So I’ve got mosaic knitting down pat, and a co-worker is going to have a baby in November, so I decided to make a baby afghan as a gift.
Browsing lovingly through my book on afghans (is there anything better than anticpating a new project? I am just itching to get to Michael’s) I found a very pretty pattern. However, it says it uses two strands of yarn at the same time.
Ivylad favored another pattern, which while more intricate, only has one strand, but I’m intrigued by knitting with two strands. Are there any tips? Is it a concern if the strands get twisted? I suppose you use two strands to make a bulkier afghan. Would using a heavier weight yarn give you the same effect?
Any and all advice appreciated.
I just finished an afghan using two strands of yarn, but this was crochet. It wasn’t difficult using double strands. They did get twisted now and then, but I always tried to keep them lined up side by side, rather than candy cane style. With knitting, I’m guessing keeping the strands aligned might be more important, YMMV. The finished project is of course thicker and HEAVIER. It drapes very nicely due to it’s weight. I’d suggest making a ball of each yarn before you start, it’s very frustrating to have a skein go haywire on you just as you’ve settled into a good rhythm. Haven’t used a heavyweight yarn yet, but since I tend to use the bigger hooks they are on my to-do list. Good luck.
I’ve got a pattern for an ‘odd ball’ afghan that uses two or three strands at a time because it’s designed to use up old ends of yarn from previous projects. In this one it doesn’t matter if they get twisted.
I think it depends on the pattern and the colors used. If you’re using yarns of contrasting colors, you’d want to keep them straight, of course, depending on the final product.
Link to Odd Ball Afghan
I knitted an extra warm baby blanket with a double-layer technique using two strands of yard. It was no problem at all using the two strands. You shouldn’t need to do anything differently.
Mosaic knitting is fun, isn’t it?
Yes it is. It looks marvelously complicated, but is deceptively easy to do, and looks fabulous.
Hmm, if you’re knitting with two strands of the same yarn, just knit with it. I’ve done this before without worrying about keeping the strands straight, and it was find. And yes, if you can find a bulky yarn that gives you the same gauge, you should be able to knit the same pattern. It might weigh a little less than (e.g.) two strands of knitting worsted held together, but I don’t think the difference would be significant.
However, if you’re talking about blocks of color (intarsia), then yes, you have to handle your yarns a little differently. And if it’s stranded color (e.g., fair isle-type patterns), that’s a little different too.
Have fun with it, whatever you do! Afghans are great for a) learning new techniques on (no worries about fit and shaping) and b) snuggling up under when you’re done. 
I just knitted a lap blanket with two strands, and I didn’t have issues with them getting twisted or anything. I put each skein into a zip lock bag and fed the yarn out so it was easier to handle and put down, and of course used circular needles because it was a big project. Here’s some pics of how it turned out:
http://216.77.188.54/coDataImages/p/Groups/120/120235/folders/146731/1043215lap.jpg
http://216.77.188.54/coDataImages/p/Groups/120/120235/folders/146731/1043148Mvc-827s.jpg
Up close:
http://216.77.188.54/coDataImages/p/Groups/120/120235/folders/140842/1035035Mvc-815s.jpg