Saturday, March 01, 2014

HALF LINEN STITCH

STITCH OF THE MONTH – March 2014
The Half Linen stitch (also known as the Woven stitch) gives a woven effect to the knitted fabric. This simple stitch pattern is worked over a four-row repeat adding both interest and texture.

While it resembles a woven fabric the characteristic of the fabric will be the same as stockinette stitch as it will curl at the edges. This will need to be taken into consideration when doing a scarf or blanket by adding a border at the edge such as a seed or moss stitch. It is not reversible but the ‘wrong side’ has a very interesting texture. 

There are many variations that can be explored with the pattern such as using two colors (one color for the first and second rows and another color for the third and fourth rows), or a double half linen stitch where two stitches are knit and two stitches are slipped which elongates the horizontal yarn weave.


Half Linen Stitch
(Uneven number of stitches)
Row 1 (WS):   Purl.
Row 2: K1, *slip 1 stitch purlwise with yarn in front, k1; repeat from * to end.
Row 3:  Purl.
Row 4:  K2, *slip 1 stitch purlwise with yarn in front, k1; repeat from * to end.
These 4 rows form the Half Linen stitch pattern.

You will require an even number of stitches to knit this pattern on circular needles:
Row 1 (WS):   Purl.
Row 2: *Slip 1 stitch purlwise with yarn in front, k1; repeat from * to end.
Row 3:  Purl.
Row 4:  *K1, slip 1 stitch purlwise with yarn in front; repeat from * to end.

2 comments:

  1. Does this stitch roll around edges?

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    1. Hi there - Yes, it does curl around the edges but not as dramatically as it does with the stockinette stitch. You may want to add border stitches to stop that from happening such as seed or garter stitches.

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