Stockinette Stitch That Doesn’t Curl

Stockinette stitch is one of the most popular stitches in knitting. And probably the oldest one – the oldest knit artefact found by archaeologists (“Coptic sock”) is dated back to around 11th century CE and is knit in stockinette. 

We all use this stitch from time to time, and we would probably use it more often if not for the annoying tendency of stockinette to curl at all edges. The sides usually curl from the knit side to the purl side, and the top and bottom edges in the other direction, as you can clearly see in the photo below (and from your own knitting experience).

So how do we tweak stockinette stitch to stop it from curling? I found a very interesting solution in my favourite reference book (“The Principles of Knitting” by June Hemmons Hiatt), that not only eliminates curling, but also adds a beautiful texture to stockinette.

The improved texture solves another issue stockinette stitch has – it makes it more forgiving to mistakes. Now if you accidentally twist a stitch, or if your gauge is not even, it won’t show on the finished project. How amazing is that? 🙂 

See for yourself the difference between the two stockinettes in the photo below (both swatches are NOT blocked):

So how do we give the stockinette stitch an almost magical makeover?

You have to use two strands of yarn held together. This is the secret trick 🙂 

The only downside of this way to work stockinette stitch is that because you are spending a fraction of a second to separate two strands of each stitch, it takes a bit longer to knit. 

But who’s in a rush when it comes to knitting something extraordinary, right? 

---

The full step-by-step photo tutorial about this method is a part of the Knitting Collection #1. Once you order your copy of this collection, you will instantly receive a “big PDF” (190 pages!) with this and 22 other tutorials included in the collection.

You will also receive two e-books and six knitting patterns as a special bonus, so go ahead and get it all right now before you forget 😊

---

If you enjoyed this tutorial,
here’s something else you might find helpful:

---

---