knitting stitches for beginners

Knitting Stitches for Beginners

Use basic, beginner knitting stitches to create a whole world of amazing textures, patterns, and shapes!

First you’ll learn the simplest stitches: knitting and purling. Next, we’ll show you how to combine these two stitches together to create all sorts of fun patterns!

GetTING started:
PURL & KNIT Stitches

The knit stitch and purl stitch are the first basic knitting stitches to learn!

Beginner friendly and absolutely essential, learning how to knit and purl immediately unlocks a whole library of stitch patterns. 

Mix-and-match these two stitches to create a range of textures in your knit projects. Trying different combinations of knitting and purling to create a whole range of textures ranging from squishy and elastic to smooth and flowy. 

Once you’re good to go with these beginner stitches you’ll be ready to tackle the most common stitch patterns! 

Beginner
Knitting Stitches

Level up your skills with these simple, easy-to-learn stitch patterns!

All of these patterns combine basic purl and knit stitches to create texture and structure to knitted fabric. Mix and match with different yarns and project types to create one-of-a-kind hand knits.

Beginner-Friendly Garter Stitch

Garter stitch is the place to start! Say hello to the most basic knitting stitch pattern in all of knitting! Squishy and bouncy, this fabric doesn’t curl at the edges making it the perfect choice for cozy scarves and baby blankets

Level Up With Stockinette Stitch

Stockinette stitch is made by alternating rows of knit and purl stitches back and forth flat. This fabric has a smooth side (knit) and a bumpy side (purl) with fabric that flows and drapes. We love this  stitch for classic sweaters, simple hats, and cozy accessories!

Add Texture Using Simple Seed Stitch

Seed stitch alternates knit and purl stitches across a row to create super textured knit fabric. It’s reversible and doesn’t curl which makes this a great choice for baby blankets, scarves, and dishtowels!

Add Eyelets With Yarn Overs

Ready to level up? A yarn over adds a new stitch to a row of knitting and also creates a decorative eyelet in the fabric below. Yarn overs are handy to know and easy to do!

Learn with A Video!

Learn the basic knitting stitches with our series of video tutorials.

Our growing library of knitting stitches makes it easy to add texture and details to any hand knit project. Get started with our beginner videos for knitting and purling before adding more complex combinations like stockinette or seed stitch!

Beginner Basics

5 Videos

Knitting Stitches:
Beyond the Basics

Learn about more complex knit stitches!

One of the best things about learning how to knit is discovering new stitch patterns! Here are some of the best beginner knitting stitch patterns you can learn. Each one adds texture and an interesting design to basic knitting projects.

Ribbing stitch is made by alternating knit and purl stitches. The most popular version are 1×1 or 2×2 ribbing. Ribbing is very elastic which makes it perfect for cuffs and brims where you need a snug, stretchy fit.

Lace knitting is a whole category of stitch patterns that feature open areas for a loose, flowy fabric. Yarn overs, increases and decreases are used to create beautiful motifs that can include everything from modern geometric designs to traditional floral patterns. This category of stitch patterns typically relies on knitting charts to lay out the design in sections, also known as “repeats”. Explore free lace knitting patterns here!

Cable knitting involves rearranging the order of stitches on your needles (similar to braiding) to create twists in the material. Cables are typically dense with a lot of dramatic texture. You’ll find cables in a range of patterns and project types. This technique relies heavily on knitting charts to lay out the placement of cables in a given stitch pattern. Explore free cable knitting patterns here!

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