Hello, dear readers and visitors of my blog!
Many people ask questions: “How to knit garter stitch with knitting needles? How to knit stockinette stitch with knitting needles? In today's article, the answers to these questions will be discussed in great detail.
First of all, you need to learn how to knit knit and purl stitches - regular and granny stitches. Having mastered knitting just these loops and having thoroughly trained your hand, you can become an ace in knitting, because there are many patterns consisting of only knit and purl loops!
So, if you don’t yet know how to do garter and stocking stitches, feel free (if you don’t know how, follow the link highlighted in blue) and let’s start learning!
Before starting to knit each row, do not forget to slip the first loop (edge) from the left needle to the right without knitting (as in the figure below).
We'll talk in more detail at the next knitting lesson.
How to knit facial loops
Depending on how to knit facial loops, they are called classic (1st method) and “GRANDMOTHER’S” (2nd method).
The classic knit stitch (Fig. 1) is always knitted behind the front wall ,
"grandmother's" facial (Fig. 2) - behind the back wall .
That's the whole difference! Knitting only knit stitches in all rows (either classic or “grandmother’s”, but under no circumstances mixing them) , we will get shawl stitch.
In the old days, garter stitch, or garter knitting, was called “gross stitch”, “grouse stitch”, “rope stitch”, “bed stitch”. In Russia they knitted scarves, hence the name “garter stitch”.
Nowadays, garter stitch is used not only for making scarves, but also for knitting almost all products, both entirely and in combination with other patterns.
Garter stitch is a double-sided knitting (it looks the same on both the front and back sides), so it is often used when knitting scarves, hats, belts, trims, collars, where the wrong side is visible.
If garter stitch is done with thin threads on thick knitting needles, we will get a loose, almost openwork fabric. This technique can be used when knitting summer clothes and shawls.
Garter stitch made from colored stripes looks very nice (photo below). It is obtained by knitting two rows of each color of yarn - knit and purl with knit stitches. True, the pattern we have is one-sided.
The first photo shows the front side of this pattern, and the second shows the back side.
Garter stitch, made with classic knit stitches behind the FRONT wall, is used most often in knitting.
But if you need to get a tighter knitting, “grandmother’s” knit stitches are knitted behind the BACK wall. Although in this case it is not very convenient to knit them, and I never use this method.
Garter stitch can also be done using only purl stitches, only the structure of the fabric with this method of knitting becomes looser and wider, no matter how tightly we knit it. And it’s much more convenient to knit garter stitch with knit stitches.
How to knit purl stitches
How to knit purl stitches? Same as facial ones:
classic
and “granny” loops.
But it is IMPORTANT to remember:
- a purl loop made in the classical way corresponds to a classic knit stitch;
- The purl loop made in the “grandmother’s” way corresponds to the “grandmother’s” knit stitch.
Otherwise, we risk getting , which are also used in knitting, but not so often.
The video that I selected to reinforce the lesson will help you better understand how to knit knit and purl stitches in the classic and “grandmother’s” way.
Stockinet
How to knit knit and purl stitch
We get stockinette stitch (stocking stitch) if we knit one side of the product with knit stitches and the other with purl stitches. This is a one-sided knitting, having both a front and a back side.
The right side of stockinette knitting is called KIT STITCH.
Wrong side - RURAL STAIN STITCH, which resembles garter stitch, but looks smoother and smaller.
Although stocking stitch came to us from ancient times, it never goes out of fashion. Knitting is universal, as it is suitable for almost all products: men's, women's and children's.
The smooth surface of stocking stitch allows it to be used as a background for openwork and convex patterns, for ornaments and embroidery.
But I would like to dwell on it separately, because when I myself did not know what it was, I had difficulty finding an explanation. So let's find out!
Dear needlewomen! I want to warn you that in this master class I knitted the loops “grandmother’s way” - behind the back wall of the loop. This method is not classical, and in many sources the products are knitted in the “classical way”. When knitting using the “grandmother’s” method in the round, the fabric may curl! Read more about methods of knitting loops.
We remove the first loop without knitting, the next one - .
We turn the knitting - we have loops.
We also knit the next loop as a knit stitch. And so on. That is, the whole essence of garter stitch is that there are no knit or purl stitches, but only knit stitches. It's that simple. By the way, if knit only with purl stitches, you can also make a garter stitch!
And so on the wrong side. That is, absolutely the same. And this is one of the important features and advantages of garter stitch - there is no front and back side. Therefore, as you probably guessed, it is called a scarf - it is used specifically for these products.
And this is what it looks like scheme Garter stitch pattern:
Symbols for the diagram:
Looking at the diagram, it’s easy to guess that for knitting garter stitch in the round you just need to knit the odd rows and purl the even rows, or vice versa.
Watch my video master class “Garter Stitch”!
