Let's be cozy with your yarn and needles because the elastic knitting stitch is all about adding a stretchy, snug touch to your creations. Perfect for hats, socks, and sweater cuffs, this stitch gives your projects the right amount of bounce and hold. It's a simple alternating mix of knits and purls, which together make a fabric that hugs and stretches with ease.
Elastic Knitting Stitch Pattern
Materials Needed:
- Yarn of your choice
- Knitting needles appropriate for your yarn
Instructions:
Cast On: Start with a slip knot and perform a longtail cast on. You'll want to cast on in multiples of two, then add an additional two stitches for the selvage edges. For example, if you cast on 10 for your swatch, this time you might cast on 12, plus 2 for the selvage, totaling 14 stitches.
Row 1 (Wrong Side): This entire row will be purled, except for the first and last stitch, which are your selvage stitches and will be knit. So, you'll knit the first stitch (selvage), purl the next 12 stitches, and knit the last stitch (selvage).
Row 2 (Right Side): Knit the first stitch for the selvage edge. Then start the pattern of purl 1, knit 1 until you reach the last stitch, which is your second selvage stitch, and knit it.
Row 3: Repeat Row 2. Again, start with a knit stitch for the edge, then continue with purl 1, knit 1 across the row until you reach the last stitch, and knit it for the selvage edge.
Subsequent Rows: Continue with repeating Row 2 for the pattern, always knitting the first and last stitch of each row for the selvage edges.
It's important to keep your edge or selvage stitches consistent to maintain a neat edge on both sides of your work. This stitch pattern will produce a fabric that looks similar to a 1x1 rib stitch and is highly elastic and stretchy, making it suitable for cuffs, collars on socks, sweaters, and other projects where a stretchy rib is desired.
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