As you probably know, a knit stitch is made up of alternating knit stitches and purl stitches, depending on the different rows and stitches of a project. So once you have mastered the knit and purl stitches, you can consider that you are ready to perform all the types of stitches that exist! Through this article, we will take a brief overview of the different knitting stitches that can be made with wool yarn, from the most common to the most original.
There are 3 types of knitting stitches that are very well known and are among the most used by people who knit wool yarn.
First of all, the garter stitch which is composed exclusively of knitted stitches and which is the stitch designated as the simplest in knitting. Moreover, it is one of the first points to learn when you start knitting because the technique is relatively simple to master. It is therefore ideal and preferred for beginners. A beginner can, for example, easily practice and practice garter stitch for their first creation. The final work will not be the most visually original but it will be carried out correctly and without too many technical difficulties. If you are new to knitting, we also recommend that you read our article on yarns and wools to start knitting.
Then there is the stockinette stitch, also a great classic and basic in knitting. It consists on knitting a row of stitches in the right direction then a row of stitches in the reverse direction. This point is usually used to give you indications of the quantity of balls you will need for an upcoming job or project. Like the garter stitch, the technique is relatively simple to assimilate. In this way, we can also advise beginners to use stockinette stitch in their first creations such as scarves, blankets or even a sweater, why not, for the most confident!
Finally, among the most common stitches that can be found in knitting, comes the seed stitch. The latter consists of casting on the stitches then alternating over the entire row, one stitch in the right side then one stitch in the reverse,...and repeating like this until the end of the work. Thanks to the magic of the internet and the will of thousands of dedicated creators, you will find plenty of explanatory videos to teach you, step by step, how to perform the seed stitch technique (and all the others too!).
Although the three points mentioned above are the most common, there are others that are a little less known but not necessarily more complicated to master.
First of all, there is the wheat stitch. It involves knitting the stitches as they appear, so right side or wrong side, then changing them from time to time. For example, 1 row out of 3, if your stitch is right side up, you knit it reversely and vice versa.
Then there is also the godron stitch. This one consists of knitting the first, third, fourth and sixth rows right side up and knitting the second and fifth rows wrong side up. This process always repeats these six rows until the end of your project. Note that this stitch gives a very elastic look to your projects!
Openwork stitches are also frequently used and are increasingly trendy. Indeed, we often find this openwork effect on loose sweaters and tops but also on decorative accessories such as curtains or table runners. This will give your works a slightly bohemian look and a lighter texture.
Ribs are what you find most of the time on the ends of your sweaters. There are several types of ribbing, but the most popular are 1/1 and 2/2 ribbing.
To knit 1/1 ribbing, simply knit your first row one stitch right side up, one stitch wrong side up until the end of the row, then for all other rows, knit the stitches as they occur.
For the 2/2 ribbing, the principle does not change! Only for the first row where, instead of making one stitch right side up and one stitch wrong side up, you will have to make two stitches right side up and two stitches wrong side up. Then, for all the other rows, you will just have to knit the stitches as they appear.
Beyond the basic stitches and ribbing that can be made with wool yarn, there are more technical stitches, such as jacquard stitch or cables, for knitters who have a more advanced level of knitting.
The jacquard stitch consists on knitting in stockinette stitch, changing color so as to form the design represented on a grid which acts as a guide to make your creation. You can also choose from models offered on the internet or in catalogs, or even draw your own pattern and let your imagination speak for itself. Each square of the grid represents a stitch and a row. The grid is accompanied by a legend which indicates the correspondence of the colors. You must read the chart starting from the bottom, from right to left for each row on the right side of the work, from left to right for each row on the reverse side. Be careful however, the knitting techniques used for the jacquard stitch vary depending on the importance of the design that you wish to represent on your work.
Cables are obtained by knitting crossed stitches. The small cables of 2 stitches are very easy to knit and do not require a cable needle. - 2 stitches crossed on the right: Knit the 2nd stitch on the left needle in the front, then knit the first stitch normally. Drop the 2 stitches together. - 2 stitches crossed on the left: Knit the 2nd stitch on the left needle from behind, then knit the first stitch normally. Drop the 2 stitches together.
A cable of 3 or more stitches requires twisted needles.If you decide to challenge yourself with these last examples, we strongly advise you to watch an explanatory video to learn and help you perform the technique. It is also necessary to arm yourself with patience and determination because all learning takes time when knitting.
There are still many different stitches that we have not described in this article such as sand stitch, tweed stitch, Eglantine stitch and many others... Knitting with different techniques has several advantages, In particular, it allows you to vary the renderings but also to give each of your works a different texture and relief.
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