If you have questions, ask!
Garter stitch is where anyone who wants to learn to knit starts. Double-sided knitting with knit stitches is basic, but on its basis you can create very beautiful and stylish things. Learning this method of knitting is very simple, just follow the rules and patterns. Garter stitch looks especially impressive in a combination of several shades of yarn and in combination with various patterns.
- Any knitting begins with a set of loops. For garter stitch, it is very important to maintain an even pattern distribution and knitting density, so the loops must be the same size and the needles must match the thickness of the yarn.
- For knitting, you can use two knitting needles, five knitting needles for circular knitting of small items, knitting needles for circular knitting with fishing line.
- The loops of the last row are closed alternately, knitting a knit stitch through two loops of the last row.
- To join two garter stitch pieces, use an open stitch join with a needle as shown in the photo.
- Garter stitch in knitting patterns is usually indicated by a short vertical line, as in the photo.
- When knitting, do not pull the loops too tight. and do not weaken them. The rows of the garter stitch pattern should be even and equally spaced.
We suggest you knit a small piece of garter stitch with two knitting needles, to practice skills:
- Cast on 20 stitches.
- Remove the edge loop.
- Knit each next stitch to the end of the row with knit stitches.
- Turn the knitting wrong side out towards you and slip the edge stitch onto the free needle.
- Knit each next loop in the same way as the first row, with knit stitches.
- Repeat this pattern until the end of knitting the entire piece of the product.
The photo shows an example of how to knit garter stitch correctly.
You can knit a part of a sweater or cardigan with garter stitch using two knitting needles, and it is better to knit a hat or snood scarf with circular knitting needles.
The photo shows an example of casting on loops on circular knitting needles using straight ones and joining the knitting ends. Please note that markings are used to mark each new row, which is especially convenient when knitting with multi-color stripes.
In order to practice knitting on circular needles and in garter stitch, we recommend starting with the simplest product, which is a snood scarf. You can make it two turns, and adjust the height as you knit, paying attention to how the knitted fabric lies.
Video with master class lessons
This selection of master classes for beginners will help you master garter knitting on your own and create beautiful things for yourself and your family.
- Video with a master class lesson on how to knit any product using garter stitch on circular knitting needles.
- A video tutorial for beginners on how to knit in garter stitch with a detailed description of the knitting pattern.
- Video on how to knit in the round using garter stitch as an example.
- This children's beret is knitted in garter stitch. Watch the video to learn how to knit such a beret yourself.
- In this video, the jacket is knitted in garter stitch with raglan sleeves.
- Video with a tutorial on knitting a hat using garter stitch in the round.
- In this video you will learn how to knit a fashionable and stylish beanie hat using garter stitch.
Thanks to our recommendations, you learned the simplest knitting technique, namely garter stitch. Use the selection of videos to knit beautiful things using this technique, because, despite its simplicity, it looks very impressive. Tell us in the comments what products you have already knitted using the garter knitting method.
The process of knitting is quite an exciting activity. Having mastered the technique, you can create amazing clothing models, one of a kind. The basis of knitting is knit stitches, purl stitches and yarn overs. Three elements are used to create unique relief designs and openwork patterns. But the basics of knitting techniques are garter and stocking stitches. The simplest method of knitting for beginners is garter stitch - this is where they begin to study this type of needlework.
What is
The garter stitch method is very simple and is suitable for beginner needlewomen to hone their skills. This type of knitting received its name due to the fact that it was used to knit scarves and shawls. The fabric made with the pattern presented in the article is resistant to stretching and deformation. Products made using this method hold their shape perfectly, but give it a slight volume. In ready-made clothing models, garter stitch is used as a “background” on which the main pattern is made. Openwork patterns and inserts of stocking stitch or jacquard motif look original on it.
Garter stitch looks like convex stripes, which is why they are also called “ruffled” or “beds”. Having chosen this knitting method, you should decide how these grooves will be located: vertically or horizontally. The appearance and originality of the finished product depends on this. Of course, you should knit in a way suitable for turning. When positioned horizontally, the fabric is knitted from the bottom of the product, and when positioned vertically, from the side. Beginners should give preference to horizontal stripes, but experienced craftswomen can experiment with knitting parts.
How to knit
To complete the pattern, you need to cast on any number of loops on the knitting needles. Remove the first edge loop and then knit the front loops in the classic way, that is, grabbing the thread by the front walls. The last loop is always purled so that the edge of the fabric is even. 
Next, turn the work with the back side facing you and begin to knit in the same way as the initial row. This is the whole essence of garter stitch; its pattern and description are extremely simple and understandable. If you have never knitted anything yourself, then a master class with step-by-step instructions in a photo or video with a clear example of knitting techniques will help you. A video with instructions for such knitting is presented below.
