Double Knit Mat (Dog bed) by Elizabeth Zimmerman FO

Pattern: Double Knit Mat

Source: Knitter's Almanac by Elizabeth Zimmerman

Yarn: All of 8 Skeins Briggs and Little Super yielding a 40"x 30" mat

Colour: Khaki

Needles: 10mm circular

Start: June 7 Finish: November 1, 2014

Modifications: None

Not sure if this was firstly a double knitting project or demonstration on the importance of a single dye lot. What a difference between the two I had to use. Maybe its mostly a lesson in buying all the yarn you need at once rather than going back at the half way point for more.

I do find it oddly satisfying that by knitting all of the four skeins I bought each time the dye lot change appears almost planned as it cuts across the dead centre of the piece. Hudson hasn't mentioned how he feels about it one way or another!

Now I did need an insulating pad for the dog to use in cold weather on the floor at the cottage and this project, in this nifty technique, were just the ticket. 'Amazing how tough it is to remember to slip every other stitch rather than purling once the knitting gets automatic.  I made the error a few times but its of no consequence for this project and again the dog doesn't mind. You can see a couple of spots in the shot below - the stitches that appear larger than the others.

Just as EZ promises I got a remarkably light, soft and warm pad out of my double knitting efforts. But more than that he likes it! He really, really likes it. The first time I put it down after casting off Hudson marched right over and lay down across the middle of it. He likes it so much I brought it home from the cottage for him to use here over the winter. In our room at home we have a carpet on the floor. The mat sits atop the carpet and he sleeps the majority of every night on it. The same could not be said of the mat he used prior to having this one.

To produce a garter "frame" for the pad that will lie flat despite differing row gauges between the double knitting and garter stitch edging EZ instructs the knitter to work to the edge only 4 out of every 6 rows (turning back before the edging on the other other two) The result is a truly flat edge without the slightest wave to it - even without blocking the edge is as flat as the wood floor 

Not sure who finds that more satisfying - me or Hudson!