# Seed Stich Question



## Woodpecker (Mar 8, 2007)

I'm trying to do a seed stich baby blanket but I've had to frog it like 5 times. I just looked it up on you tube and the video said the knit stich you purl? Im confused I thought I was suppossed to K then P every stich, then the last one would be K. I've had to frog it because I keep adding stiches somehow and then the last one gets up being purl.:flame: Please explain this to me! TYIA


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## RedDirt Cowgirl (Sep 21, 2010)

Hi Dreamy!

Seed stich, or moss stitch, can be confounding, so don't fret yourself.

The concept is to alternate knit 1, purl 1. (You can also start with a purl as the first stitch in the "stitch pattern".)

TIP: Moving the working yarn from front to back can sometimes be the hangup; it's an easy-to-make mistake to move the yarn over the needle and create a yarn over which adds an extra stitch.

HERE'S HOW:
With the yarn in back, knit 1, bring the yarn forward between the needles, purl 1, take the yarn to the back, again between, or under the needles, and knit 1. Keep alternating knit and purl.

When you turn your work to start a new row, if the last stich of the previous row of the pattern was a knit, you'll be looking at the back of it and it will be a purl (there's the bump!) facing you, so you start with a knit stich. If the last stitch was a purl, the back of it will be a knit, so again, you purl it.

That's why folks say "knit the purls and purl the knits". In stockinette stitch you "knit the knits and purl the purls".


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## sewserious (Apr 2, 2010)

Even easier for doing seed stitch is to always use an odd number of stitches; that way you will always start a row with a knit stitch and end on a knit stitch. You don't have to keep up with what stitch ended the previous row with this method. 

Also, after the first couple of rows, you will be able to see whether a stitch should be a knit or purl because the stitches will slant away from each other like this \/. The first stitch, working right to left, would be a knit, the second would be a purl. YMMV, since I knit continental, I assume the stitches will slant away from each other using another method of knitting.

I always found that saying quite confusing, to me it is backwards. With seed stitch, if I knit a stitch on the previous row, I am going to knit that stitch again not purl it. I understand that it is speaking of the stitch as you are looking at it; but not all beginners do nor did I when teaching myself to knit. I finally found a video that explained it normally; if you knit a stitch on the previous row, you knit it on the current row and now I can do seed stitch correctly.


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## Woodpecker (Mar 8, 2007)

Thanks RedDirt Cowgirl and sewserious! That did clear up some stuff for me and it explained how I'm adding stiches.


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

Good instructions, gals. I love the seed stitch. It is an easy way to dress up something plain.


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## RedDirt Cowgirl (Sep 21, 2010)

I'm such an enthusiast about seed (moss) stitch I just can't leave this thread alone. It doesn't curl or twist, is very dense, and makes a great filler in all kinds of stitch patterns. Wonderful for edgings, buttons bands, etc., as it's the same on front and back.

When I was new to knitting I made a hood from angora and liked the way the hairs seemed to flow to the knit side of stockinette (not as fuzzy on the purl side) and I had seen and been advised on the wonderfulness of garter stitch, so I used that for the front edge. BIG MISTAKE! Looked great, but in a short while it turned back over the stockinette instead of lying flat. A very painful learning experience, as I had gifted the hood to my niece.

I like the stitch pattern called "Irish Moss" too, where you knit the knits on the second row, then flip to purl the knits for two rows.


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## sewserious (Apr 2, 2010)

I agree it is a nice stitch. I am actually knitting a blanket/throw in worsted-weight cotton using seed stitch right now.


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## Woodpecker (Mar 8, 2007)

RedDirt Cowgirl said:


> Hi Dreamy!
> 
> Seed stich, or moss stitch, can be confounding, so don't fret yourself.
> 
> ...


I've been doing this method now and for some reason it looks like a knit stich the whole way, what gives? How could a simple concept be so frustrating. Thanks for all the advice it really helps!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Are you alternating your stitches, K1P1K1P1 all the way across and the the opposite on the way back?

Can you take a picture of your work and post it? I don't mean to ask stupid questions but can you read your stitches? Do you know how to tell a knit stitch from a purl stitch when you look at them on the needles? Knit stitches have 'V' necks and purls have turtle necks.


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## sheepish (Dec 9, 2006)

Marchwind said:


> Knit stitches have 'V' necks and purls have turtle necks.


I love that description.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I think someone here came up with that (Cyndi, GAM or maybe WIHH) I've used it many times to help students recognize stitches, it really helps.


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## Woodpecker (Mar 8, 2007)

I kept going and it finally looks like seed stitch, its just not as bumpy as I thought it should be. Marchwind I just learned how to read my stitches. Im finding that often the stiches are opposite, meaning I have a knit stitch on the needle where as I should purl the next. I hope that makes sense.


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## RedDirt Cowgirl (Sep 21, 2010)

It helps me to use a cotton yarn when I'm learning new stitch patterns 'cause I can see what's going on a little better. Another good "learning" yarn is that rainbow varigated stuff Lion puts out. Maybe swatch with just a few stitches in multiples of 2 and keep a close count as you go with markers to keep your place. I also learn more when I "pick" back my stitches with the needles instead of just frogging by pulling the yarn out off the needles.

The mon trico Knitting Dictionary has these instructions and they call it moss or rice stitch. (page 41)

Multiple of 2.
*Row 1:* *K1, p1*.
*Row 2:* As row 1
*Note: If row ends k1, the next row will begin K1, or vice versa.*

(P.S.: I was TOTALLY flummoxed by the whole K the P stitches and P the K stitches and several stitch patterns call for it, like chevron rib Rows 2, 4, 6 & 8. When I made a knit stitch I figured it *was* a knit stitch even when looking at it from the reverse side. *NOT.:stars:* I finally grasped that making a purl stitch is just a knit stitch reversed.)


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## RedDirt Cowgirl (Sep 21, 2010)

Couldn't see your last post when I was doing mine, Dreamy, didn't mean to belabor you.:lonergr:


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## sewserious (Apr 2, 2010)

RedDirt Cowgirl said:


> The mon trico Knitting Dictionary has these instructions and they call it moss or rice stitch. (page 41)
> 
> Multiple of 2.
> *Row 1:* *K1, p1*.
> ...


That is the opposite of what I was taught. LOL! I was taught that moss stitch uses multiples of 3; that way you don't have to remember which stitch to use when starting the next row. You always start and end with a knit stitch. I find that is really the easiest, especially for beginners.


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## Woodpecker (Mar 8, 2007)

Thanks for all the advice, my blanket is finally coming along nicely.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Yahoo!!!! Make sure you take pictures so we get to see it too!


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