I’ve been knitting since 2005 and I’ve only just started to explore different stitches you can use while knitting. To me, I’ve been in the same routine so long that I never really felt the urge to switch it up. I mean, after all, I was knitting blankets and baby hats in good quality, so why complicate matters by adding anything else? Part of it was fear of messing up but then I found some manageable and pretty cool stitches you can use while knitting that I think are worth checking out.
1 Knit
The majority of my knitting career has been comprised of knitting the “knit” stitch. In this stitch you can use while knitting, you simply put the needle in front of the stitch with the yarn behind the needles. Push the working needle through the stitch and behind the other needle. Wrap the yarn around the working needle from back to front before pulling the stitch up and over onto the working needle. Simple.
Frequently asked questions
2 Purl
The “purl” stitch isn’t hard at all. In fact, it’s pretty simple and can be used with the knit stitch in order to create a design. I found a pattern for a butterfly online that only requires the knit and purl stitches so I’ve been working them into a blanket I am making. To purl the stitch, you place the working needle through the loop, making sure the yarn is in front of the needles. Loop the yarn around the stitch over then under before pulling the stitch off sideways to create your first purled stitch!
3 Basic Ribbing
This stitch is a combination of the knit and purl stitches. Knit one entire row. Once you move on to the second row, purl every stitch. The third row switches back to the knit stitch as you alternate this pattern until the piece is done. It gives the work a neat look to it.
4 Seed or Moss
Again, use your basic knowledge of the knit and purl stitches to make this cool pattern. This stitch should be used with an even amount of stitches. Knit one, purl one. Continue that pattern until you get to the end of the row. Start the second row by repeating the last stitch you did. By following this pattern, there should be columns of purled stitches and knit stitches respectively. This pattern alternates until the piece is finished.
5 Make Knot
The Make Knot (MK) stitch can be found in many patterns. Start by purling two stitches together. Gently guide the purled stitch off the needle. Don’t pull the stitch off the working needle, instead knit the stitch by looping the yarn behind the working need from back to front, creating a gap between the next purled stitch. Now, it’s time to move on as you purl the next two stitches. Again, pull the purled off and knit the remaining stitch. Continue this pattern until you reach the end of the row. Between each of these rows, knit one row to hold the piece together.
6 Basket Weave
This pattern combines purl and knit stitches to make the piece look like a woven basket. Start by purling two stitches. Knit four stitches then purl four stitches until you get to the end of the row where you purl the last two stitches. On the reverse side, you do the opposite. Start by knitting two stitches. Then, purl four stitches and knit four stitches until you get to the end of the row where you knit the last two stitches. Repeat this pattern until the end of the piece.
7 Double Moss
This stitch is one step up from the Seed or Moss stitch. Again, you alternate back and forth between purl and knit stitches. But instead of making sure the purl and knit stitches form individual columns, you alternate so that each column is one knit followed by one purl. This gives the piece a cool texture to it.
These are some easy stitches that you can work into your knitting if you are looking to make your pieces a little more elaborate but have trouble knitting in that tree. I hope that by using the purl and knit stitches as a base, you can expand your knitting and see where it will take you. What’s your favorite stitch?
