Posted on 28-4-2022 by Janita van Rijnsbergen
Hello, May! We are delighted to welcome this month. The winter cold is behind us at last. The scent and color of nature this month are like no other. Garden parties and BBQs are back on the agenda. And, best of all, we can enjoy crafting for hours in the sun again. And perhaps work on a (festival) bag with this new 'Stitch of the month'.
Take a quick look at the swatch. What would you guess? Is it knitted or crocheted? You may have already read the spoiler in this post’s title, but yes, incredibly, it is crocheted! The stitch we present to you this month is aptly called knit stitch.
How do you crochet knit stitch?
Crocheted knit stitch is also known as waistcoat stitch or center single crochet stitch. By using this stitch, you can give your crochet fabric a knitted stockinette look. The resulting fabric is supple but strong and therefore ideal for making a bag, for example.
Knit stitch is actually just single crochet. The difference lies in where you insert your hook. With a regular single crochet, you insert your hook under the horizontal V-shaped loops at the top of the stitch. With knit stitch, however, you insert through the center of the vertical V at the front. It may sound complicated, but if you watch the video tutorial below, it will all become crystal clear.
What can you crochet with knit stitch?
There are a few dos and don'ts to bear in mind when crocheting knit stitch. This stitch only really works in the round. If you crochet back and forth in rows, the stitches will no longer line up neatly on top of each other, and you will lose the knitted stockinette effect. You also need to make sure you crochet this stitch quite loosely. If you tend to crochet tightly, then use a larger hook than recommended to keep your fabric supple and make inserting your hook easier.
What beautiful projects can you crochet with knit stitch? It would make a wonderful basket for your bathroom or a plant basket to hold the monstera in your living room. In warmer months, use knit stitch to make a festival bag. In winter, crochet a cozy, warm cowl with it.
Our hot knit stitch tip: the Slouchy Pouch bag from Yarn and Colors. You can buy the digital crochet pattern or shop the complete crochet kit. You have the choice of making it in one or two colors.
Free crochet pattern – Knit stitch
Before we get started, here is a list of all you need to crochet the knit stitch swatch.
Materials needed:
- 1 ball Yarn and Colors Zen, swatch in color 072 Glass
- Crochet hook 6.5 mm
Abbreviations used (US terms; UK in brackets)
ch – chain
st(s) – stitch(es)
sl st – slip stitch
sc – single crochet (UK double crochet)
For the swatch, we worked across 30 stitches and for a total of 15 rounds.
Start: Ch 30, sl st into 1st ch to close into a ring.
Round 1: Work 30 sc into ch sts around ring.
Round 2: 30 sc, inserting your hook knit-st wise through the middle of the V at the front of the st instead of under the V loops lying at the top of the st.
Repeat round 2 until you reach the desired height.
Video tutorial – Crochet knit stitch
Learn even more crochet stitches
Want to learn more crochet stitches while sitting in the sun? Check out all the posts in our Stitch of the Month series, packed with inspiration and in-depth tutorials.
Never want to miss a Stitch of the Month? Then subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow Yarnplaza on Instagram and Facebook.
