Skip to content

Top Navigation

Martha Stewart Martha Stewart
  • FOOD
  • HOLIDAYS
  • ENTERTAINING
  • HOME
  • GARDENING
  • CLEANING & ORGANIZING
  • WEDDINGS
  • SHOP
  • DIY
  • BEAUTY & WELLNESS
  • LIFE
  • NEWS
  • MARTHA'S BLOG
  • About Us

Profile Menu

Martha's Blog
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletter
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Contact Us
  • Your Content
  • Logout

More

  • Enter to Win $10,000 to Makeover Your Home!
  • Martha's Blog
  • Weddings
Login
Pin FB

Explore Martha Stewart

Martha Stewart Martha Stewart
  • Explore

    Explore

    • 5 Kitchen Cabinet Paint Colors That Will Never Go Out of Style, According to Interior Designers

      5 Kitchen Cabinet Paint Colors That Will Never Go Out of Style, According to Interior Designers

      Choose a shade that works with a range of backsplash and countertop materials. Read More
    • Let Go of These 8 Household Items as We Start the New Year

      Let Go of These 8 Household Items as We Start the New Year

      Reclaim your space by parting with things in your home you no longer use or have been damaged over time. Read More
    • 93 Quick and Easy Dinner Recipes to Make Any Night of the Week

      93 Quick and Easy Dinner Recipes to Make Any Night of the Week

      From chili and chicken cutlets to spaghetti and meatballs and sheet-pan salmon, consider this your ultimate guide to making a fast weeknight dinner. Read More
  • FOOD

    FOOD

    See All FOOD
    93 Quick and Easy Dinner Recipes to Make Any Night of the Week

    93 Quick and Easy Dinner Recipes to Make Any Night of the Week

    From chili and chicken cutlets to spaghetti and meatballs and sheet-pan salmon, consider this your ultimate guide to making a fast weeknight dinner.
    • Breakfast & Brunch Recipes
    • Lunch Recipes
    • Dinner Recipes
    • Appetizers & Snacks
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Drink Recipes
    • Salad Recipes
    • Side Dishes
    • Soup Recipes
    • Healthy Recipes
    • Quick & Easy Recipes
    • Vegetarian Recipes
    • Cooking How-Tos
    • Baking
    • Menu Planning
    • Food News & Trends
    • Wine
    • Mastering the Holiday Meal
    • What's for Dinner
    • All Recipes
  • HOLIDAYS

    HOLIDAYS

    See All HOLIDAYS
    40 Valentine's Day Dessert Recipes That You'll Fall in Love With

    40 Valentine's Day Dessert Recipes That You'll Fall in Love With

    The sweetest way to say "I love you" is with one of these heartfelt, homemade Valentine's Day desserts. Whether you're looking for a treat for your partner, your Galentine's crew, or the co-workers who adore your home baking, you'll find plenty of inspiration in this collection, filled with heart-shaped cakes, cupcakes, and cookies—plus, easy chocolate truffles and decadent mousses and parfaits. Our recipes include desserts for two to share and sweets that feed a crowd. We rate them all above a bunch of red roses any day.
    • Father's Day
    • Fourth of July
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Hanukkah
    • Christmas
    • New Year's Eve
    • Valentine's Day
    • St. Patricks Day
    • Passover
    • Easter
    • Mother's Day
  • ENTERTAINING

    ENTERTAINING

    See All ENTERTAINING
    6 Things to Always Clean Before Guests Come Over

    6 Things to Always Clean Before Guests Come Over

    You don't have to give your house a top-to-bottom scrub before guests arrive, but there are a few areas you should pay attention to.
    • Seasonal Entertaining & Decorating
    • Halloween Party Ideas
    • Dinner Party Ideas
    • Adult Halloween Costumes
  • HOME

    HOME

    See All HOME
    6 Kitchen Paint Trends to Consider in 2023

    6 Kitchen Paint Trends to Consider in 2023

    Bolder tones, like cherry red and deep olive green, will dominate in the heart of the home.
    • Home Design & Decor
    • Paint Colors & Palettes
    • DIY Home Projects
    • The Well-Kept Home
  • GARDENING

