When you all do double-knitting, how do you hold your yarn? I am taking any advice to help me with this…
I knit conti, so I have found it most comfortable to hold both strands in my left hand. I wrap one strand around my pinkie, and the second around my ring finger. This is the way that works best for me. I have seen people holding one strand in their left hand and one in the right and do both conti and English at the same time. I tried, but that is too complicated for me.
I hold in my R hand. I hold both threads over my index finger, but the anchors are around different fingers (pinkey and ring)
u can use a thimble for the index if you want, but the different fingers for the anchors keep the yarn from tangling
hope this helps
ecb
depends on what you mean by double knitting!
(i have just blogged about double knitting, and have some ideas/general dirction on blog now (you’ll have to scroll down to read first part, but its all current)
you can do simple double knitting (single yarn) or
2 color (jacquared) interlocking double knititng. (my favorite!)
when doing 2 color interlocking double knitting, both yarn “move” together, so i find it easier to hold both in one hand (for me that is left hand.)
one yarn goes round index finger, one on middle finger
but then, i don’t knit conventional continental, but ‘flick’ yarn with left index finger) so this works better than using a ‘yarn guide’ on my finger.
–Clover(among others) makes yarn guides for multicolor knitting (i use a yarn guide when using 3 or more colors–who am i kidding? i have only once knit with 4 colors!—but i have worked --not often, but occationally with 3 colors)
i love making double knit potholders, but i have also double knit a vest, and made several double knit hats… (you can check out my photogallery online–links on blog.
I am also just learning to double knit. I’m still experimenting with the yarn, but I find this to be working out well for me so far…
I’m normally a continental knitter (holding in left hand and “picking” instead of "throwing with the right hand), and watched the site’s video several times for help…Trying to hold the yarn on two separate fingers seemed to add time (and finger cramps, boo!). What I ended up doing was holding the tw yarns together, like you would if you were double-stranding, and then just kind of poking the needle between them to pick up whichever one I needed to knit or purl with. It’s probably not correct, but my piece seems to be coming out fine!
It might require some extra attention though, so it may not help at all if you’re normally a knitter who can watch tv and hardly glance at the knitting. 
Also…are you using the heart pattern linked on the site? If you are…I’ve been wondering…the instructions say to cast on 30 (rather 60) working stitches, but the pattern chart only has 29…I’m a little lost as to what to do with that extra one!
Anyway, good luck to you!
So i think the pattern says that on the last st, they work both colors or something funny like that… and for casting on with 30, that uses the long tail cast on. I didn’t like that b/c the colors did not line up when you go to knit them. So, i casted on 60 using a different method.
Hydee, did you see the method i use? i made a short (less than a minute) demo film (my very first!) YouTube video.
(is a few post pack on my blog)
i also posted patterns for some of my favorited geometric designs for double knitting…
streaks of lightning, gingham, and others… i don’t always like the cutsy patterns that are posted… hearts and flowers and what not… give me squares, and blocks and zigzags!
an alternet method --very attrative, but way to much work for potholder or other humble stuff it to–it creates a hem with a very neat folded edge.
USE a provisional cast on.
work 3 to 5 row of stoching knit in color A
pick up stitches from provisional cast on, and work an equal number of rows in color B
hold needles A and B together stocking knit side out, (as if to do 3 needle bind off)
Knit 1 from needle A, Purl 1 from Needle B… repeat across row until all stitches have been worked.
continue in double knitting.
you can also do the “hem” all in color A , and if you want, you can even cast on 10 or so extra stitches–then do short rows–(1 fewer stitch each row, till you have desired number for cast on.
place short row stitches on holder.
(double knit article,end with plain knitting of color A and B, graft stitches to bind off, for seamless matching bind off to cast on edge.
then finish selvage edges by picking up stitches (including stitches from short rows, and knit a cross wise hem, mitering the corner as you go…
graft these side bands too, (for a totally seamless look)
a very nice finish for a placemat or baby blanket… (but one that i think is way to much effort for potholders!) --for that matter, i don’t use it on my placemats either… but you might want a more formal placemat than i make!
but its also a very nice way to start a double knit hat, to have a banded hem edge.