Kitchener Stitch Tutorial

Kitchner stitch is a technique for invisibly weaving together live stitches. The photo above shows Kitchner stitch worked in contrasting yarn so that you can see what it does. Knitters tend to shy away from learning this stitch because it seems complicated when all written out, but it's actually very simple to do; the only real challenge is keeping track of where you are in the steps.

Step 1: Thread a tapestry needle with the same yarn you used to work your project. Hold the needles with the live stitches parallel in your left hand. Insert the tapestry needle through the first stitch on the front needle as if to PURL. Pull the yarn through, leaving a tail that you will weave in later. Leave the stitch on the front needle.

Step 2: Insert the tapestry needle through the first stitch on the back needle as if to KNIT, pull the yarn through, leaving the stitch on the back needle.

Step 3: Insert the tapestry needle through the first stitch on the front needle as if to KNIT, pull the yarn through, removing the stitch from the front needle.

Step 4: Insert the tapestry needle through the first stitch on the front needle as if to PURL, pull the yarn through, leaving the stitch on the front needle.

Step 5: Insert the tapestry needle through the first stitch on the back needle as if to PURL, pull the yarn through, removing the stitch on the back needle.

Step 6: Insert the tapestry needle through the first stitch on the back needle as if to KNIT, pull the yarn through, leaving the stitch on the back needle.

Repeat Step 3 - Step 6 until all stitches have been worked. Every few stitches, adjust the tension of your work, making sure not to pull too tightly. Remember, you are making an extra row of knitting rather than sewing together a seam.

Comments

[judy]

Hey, thanks for the tutorial!

I just want to add two little pieces of information:
1. This will add a row of stitches to your finished object (this is something not always immediately apparent to beginners).
2. This method will give you an invisible stockinette stitch _not_ garter stitch.

:)

[Noemi]

Thanks soooo much for this tutorial! I've seen it done before but I never tried it myself it was nice that I knew exactly where to go to find out how to do it! HERE! thanks!!

[Stacey]

Thank you so much. I used the attached i-cord tutorial and the kitchener stitch as well. Both were EXTREMELY helpful. Your directions and photos are very clear. Thanks again!!!

[Charlene]

Thanks for the pattern! I am enjoying making it. I am having one problem though. Everytime I try to graft the icord together, it doesn't look right. I've taken it apart so many times already and I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. The front needle is the needle without the working yarn correct? Or am I doing this wrong? Any advice?

[purlbee]

Hi Charlene,

It sounds like you have the needles properly arranged. I suspect the trouble is in identifying the first and last stitches of the I-cord. They can be somewhat obscure because of the way an I-cord folds around, making for a tricky initiation into the world of kitchener stitch.

I might advise you to practice the kitchener with two pieces of normal flat knitting. Just knit up two quick stockinette swatches, don't bind them off and try grafting them together. The confidence and experience you get from that practice may be all you need to tackle the I-cord!

Good luck!
Whitney

[Elida Dillon]

Your step by step instructions for the kitchener stitch was extremely helpful to me while I was recently finishing a pair of socks.

[Abby]

This was really helpful! Thanks for all the great photos to go with it - it was like having a helpful friend there to guide me along. I used the kitchener stitch to finish off the Lovely Leaf Lace scarf which i made for my aunt and which turned out great - thanks for linking those instructions to this tutorial, too.

I do have a question - I threaded on yarn that was about 5X the width of the scarf and still ran out before I reached the other side. Is there a handy ratio/way to tell how much yarn you will need for wider projects?

[Paul]

Thank you for the clearly illustrated and worded explanation of the Kitchener Stitch. We need a little memnonic to help remember the steps - if I can come up with a jaunty jingle I will be sure to share with you - until then, this is so well done - I am a new knitter and using this to finish my Turkiish Bed Socks. Thanks for the great photos and description of the technique. Paul :-}>

[Brennie]

Hooray! A depicted kitchener tutorial! Thanks so much for posting this, I've already used it many times :)
I do have a question though; what if your project is ribbed? I'm working on a sweater and I'm supposed to work the kitchener stitch over a 1x1 ribbed neckline. Any tips? Better yet; any pictures?
Thanks again!