    GARDENING

    See All GARDENING
    How to Winter Sow—Plus, 6 Expert-Approved Seeds to Plant During the Cold-Weather Months

    How to Winter Sow—Plus, 6 Expert-Approved Seeds to Plant During the Cold-Weather Months

    These blooms are tolerant to the chilly conditions, which will allow you to get ahead on your spring flower garden.
    • Container Gardening
    • Flower Gardens
    • Houseplants
    • Landscaping
    • Vegetable Gardens
  • CLEANING & ORGANIZING

    CLEANING & ORGANIZING

    How to Remove Hard Water Stains From a Glass Shower—and Prevent Future Build-Up Before It Forms

    How to Remove Hard Water Stains From a Glass Shower—and Prevent Future Build-Up Before It Forms

    The spots develop when water dries on glass and leaves behind the minerals that were trapped inside.
    • Cleaning
    • Storage & Organization
    • Laundry & Linens
  • WEDDINGS

    WEDDINGS

    See All WEDDINGS
    Experts Say These Are the 7 Things Happy Couples Regularly Do Together

    Experts Say These Are the 7 Things Happy Couples Regularly Do Together

    • Real Weddings
    • Wedding Party
    • Wedding Planning & Advice
    • Wedding Ceremony & Reception
    • Wedding Jewelry
    • Dresses & Style
    • Wedding Beauty & Wellness
    • Wedding Registry
    • Wedding Showers & Parties
    • Love & Marriage
    • Wedding Travel
  • SHOP
  • DIY

    DIY

    See All DIY
    Ready for a New Hobby? These Are the 8 Craft Trends to Try in 2023

    Ready for a New Hobby? These Are the 8 Craft Trends to Try in 2023

    From disco ball art to punch needle embroidery, these are the projects that will dominate the DIY world in the new year, experts say.
    • Dyeing
    • Holiday Crafts
    • Kids' Crafts
    • Knitting
    • Paper Crafts
    • Sewing
  • BEAUTY & WELLNESS

    BEAUTY & WELLNESS

    The Truth About Slugging: Will Applying Petrolatum Jelly to Your Skin Really Make It Glow?

    The Truth About Slugging: Will Applying Petrolatum Jelly to Your Skin Really Make It Glow?

    In short, yes—should you have a skin type that might benefit from an occlusive product.
    • Beauty
    • Health & Wellness
    • Live Well
  • LIFE

    LIFE

    See All LIFE
    9 Dog Breeds That Look Like Puppies Even When They're Fully Grown

    9 Dog Breeds That Look Like Puppies Even When They're Fully Grown

    Puppies are irresistible. We fall in love with their big eyes, little button noses, fluffy tails, and clumsy paws. And yet, like any pet, puppies grow up and turn into dogs. Some breeds, like the Old English Sheepdog or Great Dane, will grow to become larger in size than most people. But not all dogs are destined to become giants. There are some breeds that stay small in size even when they're fully grown. You may want a forever puppy if you are used to smaller animals. Maybe you have a small apartment or just want a canine companion that you can easily carry along with you anywhere you go. Small dogs are also great for families with young children or those of senior age who are best matched with a breed they can physically handle. Fortunately, some specialty dog breeds are mixed to look like puppies throughout their entire lives—and they are sure to melt your heart the second you lay your eyes on them. 
    • Family
    • Pets
    • Travel
  • NEWS
  • MARTHA'S BLOG
  • About Us

Profile Menu

Martha's Blog
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletter
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Contact Us
  • Your Content
  • Logout

More

  • Enter to Win $10,000 to Makeover Your Home!
  • Martha's Blog
  • Weddings
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. marthastewart.com
  2. DIY Projects & Crafts
  3. Knitting
  4. An Essential Guide to Knitting Stitches for Beginners

