I figured out an “easy” trick for knitting different patterns front and back. If you design the pattern so that every second row (the “back” row) is exactly the same as the row before it, you never have to keep track of the purls. You always purl with the color that presents itself! I’m going to have a lot of fun with this trick!

(Photos show a large swatch made with this method above a traditionally-done double knit swatch. Nice to use with lettering especially!)