Garter stitch on circular needles
Experienced needlewomen can use this type when knitting with circular knitting needles. Here the knitting technique is slightly different from working on straight knitting needles. The cast-on loops need to be closed in a circle by knitting the initial row with facial loops. And mark the place of connection - you can use special plastic separators designed for knitting, or just use a thread of a distinctive shade. The mark should be located at the location of the intended seam; if it is a hat, it should be on the back, and if it is a sweater, it should be on the side. This way the junction will be less noticeable and not too noticeable. The second row starts from the mark and is knitted with purl stitches. In this case, it is forbidden to turn the fabric over - it is knitted from the front side of the product. Knit the next row with knit stitches, then purl stitches.
This alternation is how garter knitting occurs with circular knitting needles. There is a small nuance in this type of work - the connected loops turn out to be twisted and the canvas does not look the way it should. To get a classic knitting, you should insert the knitting needle into the loop from the reverse side, as if unwinding it. For the convenience of knitting, it is necessary to select circular knitting needles according to a length equal to the width of the product, so as not to later pull out the knitting needle and waste time on it. 
Beginners should avoid using circular knitting needles - just master the pattern using only straight knitting needles. In this case, knitting occurs only with facial loops, since after each row a natural revolution of the knitted fabric is made.
Benefits of garter stitch
The presented type of knitting has a strong edge that is not prone to curling. A product knitted using this method does not change size or deform after washing. This method can be used for any yarn; products made from textured or unusual threads look especially elegant, since garter stitch only emphasizes the beauty of the yarn itself. Things knitted from melange thread turn out to be very elegant - there are characteristic stripes and smooth transitions from color to color. The pattern can be used with any number of loops. The canvas looks unusual and attractive, but differently from the front and back sides.
For all its simplicity, this mating is quite insidious. It shortens the fabric in height, so it’s worth taking this nuance into account when knitting something. The presented type must be knitted with even loops, using smooth and high-quality yarn. Otherwise, all the irregularities and errors will be too noticeable.
What can be tied
The garter stitch fabric is soft and fits nicely to the body. It is these qualities that are taken into account when knitting children's clothes. Using the presented type, booties for the little ones, hats and scarves, blouses and vests are created.
For adults, both women and men, you can knit sweaters, jumpers, scarves, snoods, hats, berets and much more. You can use only this type, or you can combine it with other knitting methods. The formation of convex grooves in knitting implies the ability to change their direction, which determines the decorative meaning. For hats and scarves, the technique of cross knitting is interesting. In this way, doing the work is much easier, and the things themselves become more compact, but have sufficient ability to stretch in length. 
When working with jackets and sweaters, you can experiment with a combination of longitudinal and transverse stripes. There is only one drawback: when knitting longitudinally, you will need long knitting needles so that all the loops can fit. This will create slight inconvenience when working, so beginners should not resort to this. But if you knit a sweater or even a dress in this manner, the product will be slimming. Using thin yarn and thick knitting needles, you will get a loose knitting that looks like an openwork fabric - this method is used when knitting down scarves. By the way, you should train on fluffy yarn (wool or mohair) - it can hide all the unevenness.
To begin with, beginners just need to knit a scarf - cast on the required number of loops and knit a narrow and elongated fabric to a more suitable length. In the future, you can start knitting a hat - at the end of knitting, beginners will learn to decrease the loops in the given knitting. As soon as the small items are mastered, start knitting more complex items.
Garter stitch is the first way to make a fabric. Therefore, our ancestors knitted everything using this technique until they came up with a purl loop and ways to combine them with a knit stitch. Modern knitters are able to create masterpieces with complex patterns and intricate details. And the whole head is garter stitch.
Most knitted items are based on two types of stitches: purl and . Therefore, before starting any complex drawing, you need to master the necessary technique. And for this you need to knit a few simple samples. One such is the following, which will use two-way garter stitch.
The name of this knitting technique is not accidental. Previously, down scarves were knitted using garter stitch. It is quite dense, retains heat well, and also looks very nice.
Definitions and basic rules
-
First, let's define the knit stitch that we need for this knitting.
Insert the right needle from below into the loop located on the left needle. Grab the thread on your index finger and pull it back. Remove the stitch from the left needle. This is the front loop; - The first loop is removed;
- We knit the last loop with a purl loop.
Let's start garter stitch
It is necessary to knit according to the pattern below, where | - face loop.
- Cast on about 24 stitches on both needles, carefully pull out one needle (the loops remain on the second) and proceed to knitting;
- First row: slip the first stitch, knit the rest in knit stitch;
- Second and subsequent rows: knit in the same way.
This knitting method is quite popular because it is quickly learned and has a simple technique. You can knit a scarf, hat or scarf from ordinary double-sided garter stitch. Nowadays, it is also widely used for knitting trims for blouses, collars, etc.
