How to Knit Double Moss Stitch in the Round (Knitting Lessons for Crocheters, Lesson 8)
Can you believe that we’re eight weeks in to BiCrafty Bootcamp: Knitting Lessons for Crocheters?! You’ve learned so much so far. This month you’ve been knitting in the round, working on a cowl as you continue to build your skills. We’re going to learn a new stitch pattern this week to add to this stitch sampler cowl pattern. So, it’s to time to learn how to knit double moss stitch.
BiCrafty Bootcamp Recap: Knitting Lessons for Crocheters To Date
This month we’ve already started learning how to knit a cowl in the round. You began by learning how to knit K1, P1 ribbing in the round. Then you learned how to knit seed stitch in the round. You’re going to continue the body today with a new stitch pattern; you’ll learn how to knit double moss stitch in the round.
Before we delved into this cowl, you learned how to knit in rows, of course. You might want to go back to some of those early lessons. At the bottom of each post you’ll find free patterns that you can use to continue practicing these foundational skills. To recap, those early lessons were:
- We learned how to cast on and knit stitch
- Then we learned how to knit garter stitch. We also learned to cast off. Furthermore, many of us made a dishcloth.
- After that, we learned how to purl. Furthermore, that meant we could learn stockinette stitch. And we made our first mug rug.
- Then we learned how to change colors and bury ends. We made our second mug rug, a striped stockinette pattern.
- After that, you learned the K2, P2 ribbing. You made a coffee cup sleeve.
Pat yourself on the back knitter, you’ve come a long way!!! And if you’re a little bit further back than the rest of the group, that’s totally okay, too. It’s okay to take this at your own pace. You CAN do this. Wherever you are in the journey is perfectly fine.
How to Knit Double Moss Stitch in the Round
There are many different ways to combine your knits and purls to create different texture. Last week, we worked on seed stitch, in which you knit your purls and purl your knits. As we discussed, seed stitch may be called by many other names in knit and crochet including granite stitch and moss stitch. However, these aren’t standard names. In other ones, moss stitch may or may not be the same as seed stitch. That’s important to note because today we’re learning a variation of moss stitch called the knit double moss stitch. Of course, we’re continuing to work on our cowl, so we’re knitting it in the round.
What You Already Know That Helps With Double Moss Stitch
Learning how to knit double moss stitch is a natural extension of the things that you learned so far. Remember that you learned K2, P2. Then you learned K1, P1 in the round. Then you learned seed stitch, which is similar to K1, P1 except that you place your knits in purls and purls in knits instead of placing knits in knits and purls and purls. Well, when you learn how to knit double moss stitch, you’ll discover that you’re going back to that K2, P2 repeat but with a placement concept that’s similar to the seed stitch!
Moss Stitch vs Double Moss Stitch in Knitting
Regular knit moss stitch, which is also sometimes called Irish Moss Stitch, is a four row repeat. So is double moss stitch. The only difference is that regular knit moss stitch uses K1, P1 whereas double moss stitch uses K2, P2. You’ll do the same thing for two rows then the opposite thing for two rows, completing the four row repeat.
Regular Moss Stitch in the Round
- Alternate K1, P1 across entire round.
- Repeat K1, P1 across entire round
- Alternate P1, K1 across entire round.
- Repeat P1, K1 across entire round
How to Knit Double Moss Stitch in the Round
Working double moss stitch in the round is very similar:
- Alternate K2, P2 across entire round.
- Repeat K2, P2 across entire round.
- Alternate P2, K2 across entire round.
- Repeat P2, K2 across entire round.
Knit double moss stitch is sometimes also called checkerboard stitch, knit double seed stitch, or two stitch check. Always read the instructions for any pattern to make sure that what the designer is asking you to do is the stitch that you’re familiar with.
That said, it’s really pretty simple know that you’ve got your knitting legs under you a bit. You’ll K2, P2 for an entire round and repeat it for a second round. Then you’ll switch and P2, K2 for the next two rounds. And so on and so forth.
Crocheter’s Edge
Truth be told, you’re a knitter now, not only a crocheter. Therefore, you might not even need crocheter-specific tips to help you continue to build your knitting skills! But, of course, this is BiCrafty Bootcamp: Knitting Lessons for Crocheters. Therefore, we want to continue to emphasize how your experience as a crocheter makes learning to knit easier. This week what helps most is:
- You understand working with different textured stitches to create different fabric types. You’ve been learning this in knitting with ribbing and seed stitch, so now you’ll learn it with moss stitch.
- If you’ve worked moss stitch, granite stitch, checkerboard stitches in crochet then you’ll have a sense of what the fabric should feel like.
- You understand working in the round, changing the order of your stitches from one round to the next.
- Many of the BiCrafty Bootcampers have noticed that they know enough now to begin reading knitting patterns. Since you know how to read crochet patterns and you know a few knit stitches now, this might be something that you’re ready to try.
Knitters Tips for Crocheters
Just remember that although seed stitch and moss stitch are crochet stitches as well as knit stitches, they’re created differently. What you know in crochet helps you in knitting but don’t let it define your knitting. Don’t doubt yourself as a knitter. You’ve got this!
BiCrafty Bootcamp Knit Cowl Pattern, Part 3, Double Moss Stitch
Pick up where you left off after you completed the seed stitch on last week’s cowl.
- Round 1: *K2, P2; repeat from * to end of round.
- Round 2: *K2, P2; repeat from * to end of round.
- Round 3: *P2, K2; repeat from * to end of round.
- Round 4: *P2, K2; repeat from * to end of round.
Repeat in rounds of four as above until you have 1″ – 1.5″ of double knit moss stitch added to your cowl. This is a flexible cowl design so feel free to make this section more or less wide depending on your preferences.
Extra Credit
As we were working on this cowl, Marly realized that a crochet stitch pattern she was using in a Michaels class on a market bag pattern was perfect to add to this cowl. It also uses knits and purls just like the ribbing, seed stitch and double moss stitch. But it also uses a slip stitch. So we get to learn a new stitch, building our skills. This part of the cowl is optional but if want the extra credit, then go for it!
The video live about shows you how to knit slip stitch. And you’ll learn the difference between knit slip stitch and crochet slip stitch.
The pattern for this part of the cowl is:
- Round one: knit
- Round two: knit
- Round three: *purl 4, slip one purlwise with yarn in back; repeat from *that around the row NOTE: If you want to start learning knit stitch abbreviations, that’s covered in the video as well. One way that this might read is Sl1Pyb.
- Round four: repeat round three
TIP: Purlwise and Knitwise simply mean the angle at which you insert the hook into the stitch. So now you know something new that will help you when reading patterns!
Repeat those four rounds four as many times as you want to get the length you want for this section of the cowl. Then add two more rounds of just knit stitch.
Additional Videos and Patterns You’re Ready For
At this stage of BiCrafty Bootcamp, you might want to check out these patterns:
- Fiesole Throw uses double moss stitch for the border and a K7, P7 repeat for the body.
- Milano Throw uses garter stitch, stockinette stitch, and double moss stitch. You know all of these now!
- Carry Along Cuddle Blanket is a moss stitch knit pattern with a crochet border. Fun!
