The Kitchener stitch, also known as grafting, seamlessly joins two live sets of stitches in knitting, meaning two sets of stitches still on the needles.
It creates an invisible, stretchy bind-off perfect for finishing hats, joining shoulders, or seaming up socks. While it is often used on stockinette fabric, you can also use it on other stitches, such as ribbing and garter.
Feel free to skip over this history lesson, but if you are curious about where the Kitchener Stitch originated, read on.
Though in use earlier, this stitch was named after the British Secretary of War, Horatio Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener, who popularized it during World War I to encourage British and American women to provide socks and other clothing for their soldiers.
Before the Kitchener stitch, regular sock patterns of the time created a seam that irritated toes. With the endless marching and wet trenches, rough knitted seams added to the soldier's misery
The Secretary of War used his position to distribute a sock pattern that used a seamless graft we use today, so the name stuck.
For this tutorial, Kitchener Stitch is worked in two sample Stockinette fabrics, using a different color of the same yarn used to make the swatches.
Ensure you have the same number of stitches on both needles.
Cut your yarn, leaving a tail at least three times the width of the stitches on the needle, plus six inches to weave in the ends.
If it is too long, it will just get in your way.
Thread your tapestry needle.
If you are right-handed, point the needles to the right; if you are left-handed, point the needles to the left. I am right-handed, so these instructions are for right-handed knitters.
Hold your needles parallel with the wrong sides of the fabric facing together and the right side of your knitting facing you.
The working yarn should be attached to the stitch furthest to the right on the back needle.
Work across until you have two stitches left on the needles.
Once all stitches are worked, weave in the yarn tail securely.
TIP
After Preparation, Positioning, and Set up, Memorize these two little lines while working the Kitchener stitch:
Front knit off,
Front purl on,
Back purl off,
Back knit on,
Repeat
What is the mantra for the Kitchener stitch?
Front knit off,
Front purl on,
Back purl off,
Back knit on,
Repeat
Can you do the Kitchener stitch with an even or odd number of stitches?
The Kitchener stitch can be worked on an even or odd number of stitches
Is the Kitchener stitch the same as grafting?
Yes, both mean the same thing.
Can you rip out Kitchener Stitch and redo it?
Yes, remove the tapestry needle and the yarn used to create the Kitchener stitch. However, you must also capture the working stitches that were on both knitting needles simultaneously.
Can the Kitchener Stitch be knitted and purled instead of sewn?
Yes. I found a video that walks you through how to do this without sewing or using a tapestry needle. It requires a third knitting needle of the same size as the other two, but the setup and positioning are the same. This method is NOT the three-needle bind-off, so don’t get those confused.
It might seem difficult initially, but with some practice, the Kitchener stitch is straightforward. It simultaneously creates a smooth, invisible seam and a stretchy bind-off. To make it easier, remember the mantra Front knit off, Front purl on, Back purl off, Back knit on, Repeat to use after the initial setup.
Happy Knitting
Hi, I’m Janice, the voice behind Smart-Knit-Crocheting. I love to knit and crochet and even more, I love teaching others what I know.
Though I learned to knit and crochet as a child, I didn’t get serious about these amazing hobbies until I retired. I’m a certified knit and crochet instructor through the Craft Yarn Council and am working on becoming a Master Hand Knitter through The Knitting Guild Association.
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Happy Crocheting