Stash Busting Tip: Double-Stranded Crochet!
By Caissa "Cami" McClinton – 6 CommentsI am very excited to share a technique I recently rediscovered while working on my newest crocheted shawl for spring. The technique is called “double stranding.” It is actually quite simple and it can really come in handy when you’re trying to stash down (as I still am doing!)
The first time I had ever heard of this technique was in the classic Yeehaw Lady pattern from the influential crochet manual Stitch ‘n Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker.
As a complete crochet newbie, I worked through the instruction part of the book making swatch after swatch. When it came time to actually read a pattern and make something bigger than a 4″ x 4″ swatch, I came across the hat pattern and thought it looked intriguing. However, I was completely intimidated by instruction to work the hat using two strands of yarn together. It seems silly to say that now, but I had never heard of it back then and I wasn’t sure how it worked.
So, for any newbies out there who have never done it, I will explain what it is and why it’s such a great stash buster. To work double stranded crochet, you simply need to take two strands of yarn and hold them together as one. That means when you make your slip knot, you’re going to have two loops on the hook. When you yarn over, you’ll pass both strands of the working yarn over the hook and pull through that double loop. As you chain you’ll see that double stranded crochet is not all that different from regular crochet. The yarn isn’t that hard to keep together and once you master this technique, the yarn combinations are endless!
As a stash-busting tool, double stranded crochet can not be beat. In my most recent project, I held two pieces of fingering yarn together to match the thickness of a worsted weight yarn. I wound the hank into a center-pull ball and then worked from both ends! In the picture above, the arrows are pointing to two strands of sock yarn held together to match the thickness of a worsted weight yarn. Lion Brand posted a handy guide to match yarn weights, but I think that the best method is seeing how your yarn combinations feel on your hook.
I am dying to hear about your adventures in double stranded crochet. Have you ever tried it before? Which yarn combinations are your favorite? Please leave your thoughts, ideas and questions in the comment section below.
I would love to be able to use to strands but I have no yarn! Online yarn shipping is outrageous, so I have to make due with a poor selection at Walmart once a month when we go food shopping. Yes, I live in the mountains and forests of WV. We have 3 stores locally (no yarn) , and one red light but my family is here. That’s most important to me. I would love to have your stash. I could crochet everyday and blog about it. How wonderful would that be! I have serious yarn envy when I see all the beautiful colors and weights. I love your blog. Thanks for sharing a new technique with us. I appreciate it 🙂
Hi Cami,
I have been using the double stranded technique this week to crochet some more mini Easter Baskets. I blogged about them last year: http://lupeyloops.blogspot.com.au/2014/04/last-minute-easter-baskets.html It is interesting to see the effects of combining different coloured strands together.
That Stitch-n-Bitch crochet book with the Yeehaw Lady hat pattern was the first crochet pattern book I ever owned and taught me a lot! It’s one of my favourites. Did you ever make that hat? I would love to make it but still haven’t got around to it!
Have a happy Easter xx
I like using gradient double yarn -start with 2 strands of the same colour and then change one a shade down for a row or 2 then change to 2 of the 2nd shade and then change 1 strand down another bit and then do 2 strands of that and so on gives a lovely effect from dark to light or across a rainbow.
Ooooo, such a cool idea!!!!!
How do you wind the hank into a center pull ball so you can crochet from both ends? 2 strands can but not always be substituted for a thicker yarn. A good beginners pattern would be for a hot plate pad or chair seat or thick winter scarf. Thanks for the idea Cami. Those of us who are a bit older and have been crocheting for years sometimes need a reminder for a great idea or pattern!
I like using two strands of worsted weight acrylic yarn together to make blankies and mats for cats, dogs, and other pets. Using two strands works up quickly and makes a good thick texture for their feet and for them to lie down on. Snuggles Project website has patterns that make use of this method for making blankets for furbabies in shelters and foster homes.