STOCKINETTE STITCH
Stockinette stitch is the grandfather of all stitch patterns and is what most people recognize as “knitting.” This basic stitch pattern dates back to the earliest known knitted artifacts, such as a thirteenth-century knitted sock from Egypt and fourteenth-century European stockings. Though historians believe the inherent elasticity lent the technique to garments designed for the foot — hence its name and earliest uses — stockinette stitch is versatile and used all over the world for any and all types of projects.
Adapted from Field Guide to Knitting
by Jackie Pawlowski, published by Quirk Books.
Step 1
Properties: Stockinette stitch produces a flat, even fabric characterized by orderly rows of knitted Vs. Purly bumps show on the wrong side. When knitting a project intended to be flat, be wary of stockinette’s tendency to curl toward the wrong side of the fabric; a scarf knit entirely in stockinette stitch can result in a long tube and a heap of frustration. This curl can be mitigated by knitting one inch (2.5 cm) of an even tensioned stitch pattern, such as moss or garter stitch, along each edge.
Suggested Uses: Aside from socks, stockinette stitch is suited for any project requiring a plain flat surface and a dose of elasticity, such as mittens, gloves, sweaters, sweaters, hats, stuffed animals, cushions, cozies, or anything else a knitter might desire.
Pattern: Row 1: Knit Row 2: Purl
Variation Reverse Stockinette In contrast to standard stockinette, right side is characterized by its purly bumps, the wrong side by flat Vs. Reverse stockinette is commonly used as the background stitch for cablework and in traditional Andean and Peruvian knitting.
Row 1: Purl Row 2: Knit
