Double-Knitting Adventures - The Chess Set - Bishops and Rooks

“Bishops and Rooks" is the fourth pattern release from the Chess Set of double-knitting patterns.

You can knit hot pads or coasters with these patterns, or you can use the charts to embellish larger projects.

Other patterns in the Chess Set:  

• “Kings and Queens – The Royal Couples”

• “Knights! – Champions of Honor”

• “Pawns! Attack… or Defend?” (free pattern!)

Size estimates for some suggested yarns and needle sizes:

• worsted-weight yarn (one skein each in dark and light),

at a gauge of 21 stitches and 30 rows in 4 inches

(about 5.25 st/in and about 7.5 rows/in),

with U.S. size 3 (3.25 mm) or 4 (3.50 mm) needles

will produce a hot pad measuring about 6 ¼ inches square.

suggested yarns –

Hobby Lobby “I Love this Cotton” (100% Cotton)

Knit Picks Wool of the Andes (100% Wool)

• fingering-weight yarn (one skein each in dark and light),

at a gauge of 30 stitches and 38 rows in 4 inches

(about 7.5 st/in and 9.5 rows/in),

with U.S. size 0 (2.00 mm) or 1 (2.25 mm) needles

will produce a coaster measuring about 4 ½ inches square.

suggested yarn –

Cascade Heritage (75% Wool, 25% Nylon)

Choose 100% cotton or wool yarns to make your Chess Set squares heat-resistant and moisture-absorbing. 

Knitters have many techniques for casting on, binding off, and finishing edges in double-knitting. The Double-Knitting Group on Ravelry is a helpful resource of ideas.

My worsted-weight samples, pictured to the left and below, used Sarah E. White’s “Two Color Cast-on for Double-Knitting,”  and Sockmatician’s “Slip-Stitch Edges for Double-Knitting.”

I like combination knitting to help achieve even double-knitting tension. Ellen, “The Chilly Dog,” has a fantastic article and video on combination knitting that explains why you would want to use the technique and shows how to do combination knitting for both English-style and continental-style knitters.

I used a simple sewn bind-off for these samples – instructions follow: 

For Row 47 (not shown on the charts) you will be knitting the front and back layers together. You start Row 47 with 33 dark/light pairs (33 double stitches), then knit a dark stitch and light stitch together (k2tog) across, so that you end Row 47 with 33 single stitches.

To finish binding off, use Elizabeth Zimmerman’s Sewn Bind-off, as described at the end of Knitty’s  Summer 2006  “Techniques with Theresa” feature, on binding off in knitting.

Complete your project by hiding yarn ends in between the front and back layers. For Chess Set squares in kitchen cottons, be sure to treat for color fastness! 

Block as appropriate for your yarn, shaping your hot pad or coaster into a square or nearly-square shape.

This "Bishops and Rooks - Shields of the Realm" double-knitting pattern is available as a pdf for immediate download. The pattern includes written instructions, links to tutorials, and separate front and back charts for knitting the King and Queen (four charts are included in the pattern). You may use the pattern to knit for yourself, for gifts, or for charity. If you sell items made from my pattern, please credit Janet Bailey Designs. You may not sell the pattern itself, or give it away. Thank you for supporting my designs!


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I hope you enjoy knitting and using your "Bishops and Rooks" and I would love to see your project photos on Ravelry!