Fire & Blood Double Knit Scarf

Inspired by House Targaryen: a reversible double-knit scarf in black and crimson. One side shows red dragon-egg diamonds on black; the other side shows the same diamonds in black on red. Written for adventurous beginners who already know knit and purl — double knitting is taught in full below.

Materials

Yarn: DK weight (light worsted), smooth wool or wool-blend (solid colors read the motif best).

• Color A (Black): 400 yd (366 m)
• Color B (Crimson / blood red): 400 yd (366 m)

Needles: US 6 (4.0 mm), straight or a 24 in (60 cm) circular. Circulars are easier — the fabric is thick. Change needle size if needed to match gauge.

Notions: Tapestry needle; scissors; 2 stitch markers; row counter (strongly recommended).

Gauge

18 visible stitches and 24 rows = 4 in (10 cm) in two-color double knitting, blocked.

Count only the stitches on the side facing you (36 needle stitches = 18 visible stitches). If you have too many visible stitches per 4 in, go up a needle size; too few, go down. Do not change the cast-on number.

Finished Size

8 in (20.5 cm) wide × 60 in (152.5 cm) long, after blocking.

36 visible sts × 4 in ÷ 18 vis sts = 8 in ✓ 360 rows × 4 in ÷ 24 rows = 60 in ✓

Abbreviations

• CO — cast on
• BO — bind off
• k — knit
• p — purl
• st(s) — stitch(es)
• pm — place marker
• sm — slip marker
• rep — repeat
• wyib — with yarn in back
• wyif — with yarn in front
• vis — visible (the stitches you see on one face of the fabric)
• BF (Black Facing) — one pair: both yarns wyib, k1 with Color A; both yarns wyif, p1 with Color B. Black faces you; red faces away.
• RF (Red Facing) — one pair: both yarns wyib, k1 with Color B; both yarns wyif, p1 with Color A. Red faces you; black faces away.

BF and RF are always described from the side currently facing you.

Pattern

Double knitting primer (read once before you cast on)

Double knitting makes two stockinette layers at the same time. Stitches on the needle come in pairs: the first stitch of the pair belongs to the side facing you; the second belongs to the side facing away. One pair = one visible stitch on each face.

Every pair is worked the same way:

1. Bring both yarns to the back. Knit 1 with the color you want facing you.
2. Bring both yarns to the front. Purl 1 with the other color.

If you leave one yarn behind, the two layers will join in the middle and the scarf will not be reversible. Move both yarns every time.

Seal the long edges. At the start of every row, cross the two yarns around each other once (either color on top is fine — be consistent). This closes the sides into one scarf instead of two floppy layers. Do not yank the cross tight.

Tension. Keep the two colors at even tension. Let the unused color of each stitch ride along loosely; it should not make a long float — it is trapped between the layers.

Cast on and setup

With Color A and US 6 (4.0 mm) needles, long-tail CO 72 sts (36 pairs).

72 needle sts = 36 pairs = 36 vis sts ✓

Join Color B, leaving a 6 in (15 cm) tail.

Setup Row: *BF; rep from * to end. Both yarns now sit in the fabric. Color A faces you (this will be Side A, the black field).

Place markers every 24 needle stitches if you like (24 needle sts = 12 vis sts = one diamond): 24 + 24 + 24 = 72 ✓. Slip markers as you come to them.

Start border (solid black on Side A, solid red on Side B)

Work 12 rows as follows:

Rows 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11: *BF; rep from * to end.

Rows 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12: *RF; rep from * to end.

12 rows × 4 in ÷ 24 rows = 2 in of border ✓

Dragon-egg diamond pattern

Each repeat is 12 visible stitches (24 needle stitches) and 12 rows. Work the 12-st repeat 3 times across every row (3 × 12 vis = 36 vis ✓).

A small chart of one visible-stitch repeat (Side A colors: B = black, R = red) is included for reference. You do not need the chart if you follow the written rows. Because the diamond is symmetric, you always work each written row from right to left as usual.

    12 11 10  9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2  1
 12  B  B  B  B  B  B  B  B  B  B  B  B
 11  B  B  B  B  B  R  R  B  B  B  B  B
 10  B  B  B  B  R  R  R  R  B  B  B  B
  9  B  B  B  R  R  R  R  R  R  B  B  B
  8  B  B  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  B  B
  7  B  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  B
  6  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R
  5  B  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  B
  4  B  B  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  R  B  B
  3  B  B  B  R  R  R  R  R  R  B  B  B
  2  B  B  B  B  R  R  R  R  B  B  B  B
  1  B  B  B  B  B  R  R  B  B  B  B  B

Work Rows 1–12 a total of 28 times.

Row 1: *BF 5 times, RF 2 times, BF 5 times; rep from * to end. (5+2+5 = 12 vis per repeat ✓)

Row 2: *RF 4 times, BF 4 times, RF 4 times; rep from * to end. (4+4+4 = 12 vis ✓)

Row 3: *BF 3 times, RF 6 times, BF 3 times; rep from * to end. (3+6+3 = 12 vis ✓)

Row 4: *RF 2 times, BF 8 times, RF 2 times; rep from * to end. (2+8+2 = 12 vis ✓)

Row 5: *BF 1 time, RF 10 times, BF 1 time; rep from * to end. (1+10+1 = 12 vis ✓)

Row 6: *BF; rep from * to end.

Row 7: *BF 1 time, RF 10 times, BF 1 time; rep from * to end. (1+10+1 = 12 vis ✓)

Row 8: *RF 2 times, BF 8 times, RF 2 times; rep from * to end. (2+8+2 = 12 vis ✓)

Row 9: *BF 3 times, RF 6 times, BF 3 times; rep from * to end. (3+6+3 = 12 vis ✓)

Row 10: *RF 4 times, BF 4 times, RF 4 times; rep from * to end. (4+4+4 = 12 vis ✓)

Row 11: *BF 5 times, RF 2 times, BF 5 times; rep from * to end. (5+2+5 = 12 vis ✓)

Row 12: *RF; rep from * to end.

28 repeats × 12 rows = 336 rows ✓

End border

Work 12 rows as for the start border:

Rows 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11: *BF; rep from * to end.

Rows 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12: *RF; rep from * to end.

Row check: 12 (start) + 336 (diamonds) + 12 (end) = 360 rows ✓ 360 rows × 4 in ÷ 24 rows = 60 in ✓

Bind off

Do not treat this like ribbing you leave open. Close the two layers together:

Both yarns held together, *k2tog (the knit and the purl of the next pair), pass the first stitch on the right needle over the second; rep from * until 1 st remains. Fasten off. You will bind off 36 pairs from 72 sts ✓.

Finishing

Weave in ends with a tapestry needle, hiding tails between the two layers for 2–3 in (5–8 cm) so they do not show on either face.

Block lightly: soak in lukewarm water, press out water in a towel (do not wring), and pin to 8 × 60 in (20.5 × 152.5 cm). Double knit already lies flat; you only need to even the edges and open the diamonds. Let dry fully.

No fringe is required. If you want a dragon-fire edge, cut 10 in (25.5 cm) strands of both colors, pull 2 black + 2 red through each pair along the cast-on and bind-off edges, and trim even.

Wear with the black field showing for night at the Red Keep, or flip to crimson when you want the dragons to look as if they are flying through fire.