Horizontal Knit Welt Stitch  How-to Tutorial for Beginners

Horizontal Knit Welt Stitch by Janice Jones Last updated May 15, 2026

The Horizontal Knit Welt Stitch is a beginner-friendly knit and purl stitch pattern that creates raised horizontal ridges across the fabric. Although it belongs to the family of knitting rib stitches, this pattern stretches vertically rather than side to side like traditional ribbing.

Because it uses only knit and purl rows worked over a simple 6-row repeat, this stitch is an excellent choice for beginners who want to move beyond basic garter and stockinette stitch patterns without learning complicated techniques.

The Horizontal Knit Welt Stitch is also reversible, meaning both sides of the fabric look nearly identical. The extra texture gives the fabric a thicker appearance, making it a good option for scarves, blankets, dishcloths, cowls, and other cozy projects where both sides of the work may show.

You may also see this pattern called the Reverse Ridge Stitch. The term “welt” refers to the raised ridges created within the knitted fabric.

Horizontal Knit Welt Stitch swatch, yarn, and notionsHorizontal Knit Welt Stitch Pattern Tutorial

At a Glance

Right side of a swatch created with the Horizontal Welt knit Stitch in green yarn Right Side
The wrong side showing of the Horizontal Welt Stitch swatch worked in green yarnWrong Side

What can you make with the Horizontal Welt Knit Stitch?

This knit pattern works well for blankets and scarves. Designers have also used this stitch to create hats.  I personally think it would be very easy to knit some fingerless gloves without the need for too much math and measuring.

How to Make the Horizontal Welt Stitch Pattern

Skills Required for This Tutorial

Supplies

For this stitch tutorial, use whatever yarn you have on hand and the corresponding knitting needles.

  • For the tutorial, I used Red Heart Super Saver Yarn, a worsted-weight acrylic yarn
  • Number 8 (5.0 mm) knitting needles
  • Scissors
  • Yarn needle for weaving in ends
  • One stitch marker for identifying the right side of the work (optional)

Abbreviations

  • CO: Cast on
  • st: Stitch
  • P: Purl
  • K: Knit
  • RS: Right side of the work
  • BO: Bind off
  • WS: Wrong side of the work

Written Instructions for Working Flat with Straight Needles

Cast on any number of stitches

Row 1 (RS): Knit across.
Row 2 (WS): Purl across.
Row 3: Knit across.
Row 4: Knit across.
Row 5: Purl across.
Row 6: Knit across.

Repeat these six rows until you reach your desired length. Bind off and weave in ends.

Instructions for Working Flat in Chart Form

Horizontal Knit Welt Stitch Chart Pattern

Instructions for Working in the Round on Circular Needles

Cast on any number of stitches.  Join to work in the round, making sure that stitches are not twisted.  Place a stitch marker to indicate where your rounds begin.

Round 1: Knit all stitches
Round 2: Purl all stitches
Round 3: Knit all stitches
Round 4: Knit all stitches
Round 5: Purl all stitches
Round 6: Knit all stitches

Repeat these six rounds until your project reaches the desired length.

Problem Solving / Troubleshooting

My Ridges Don’t Look Even

Tension problems often show up as rows that have uneven stitches.  Some may appear larger than others.  This can be frustrating for beginners, especially when they see a picture online and wonder why their work looks different. Regular knitting practice will often solve the problem of uneven tension, but becoming aware of how we knit can also help.  Learn more about tension issues in my article about how to knit even stitches.

I lost track of the 6-row repeat

The best way I have found to keep track of where I am in my project is very old-school.  I keep a notepad and pencil nearby and use old-fashioned tally marks.  You can also keep track with row counters.  Learning to read your stitches will also help if you don't know which row to knit next.  

My edges look messy

Salvage stitches, or the first and last stitches in a row, are often messy because they only have one edge to connect to the next stitch.  There's not much that you can do about that.  However, sitting next to the salvage stitches are the edge stitches (the second stitch in the row and the next-to-last stitch). These stitches shouldn't look messy, but many beginners struggle with this problem.  Again, this is a tension problem that can be fixed. My article on tension might help.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Horizontal Knit Welt Stitch good for beginners?

Yes. This stitch pattern uses only knit and purl stitches, making it a great choice for beginners who want to practice basic skills while creating textured fabric.

Is the Horizontal Knit Welt Stitch reversible?

Yes. Both sides of the fabric look nearly identical, which makes this stitch useful for scarves, blankets, cowls, and other projects where both sides may be visible.

Does the Horizontal Knit Welt Stitch curl?

This stitch generally lies flatter than stockinette stitch because the alternating knit and purl rows help balance the fabric. However, the edges may still curl slightly depending on the yarn and tension used.

Why is it called a welt stitch?

In knitting, the word “welt” refers to a raised ridge or tube-like section worked into the fabric. In this pattern, the horizontal ridges create that welted appearance.

Is this stitch the same as garter stitch?

No. Although both stitches create horizontal ridges, garter stitch is made by knitting every row, while the Horizontal Knit Welt Stitch combines knit and purl rows in a 6-row repeat.

What projects work well with the Horizontal Knit Welt Stitch?

This stitch works especially well for scarves, blankets, dishcloths, cowls, hats, and simple home decor projects because the textured fabric is warm, stretchy, and reversible.

More Related Stitches to Investigate

Purl ridge knit pattern thumb size 350-234Purl Ridge
Thumbnail of the Knit Tile Stitch worked in blueTile Stitch
Garter stitch pattern worked in beige yarn, thumbnail imageGarter Stitch
The knit hurdle stitch pattern made with pink yarn.Hurdle Stitch

The Horizontal Welt Knit Stitch:  Pin for Future Reference

The Horizontal Welt Knit Stitch Pattern pin image