Tomorrow is Earth Day, which means that nearly everyone I know will be attending a march or event related to the March for Science.

Are you hitting the pavement too? Take a moment this evening to update your existing pussyhat to show your support for science-based reality with my March for Science duplicate stitching tutorial, inspired by the march’s earth-and-atom graphic!

Note: If you’re not marching and just want to learn how to do duplicate stitching on knitted objects, you can do that here too!

Please note that the links provided below are affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you choose to make a purchase after clicking through.

Supplies:
* A pussyhat: Tutorial: Basic Pussyhat Knitting Pattern
* Red-orange, white, and teal yarn in a weight that closely matches the yarn used to knit your pussyhat
* March for Science Duplicate Stitch printable PDF Pattern

Tools:
* Large yarn needle
* Stitch markers
* Scissors

Now, on to the project!

Quick Glance: How to make a duplicate stitch:

At its most basic, duplicate stitch is a way of embroidering over the existing stitches on knitted items to mimic the look of colorwork knitting. You can use this technique to add words and designs (or even colorful elbow patches) to already-finished knitting projects!

Duplicate Stitch: Detailed instructions:

Step 1: Select the area on your hat where you’ll be adding duplicate stitches, making sure that you have enough room for the design, then use stitch markers to mark the area in which you’ll be stitching. (I marked a horizontal and vertical line to help me to help me count the stitches accurately, but you can use as many or as few markers as you need.)

Once your stitching area is marked, thread the yarn needle with your first yarn color, then turn your hat inside out so that the back of the stitches are visible and weave in about an inch of the end of the yarn to anchor it in place before you start stitching.

Step 2: Once you’ve anchored the yarn, turn your hat right side out again. Then, following the duplicate stitch color chart above (you can also download a printable version here), bring your needle from the inside of the hat (back of stitches) to the front of the hat (front of stitches) at the base of the first stitch that you’ll be covering with a new color. Tracing the path of the original stitch, insert the needle behind the legs of the stitch positioned above.

Step 3: Continue to follow the path of the original stitch all the way around until you get back to the base of the stitch, then insert the needle from the front of the hat (front of stitches) to the inside of the hat (back of stitches) to finish the duplicate stitch.

Tip: Don’t pull the yarn too tight, or your duplicate stitched design could look stiff or puckered when completed.

Step 4: When you’re finished making duplicate stitches, weave in the end ends of yarn and trim them as needed.

You should also check out:

* Kim Werker’s brilliant Crochet a Hat for Science pattern (and her tutorial for crocheting a two-color spiral)
* My pattern for knitting a basic pussyhat