Dip stitches add beautiful texture to your knits. With two-colour dip stitches, you can add lots of colour too! This tutorial takes you through how to create a two-coloured dip stitch over a 4 stitch and 4 row repeat.
I knew that there must be a way to add a second colour to dip stitches. I took me hours and hours to work out the correct sequencing for this technique, so please follow the tutorial carefully in Round 1. If you don’t, you won’t get a lovely dip stitch, just a random squiggle of the second colour on the front of your work.
Two-Coloured Dip Stitch Basics
This tutorial is based on a 4 stitch, 4 row repeat to create close rows of two-coloured dip stitches. The four stitch repeat is made in a 3 x 1 rib, with the dip stitches only worked over the three knit stitches of the rib.
Once you have learned the basics, you can space out your dip stitches to make them wider and add more rest rows to make them longer.
- Round 1: Uses Yarn A & B. For every four stitch repeat, the stitch count increases by two (the two Yarn B dip stitches).
- Round 2: Uses Yarn A and decreases to secure the dip stitches with the standard knit stitches.
- Rounds 3 & 4: These are knitted in 3×1 rib pattern and act as ‘rest rows’. Think of them as the white space that you are going to add your next dip stitch repeat over the top of.
If you prefer a video tutorial for two-coloured dip stitches, I have one here.
Round 1
Step 1 – Dip Stitch Left (dsl), is made two stitches to the left and three rounds (four stitches) down.
Step 1 continued – Insert right needle into the stitch two stitches to the left and three rounds (four stitches) down. Take Yarn B from the right-hand side (up and over Yarn A).
Step 1 continued – Wrap Yarn B around the needle as if to knit, then bring the loop through to the front of your work, extend it a little and keep it on your right needle. This extra loop will sit in place until the next round where it is secured with a slip, slip, knit (ssk). Yarn B floats at the back until required for the next part of the dip stitch.
Step 2 – Knit 3 stitches (k3) with Yarn A.
Step 3 – Dip Stitch Right (dsr), is made by inserting left needle or 2.5mm crochet hook into stitch two stitches to the right and three rounds (four sts) down on the right needle – this is the same hole that you just used for the dsl.
Step 3 continued – Bring the loop through to the front of your work, extend it a little and place it on your right needle without twisting it. This extra loop will sit in place until the next round where it is secured with a knit two together (k2tog). Yarn B floats at the back until required for the next dsl.
NOTE – I found it far easier to use a 2.5mm crochet hook to make the dip stitch right.
Step 4 – With Yarn A, purl 1.
This is what a few repeats of Round 1 dip stitches looks like. At the end of Round 1, Yarn B is left in situ, and isn’t needed again until the next Round 1 repeat. Rounds 2-4 are worked with Yarn A only.
Round 2
Step 1 – Slip Yarn B stitch onto right needle, slip Yarn A stitch onto right needle to start the slip, slip, knit (ssk).
Step 1 continued – Insert left needle into the front loops of the two slipped stitches (left to right), knit the two slipped stitches together to complete the ssk. Your dsl from Round 1 has now been secured.
Step 2 – Knit 1 stitch.
Step 3 – Knit Yarn A and Yarn B together (k2tog). Your dsr from Round 1 has now been secured.
Step 4 – Purl 1. This completes the Rnd 2, 4 stitch repeat.
This is what Round 2 looks like when complete.
Rounds 3 & 4
Knit 3, Purl 1. These are ‘rest rows’ that you are going to add your next dip stitch repeat over the top of. The end of Round 4 completes the Two-coloured Dip Stitch sequence.
Wrong side of Dip Stitch Rounds
This is what two-coloured dip stitches look like on the wrong side of the fabric.
Two-Coloured Dip stitch with Semi-solid Colours
This is what two-coloured dip stitches look like when two semi-solid yarn colours are used.
Patterns That Use Two-Coloured Dip Stitches
- Aloe Socks
- Aloe Hat
- Aloe Mittens
Join Me On Instagram
I would LOVE to see your two-coloured dip stitch projects. Share your journey with me over on Instagram @faydhdesigns and use #FayDHDesigns
