Duplicate stitch

Duplicate stitches can be used to reinforce worn areas. The technique copies the knitted structure of the garment by having your thread follow the knitted stitches underneath. If you sew with the same thread as the garment, it will be a very discreet, if not completely invisible, repair.

The trick is to repair before the thread breaks. However, you can also use duplicate stitches to repair small holes (see below).

Duplicate stitches can also be used for decoration: add patterns and colors to your knitwear or combine reinforcement with decorative, visible repairs.

How to sew duplicate stitches:

Use a yarn the same weight as the garment. Bring the needle up to the bottom of a stitch (shaped like a "V"). Follow the thread to the "V" and behind the stitch above. Bring the needle back to the bottom of the "V" where you started. Bring it up again to the bottom of the next stitch on the horizontal row.

Once you have enough stitches on the first row, you can move up to the row above: Finish the last stitch on the first row as normal, but instead of continuing horizontally, bring the needle up one row and into the middle of the stitch you just made (which is the bottom of the stitch above). Continue working horizontally in the other direction to complete the second row of stitches.

When in doubt about where to continue, follow the thread in the garment to get back on track. Rule of thumb: the needle should always go under two threads when working sideways and under one thread only when working upwards.

Level: easy