The Knit Stitch

Tutorials for Two Variants

Last updated:  04-02-2024

The KNIT STITCH or garter stitch is one of the two major stitches in knitting Knit and Purl Stitches. There are two possible ways of knitting this kind of stitch.

  • a classical way THROUGH THE FRONT LOOP
  • less traditional way THROUGH THE BACK LOOP. Sometimes we call it "Granny's knit stitch".

Both are acceptable but with a caveat.  If you chose the second way, working through the back loop, you will need to make some changes to other types of stitches to prevent creating twisted stitches.

Knit StitchThe Knit Stitch is also called the Garter Stitch

What is the difference between them?

Does it matter how to knit them? Let's look at the design of a loop located on the knitting needle.

Knitting with yellow yarn in a stockinette stitch. Back and Front loops or legs are identified.

Each loop hanging on the needle consists of two half-loops or legs. When looking at the work in front of you, the front loop is facing you or is the one closest to you.  The back loop is on the back of the needle or the one that is farest from you.

If you are making only knit stitches as you might do when making a garter pattern, it doesn't really matter which way you insert the needle. But if you are making knits and purls, it does matter.

  1. BOTH knit and purl stitch have to be knitted either through their front or through their back loops.

  2. As a rule, stitches being knitted through the back loop produce a better quality fabric to compare to the front loop knitted stockinette fabric.

Variant # 1. Knit Stitch Through the Front Loop.

First Row. Step 1.
Drop the first loop off of the source (left) needle to the working (right) needle.

First Row. Step 2.
Yarn is on the back side of the needle.

Insert the working needle, from left to right, into the first loop on the left needle. Wrap the yarn in back counterclockwise, and pull the wrap through the first loop.

Drop the first loop off of the right needle.

A swatch of knit stitches still on needles worked through the back loop

Yarn is on the back side.

Drop the first loop off of the left needle to the right needle.

Insert the working needle, from left to right, into the first loop on the left needle. Wrap the yarn in back counterclockwise, and pull the wrap through the first loop.

Drop the first loop off of the right needle.

Here is a video for you to practice. This knitter uses the continental style of knitting.

The only difference for those who prefer to use English style of knitting will be the supply of the working yarn by the right hand. All the rest is EXACTLY the same.

Variant # 2. Knit Stitch Through the Back Loop.

Working a  stitch through its back loop is presented in the table and a short video below.

Practice tells us that this method combined with a purling a purl stitch through its back loop will produce a better quality stockinette fabric than using the front loop knitted stitches.

Yarn is on the back side.

Drop the first loop off of the left needle to right needle. Insert the working needle, from right to left , into the first loop on the left needle.

Wrap the yarn in back counterclockwise, and pool the wrap through the first loop.

Drop the first loop off of the right needle.

The library of the knitting videos can be found at Needlework Videos page.

Pin for Future Reference

Variations on the knit stitch pin imageVariations on the Knit Stitch
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