Types of Knitting Stitches You Need to Know
People often ask me about types of knitting stitches. For example, which are the most common, which are the most important, and for the love of heaven do I really have to learn them all? The answer is of course not. You will learn them as you need them, forget them, and come back to them later. Easy-peasy!
Of course that means you have to learn them in the first place. I've talked many times about your basic knit and purl stitches so I won't go into them again here. Instead, let me guide you through the variations on those types of knitting stitches you're likely to find in more complicated patterns.
Understanding Stitches
It's important to remember that all knitting is a single strand of yarn looped over and over again with the loops intersecting. It sounds obvious, but you'd be amazed how many people have been knitting for years and never even considered what they were actually doing.
When you start breaking the craft down into types of knitting stitches, this knowledge is essential. Remember, the basic goal is to loop those stitches together. As long as you're doing that, the piece will hold. The goal of any knitting stitch is to connect loops, so if that's not what you're doing, you need to step back and reassess what you're up to.
Two Common Intermediate Stitches
If you've completed a few basic patterns, then presumably you already know how to knit, purl, and knit or purl two stitches together. That leaves a few common types of knitting stitches to master.
1. Yarn over
You've probably done a yarn over stitch before. You just didn't mean to! Most beginners create a lot of yarn over (YO) stitches by accidentally wrapping the yarn over the needle.
All YO is bringing the yarn over your work to the other side (hence the name). This will create a new stitch, not connected to the others. When you come to it after reversing your work, knit it normally. Yes, it creates holes in your work, those are what it's supposed to do! Just let the stitch do its job.
2. Slipped stitches
A slipped stitch isn't exactly high on the list of types of knitting stitches, mainly because it's not really a stitch. Still, you see it a lot in intermediate and advanced patterns, so you need to know what it is.
When you slip a stitch, you move it from one needle to the working needle without doing anything to it. The most important thing to know about a slipped stitch is whether you should slip it purl wise or knit wise.
To slip purl wise, insert the needle from the front, like you're going to purl the stitch, and move it over. Repeat the step to slip a stitch knit wise. If your pattern doesn't specify, do it the same way you're stitching the rest of the row.
And there you have it! Everything you know to advance in your knitting. These two types of knitting stitches are the most common headaches for intermediate knitters, so once you master them, now it's smooth sailing.