Year of Color 2026 — Month 8 of 12
Welcome to Year of Color!
Duplicate stitch has a magic trick built into it: it looks like intricate colorwork, but you’re not carrying a second strand or reading a colorwork chart as you go. You knit the whole square first in Burnished Gold in simple stockinette, then come back afterward and stitch your initial on top in Purple Hyacinth, tracing your needle and yarn over the existing stitches. The result reads as precise, planned lettering, even though the knitting itself never gets more complicated than knit and purl.
This pattern comes with the full duplicate-stitch alphabet, all 26 letters charted and ready to go, so it’s a Knotions monogram square for any initial you want, right from the start. No waiting for your letter’s turn.
Golden Hyacinth Monogram is part of Year of Color 2026, a free monthly make-along sponsored by Cascade Yarns. Each month brings two new squares and four emails exploring color theory, history, and craft. Squares are free forever.
See It In Action
Find your letter below, tap or click any chart to open it full-size.
Materials
- Yarn: Cascade Heritage Fingering in 5707 Burnished Gold
(A) and 5625 Purple Hyacinth (B) - Needles: US 6 (4mm) or size needed to obtain gauge
- Gauge: 22 sts and 27½ rows = 4″
- Notions: Tapestry needle, scissors
- Finished size: 8″ × 8″ blocked
Stitch Guide
Stockinette: Knit on RS, purl on WS
Reverse Stockinette: Purl on RS, knit on WS
Pattern
Setup: Using A 
, CO 44
Work 57 rows of stockinette – knit on RS and purl on WS – starting with a RS row.
This is the foundation square for your duplicate stitch.
Block square to above measurements and weave in ends.
Note – it’s important to block before you do the duplicate stitch because this will yield the neatest results.
Duplicate Stitch
Using B 
, choose the letter and duplicate stitch it onto your finished square.
Once complete, weave in ends.
You’re done!
About Year of Color
This square is part of Year of Color 2026, a 12-month program that teaches you a new colorwork technique every month through two free square patterns (one crochet, one knit). Each month features a curated color palette, technique tutorials, and color inspiration articles. By December, you’ll have 12 squares to join together into whatever you’d like, and a whole year of new skills to show for it.
MORE ABOUT YEAR OF COLOR
What you get each month:
- Free crochet square pattern (8″ × 8″)
- Free knitted square pattern (8″ × 8″)
- Color inspiration articles exploring the month’s palette
- Technical tips and tutorials
- Cultural and historical color spotlights
- Community engagement opportunities
2026 Color Themes:
January: Winter Whites & Creams • February: Soft Pastels • March: Jewel Tones • April: Spring Brights • May: Shades of Blue • June: Orange & Blue • July: Sunset Colors • August: Warm Neutrals • September: Dark & Moody • October: Triadic Colors • November: Rich Harvest • December: Winter Sky
Cascade Yarns is partnering on the project to help make quality color education accessible to fiber artists at every skill level. You can join at any time and work at your own pace — the patterns aren’t going anywhere!
Get a new square every month, free
Join over 400 makers exploring color in knit and crochet. Start anywhere, anytime.
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I’m Jody Richards, the math-geeky, web-dev-turned-fiber-arts-obsessive behind Knotions. Crafting runs deep in my family: my mom was an avid embroiderer and sewist, and she sparked a lifelong love of making things. I’ve been combining that love with a very analytical brain ever since.
I have degrees in Math and Computer Science and spent 30 years in web technology before making Knotions my full-time focus. You might know me as Ravelry member #85, or from patterns like the Natalya Mitts and Chevvy Socks.
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