An Essential Guide to Knitting Stitches for Beginners

By Alexandra Churchill February 11, 2019
Skip gallery slides
Pin
how to knit castoff
Credit: Amanda Mustard Illustrations
A pattern is made up of the two main stitches—knit and purl—in their simplest combination. Once you've mastered both, you can craft all kinds of patterns like garter, stockinette, seed, and more.
Start Slideshow

1 of 5

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
how to knit castoff
Credit: Amanda Mustard Illustrations

In knitting, there are two stitches: knit and purl. Once you've mastered those, there's an entire world of patterns to be had at your fingertips. They combine into a seemingly infinite number of fabrics that look and feel unique. Most knitters begin by learning how to make a knit stitch, which produces the garter stitch when worked every row. Next, you will learn how to purl stitch, producing the stockinette stitch when alternated with knit stiches or that same garter stitch when worked every row. The moss stitch and seed stitch are created by alternating both knitting and purling into a richly textured fabric. These two patterns and the others to follow in this collection are simply combinations of knit and purl stitches. 

When knitting a stitch, the yarn is always held at the back of the work. When purling a stitch, the yarn is always at the front. Visually, this looks like the working yarn is either in front or behind the crisscrossed needles. When you switch from a knit to a purl stitch, it's important to ensure that the yarn is in the correct position to work the next stitch. When you are moving the yarn from back to front or vice versa, the yarn should go between the two needles and not over them.

Whether you're knitting flat or knitting in the round, mastering these two basic stitches will help you develop your skills and you'll soon build the confidence necessary to take on any number of knitting projects.

1 of 5

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 5

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Garter Stitch

garter stitch in knitting
Credit: Amanda Mustard Illustrations
Learn About the Garter Stitch

As a beginner, this is the first stitch you will learn. Garter stitch is one of the easiest patterns in knit fabrics, recognizable by it's horizontal ridges on every other row. To knit the garter stitch, knit every stitch in every row. This produces a dense, strong fabric that is reversible, stands up well to wear, and lies perfectly flat.

2 of 5

3 of 5

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Stockinette Stitch

stockinette stitch in knitting
Credit: Amanda Mustard Illustrations
Learn About the Stockinette Stitch

As a new knitter, this is the next stitch you will learn. Stockinette stitch is one of the most common patterns in knitting, identified by smooth V-shaped columns that run vertical to the fabric. Flip the fabric over to the wrong side, and this is called reverse stockinette stitch. To knit the stockinette stitch, work the two main stitches, knit and purl, in their simplest combination.

3 of 5

Advertisement

4 of 5

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Seed Stitch

seed stitch in knitting
Credit: Amanda Mustard Illustrations
Learn About the Seed Stitch

Seed stitch is another common stitch in knitting, recognizable by its textured fabric covered in small nubs and arranged in a checkerboard order. To knit the seed stitch, work a sequence of knit and purl stitches, alternating on every row.Many garments including sweaters, mittens, and hats use this stitch to allow the fabric to stretch and keep its shape.

4 of 5

5 of 5

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Moss Stitch

moss stitch in knitting
Credit: Amanda Mustard Illustrations
Learn About the Moss Stitch

After learning the seed stitch, this is the next advanced version. Moss stitch is a basic pattern in knitting, which produces elongated rows of raised bumps. To knit the moss stitch, work two rows of the same sequence of knits and purls before you alternate them in the next two rows. It's reversible—great for blankets, scarves, and shawls. It's also practical for a washcloth because the texture makes for a good scrubbing surface.

5 of 5

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Alexandra Churchill

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 5
    2 of 5 Garter Stitch
    3 of 5 Stockinette Stitch
    4 of 5 Seed Stitch
    5 of 5 Moss Stitch

    Share & More

    Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
    Martha Stewart

    Learn More

    • Contact Us
    • Customer Service
    • Media Kit
    • Martha's Blog
    • Advertise
    • Content Licensing
    • FAQ
    • Corporate
    • International
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    Sign Up
    MeredithMartha Stewart is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright Martha Stewart. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.marthastewart.com

    Sign in

    View image

    An Essential Guide to Knitting Stitches for Beginners
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.