“Pawns!” is a free pattern from The Chess Set of double-knitting patterns. You can knit hot pads or coasters with these patterns, or you can use the charts to embellish larger projects.

The pattern now includes charts for a single pawn on a block, in addition to the original charts showing two pawns on a block. The single-pawn blocks will help to represent an actual game of Chess.

Other patterns in The Chess Set:

• “Kings and Queens - The Royal Couples”
• “Bishops and Rooks - Shields of the Realm”
• “Knights! - Champions of Honor”

(To celebrate to release of the pattern bundle, “Knights!” is now free with the purchase of the bundle.)

Size estimates for some suggested yarns and needle sizes:
* worsted-weight yarn,
at a gauge of 21 stitches and 30 rows in 4 inches
(about 5.25 st/in and about 7.5 rows/in),
with U.S. size 3 (3.25 mm) or 4 (3.50 mm) needles
will produce a hot pad measuring about 6 ¼ inches square.
* fingering-weight yarn,
at a gauge of 30 stitches and 38 rows in 4 inches
(about 7.5 st/in and 9.5 rows/in),
with U.S. size 0 (2.00 mm) or 1 (2.25 mm) needles
will produce a coaster measuring about 4 ½ inches square.

tami1962, a talented loom-knitter here on Ravelry, suggested seaming The Chess Set squares together for a Chess-ghan.

My sample test-knit used 32.4 yards (29.6 meters) of each dark and light color.

Choose 100% cotton or wool yarns to make your Chess Set squares heat-resistant and moisture-absorbing.

Knitters have many techniques for casting on, binding off, and finishing edges in double-knitting. The Double-Knitting Group is a helpful resource of ideas.

My worsted-weight sample, pictured to the left and below, used Sockmatician’s “Alternating Two-Color Long-Tail Cast On” and “Slip-Stitch Edges for Double-Knitting.”

I like combination knitting to help achieve even double-knitting tension. Ellen, “The Chilly Dog,” has a fantastic article and video on combination knitting that explains why you would want to use the technique and shows how to do combination knitting for both English-style and continental-style knitters.

I hope you enjoy knitting and using your “Pawns!”