Yarns are very variable, but in the US this is often called worsted weight. Personally I find DK tends to go further than a worsted weight yarn. I always check with a yarn swatch when using DK for a US pattern, as I often have to use a different hook size.
Yes, because you are knitting two stitches from the same stitch.
Yes
Usually yes. The best way to test it is to take a ruler and wrap the two strands together around the ruler continuously for one inch length (make sure the yard does not overlap, nor leave gaps). Then take a strand of chunky yarn and do the same. You should get the same number of rotations around the ruler for each. You may also want to note that using two yarns together of different colors will give you a nice heathered effect in the finished product.
Yes
The terms used by yarn manufacturers are very varied and there is no standard meaning to any of them. Chunky and bulky are obviously similar in meaning, but the only way to see if yarns are equivalent is to compare the weight to length information given on the ball band.
Yes.
yes it has the name french It is also called spool knitting. The same type of craft has been practiced in a number of countries. Yahoo Groups has a spool knitting group if you are interested.
no, it's about the same size as a ds lite, only more chunky.
Yes, if you want to knit. However, your knitted fabric will be full of graphite if you use pencils to knit. Knitting needles, however, are useless for writing.
Circular knit is knitted from different needle by different feeders high production cappacity, but flat can be knitted with same technics but fabric is not circular, low production than circular knit
The number of balls of wool and the ply to use is usually given in the knitting pattern. A test swatch is a good way to ensure there are the same stitches and rows as stated in the knitting pattern. When I was knitting (many years ago) balls (skeins) of wool was given in ounces!
A US knitting needle size 6 would be equivalent to a UK knitting needle size 8, or a 4mm.