. (P1, s1)
Stuffing time, divide stitches onto 3 needles or a thread of yarn and stuff the shape, use a pencil or knitting needle to pack in the stuffing.
Replace the stitches one needle (as previously given) and work a decrease round, 4sts.
Continue to work on these 4 sts until you reach the desired length of stalk, cast of by k2t twice and then once again.
Darn in ends through the stuffing and ensure any loose stitches are properly tightened. Make a loop with the tail of yarn and hang on your tree.
Options - Infinite. The number of rows between increases, the rate of increase, perhaps increase in every other stitch for a change, will both drastically alter the silhouette. You can try St. st faced ones if you wish or work your design with wrong side facing and turn it inside out later! These would make great earrings or a necklace perhaps, stuffing each bead as you go! Have fun.