I’ve devised this technique of picking up stitches from acrylic fleece to make a double-sided patchwork. This is my first experiment, at the mo I’m doing a blanket but hoping to make clothes from it – jackets and waistcoats etc.

I cut the fleece into 10 cm squares, and make holes in the fleece before beginning to knit. I pick up stitches from a patch then begin to knit a reversible stitch (garter, moss, basket, etc.) and knit into one fleece patch on either side of the knitted square. It could be sewn on later but I like to knit straight onto the full project so I can feel it growing. I’m also doing some parts in sections so I don’t have to carry the whole thing around with me but just a few patches in my bag.

This is a purple, blue and pink theme, my favourite colours, but it depends on the fleece available – I’m using old fleece jackets cut up but someone suggested going to a shop and asking for remnants so I might try that. I chose fleece as it has a similar thickness and weight to knitted fabric and doesn’t fray easily, but have thought about using denim and deliberately fraying. Will have to see how that looks.

Number of stitches for a 10 cm square depends on the tension. I’m using size 8 (UK – 4mm) needles and DK wool, could use up scraps but also bought some specifically for this. For garter and moss stitch I’m doing 22 stitches and 34 rows, for some of the tighter stitches slightly more.

Other ideas for projects using this method – scarves, winter dungarees… best thing about it is the speed it knits up as it takes half the time of usual knitting (though picking up the stitches is a bit fiddly till you get the hang of it).