This month, we’re carrying on with a zigzag theme — meet the Peaks and Troughs Hat, designed by yours truly! This warm, squishy, and completely reversible hat is the perfect project for practising double-knitting, this month’s Boost Your Knitting technique.

Double-knitting is a clever technique that results in a completely reversible finished object (not to be confused with the thickness of yarn – double knitting!). When working a double-knitting pattern, it’ll feel like you’re knitting 1x1 rib, but you’re actually creating two separate layers of fabrics which both show as stocking stitch on the outside of the work. For this month, we’re knitting a hat, but of course it’s also a great technique for all sorts of accessories — mittens, cowls, you name it — where you’d like to end up with a finished object that’s totally reversible and extra warm thanks to the extra layer of knitted fabric!

The Peaks and Troughs Hat is worked in three shades of our Something to Knit With Aran and features a graphic zigzag motif. Techniques covered include how to work a basic double-knit fabric, decreasing in double-knitting, and weaving in your ends. I love working a new technique in a heavier yarn like Aran — it makes it that much easier to see just what you’re doing (and also means this could feasibly be knit in time for holiday gifting)! The combination of double-knit fabric and the squishy 70% highland wool, 30% alpaca yarn result in a hat to keep you toasty as we head into the chilliest part of the winter.

We’ll be focused on double-knitting all through December over in our Boost Your Knitting KAL — do join the fun if you fancy it! You can get your own copy of Boost Your Knitting in the online shop, as well as Winter Boost Your Knitting kits (with all the yarn for Peaks and Troughs and the last two BYK patterns) and individual skeins of Something to Knit With Aran.

Happy double-knitting!

All images in this post are © Jesse Wild.