Garter Stitch, the Pleasure is mine.
Garter Stitch, also known as Knit Stitch, is the first type of knitting many of us learn. To make Garter Stitch when knitting flat, you knit on both the right and wrong side, or purl on both sides. One is the opposite of the other, and since Garter Stitch looks the same on the front or back either all purl or all knit can be used. Garter Stitch in the round is achieved by knitting a row and then purling a row, and repeating this over and over. Once I mastered the basic Garter Stitch I moved on to Stockinette Stitch with knit on the right side and purl on the wrong side. I never looked back until recently. Garter Stitch was relegated to an edge stitch for stability or a back drop to show off other techniques.
A few knits back, I worked on a striped portion of the Chopmist Shawl by Pam Sluter and I noticed how well the stitch worked with stripes. The sections with all garter stitch were beautiful even bumps showing off the yarn and the color.
I then started the cowl above, Rikaart by Megi Burcl, and was amazed at the pleasure of doing multiple techniques in plain Garter Stitch. Her pattern uses many types of stripes, blocks of color, a little intarsia, picking up stitches, and increasing to the right and left. The entire cowl is done in Garter Stitch, and it shows off the patterning and techniques well.
Striping is bold with Garter Stitch; the bumps of the back and forth knit stitch provide a nice even edge, making the stripes look cleaner and straighter than the stripes do in other types of knitting. The stitch makes it simple to pick up along edges to knit in different directions.
Short row wraps do not have to be picked up since they blend well with the Garter Stitch natural bumps in the yarn. Picking up along any edge is easy, making it an ideal stitch for entrelac, modular, or multidirectional knitting.
3 Keys to a Great Looking Garter Stitch
1.Even Tension: This is the difference between nice even bumps and sloppy out of shape rows.
2.The Right Needle: Needle size determines how close each row of bumps are to each other. A smaller needle will result in a tighter row spacing, while a larger needle will result in rows that are farther away.
3.Consistent Technique: Make sure the yarn is wrapped around the full part of the needle when you begin and end the stitch. Often we get in a hurry and wrap the beginning around the point and only check tension at the end of stitch. This will make for uneven bumps. Take your time and use the needle to help with consistency.
2.The Right Needle: Needle size determines how close each row of bumps are to each other. A smaller needle will result in a tighter row spacing, while a larger needle will result in rows that are farther away.
3.Consistent Technique: Make sure the yarn is wrapped around the full part of the needle when you begin and end the stitch. Often we get in a hurry and wrap the beginning around the point and only check tension at the end of stitch. This will make for uneven bumps. Take your time and use the needle to help with consistency.
So take some time this month and enjoy a little Garter Stitch. Knit Knit Knit, and relax while watching magical bumps of yarn create a gorgeous, even fabric that holds its shape while draping well and allowing for some stretch.
Jim L.
A proud member of the Snohomish Knitter's Guild who enjoys sharing tips and tricks, and also experimenting with different knit and crochet techniques.
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