Looked at one way, cats are magical, mystical creatures who inspire poetry and prose wherever they go. Looked at another way, they are simple animals who need nothing more than a bowl of food, a ribbon to chase, and a warm spot to sleep to keep them happy.

Double-knitting is similar. There is an air of mystery about it, like some arcane skill that only the most experienced knitter can perform. With this pattern-tutorial, however, you’ll find out how simple it really is. You probably have the skills to master it already

All Cats Are Grey is a completely reversible, double-knit hat. The pattern includes detailed instructions for knitters who have never worked with double-knitting, or with colorwork in double-knitting. The sample was knit with 4 colors of 220 Sport: Black, Jet, Charcoal Grey, and Silver Grey, and took less than one skein of each. The hat could also be knit with only two colors, or any number up to eight! Even more, if you don’t mind color changes in the middle of the stripes! The cat’s paw chart is 12 stitches by 13 rounds, and could be switched with any other chart that can be fit in that space (that would work as a mirror image).

I’d like to thank my Ravelry testers (PeanutBugMom, NEPatty, arlenemay, MDQuilter, joansgarden, gophstoph, creamaaike, citypaws, RachaelR, Nsciol, silsha, Lori1551, choiSOSS), and my tech editor (eledixon), for all their hard work! And thanks to Grace Allen for all the pictures she took of me in the snow!

Skills Used:

• double-knitting: in the round, with 2 colors, decreases
• reading a colorwork chart

Materials:

• Cascade 220 Sport (100% Peruvian Highland Wool, 164yds/150m per 50g/1.76oz); 1 skein 8555 Black (MC); 1 skein 4002 Jet (CA); 1 skein 8400 Charcoal Grey (CB); 1 skein 8401 Silver Grey (CC); or other sport weight yarn
• sz4/3.5mm needles, 16-20”/10-50cm circular, plus double-pointed, or size needed to get gauge
• waste yarn for cast-on (optional)
• crochet hook or tapestry needle for weaving in ends
• stitch markers (optional)
• cable needle (optional)