Stitches
Stitches are the individual loops of yarn that make up the knitted fabric and hang on your needles. The number of stitches is counted horizontally.
Category: BasicsExplanation
Stitches are the basic building blocks of knitting – the small loops of yarn that hang on the needles. When you knit, you create new stitches by pulling the yarn through existing ones. The number of stitches determines the width of the knitting. Patterns often state 'cast on 80 stitches', meaning you should create 80 loops on the needle before you start knitting.
Also known as: sts, st
The anatomy of a stitch
A stitch is a loop of yarn pulled through another loop. It has two legs meeting in a point at the base, and the orientation of those legs is what tells you whether the stitch is mounted correctly or twisted. When the front leg sits nearest you and slightly to the right, the stitch is mounted correctly.
Everything else in knitting is built on that single motion. Knit and purl stitches are the same loop seen from opposite sides, and increases and decreases are simply ways of making more or fewer of them.
Counting stitches
Always count after a round with increases or decreases, and after ripping anything back. Placing stitch markers every 20 or 25 stitches means you never recount a whole round — you only recount the section that is off.
Patterns give stitch counts for every size, often in parentheses. Highlight your size throughout the pattern before you start, so you do not read the wrong column in the middle of shaping.
Common mistakes
- Working into the back of a stitch without meaning to, which twists it.
- Counting stitch markers as stitches.
- Skipping the count after a shaping round, so the error only surfaces inches later.
Norwegian Term Reference
Reading Norwegian patterns? See the matching term on Strikketips.no:
Keywords
- stitches
- loops
- stitch count
Frequently asked questions
Why do I suddenly have more stitches than I should?
Almost always an accidental yarn over — the working yarn has crossed over the needle between two stitches. It looks like an extra stitch with a small hole beneath it. Rip back to it, or knit it together with its neighbor on the next row.
What does "work until the piece measures" mean?
Work to a length in inches rather than a set number of rows. Measure down the middle of the fabric while it hangs freely, not stretched out along the needle.