Stockinette Stitch for Beginners - Learn to Knit, by The Blue Mouse Knits on YouTube. 6 min 12 s.
- Video length
- 6 min 12 s
- Time to do it
- 20 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 7
What you need
Steps
Cast on about 20 stitches so you have enough width to see the pattern form. Keep the stitches loose enough to slide along the needle.
Hold the work so the side facing you is the right side, the smooth face you want to show. This is where Row 1 begins.
Row 1, the right side: knit every stitch across the whole row. Slide the finished stitches to the other needle as you go.
Turn your work so the back faces you. This is the wrong side row.
Row 2, the wrong side: purl every stitch across the whole row.
Turn again and repeat Rows 1 and 2 until the fabric is as long as you need. The smooth knit side should face out.
Bind off loosely when you reach your target length, then weave in the loose ends.
Tips and common mistakes
Stockinette curls at the edges, so add a garter stitch border of a few knit stitches on each side if you want flat edges.
Keep your tension even; tight stitches make the rows hard to slide and can change the fabric width.
Count your stitches at the end of each row so a dropped stitch does not turn into a hole.
Questions
Do I need to know purl stitches first?
Yes. Stockinette is knit on one row and purl on the next, so learn both stitches before you start.
Why does my stockinette fabric curl?
The smooth knit face pulls tighter than the bumpy purl back, so the edges roll. A border of garter stitch or blocking the finished piece helps.
Can I knit stockinette in the round?
Yes. When you knit in a circle, every round is knit, because you never turn to the wrong side.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