[Kay]

Thank you for this VERY clear tutorial. It was better than all the videos available for me. My first Christmas stocking is now done. Only 8 more to go :-0

[Kathy]

The tutorial instructions seem very clear, and I've double checked with a few videos. However, I'm having a bit of trouble; to me, there's a fairly obvious seam once I've finished grafting. I used this stitch to graph the two sides a stockinette practice piece and the right side isn't bad, but along the wrong side there's a raised seam.
Given that the stitch is described as being invisible, I'm guessing this is incorrect. Any suggestions?

[Sarah]

Just a quick question - are you grafting with what was your working yarn?

Thanks for the great pictures and instructions.

[purl bee]

Hi Sarah-

You are indeed grafting with the working yarn. Thanks for your question!

[Bronwen]

Thank you very much for this tutorial, the result is very attractive!

[Sheila]

I knit constantly but use this stitch only every now and then and can never quite remember how to do it. Your photos are the best and so easy to follow, thanks so much!

[prairiedale]

Thank you for making your tutorials printable. I used this tutorial to finish up my first lace project tonight!

[iris]

Hi! I just finished a scarf on regular knitting needles and I'd like to join the two ends to make an infinity/circle scarf. I was wondering if the kitchener stich was what I needed to do. If so, I understand I need the same amount of stitches on each needle...but does it mean I have to use my second needle and go through the stitches of the very first row of my scarf and then, start grafting with the very last row of my project? I'm confused and it wouldn't suprise me if I don't make any sense haha! If the kitchener stitch doesn't have anything to do with this, could you give me some advice on how I join the two ends? I've tried the sewing technique with the tapestry needle but I don't understand what to do after joining the ends. Am I supposed to cut the yarn and make a knot? Sorry for the long comment and thank you for your time!

[iris]

HI! You don't have to approve of this comment, I was just wondering when were you going to answer my latest question on this post? It has been approved already but there's no answer for it.

[purl bee]

Hi Iris-

Someone should be answering your question this week. It can take a few days because of the volume of knitting questions we get.

Thank you for your patience!

Molly

[purl bee]

Hi Iris,

The Kitchener Stitch requires two sets of "live" stitches. Since it sounds like you did a regular cast on, you only have one set of live stitches (provided you haven't bound off yet). In other words, it's too late for the Kitchener Stitch! In the future, if you know you're going to want to graft two ends of a scarf together, you should consider beginning with a Provisional Cast On (here's our tutorial: http://www.purlbee.com/provisional-cast-on-tutorial/).

So, what to do with what you have? I would bind off and cut the tail quite long (2-3 feet). Then thread the tail onto a tapestry needle and use it to sew the two ends together. How you do that depends on your stitch pattern. For example, if you knit a 1 x 1 rib, the Finishing section of our Baby Bloomers pattern shows you how to neatly sew the two sides together: http://www.purlbee.com/baby-bloomers/ . You can also surmise from those instructions how to sew together stockinette or garter stitch.

Please let me know if you have any more questions! Thanks you for these and good luck!

Whitney

[iris]

Thank you very much for your detailed answer and so sorry for my impatience!

[iris]

I checked out the Baby Boomers pattern for a guideline on joining the two ends but I was wondering: Am I supposed to simply sew under the stitches until there is no more visible tail and just leave it there? Won't the tail move if I just sew it in without making any sort of knot at the end? I've taken so much of your time! Thank you again for reading

[purl bee]

Hi Iris,

No problem! We're happy to answer every question you have until you get it right!

It sounds like the next step for you will be our Weaving in Ends Tutorial (http://www.purlbee.com/weaving-in-ends-tutorial/2011/7/14/weaving-in-your-ends.html). You actually hardly ever tie a knot in knitting. Instead, you sew your ends into the finished piece as invisibly as possible. Believe it or not, this is neater and more secure than knots!

Please let us know if you're still stuck... really!

Whitney

[cynD]

I am now ready to do some socks so as to do this stich for real... the toes I have made in the past are not so great... a me-modified stich of sorts to close the toe.. I look forward to following these steps.

THANK YOU!

[Shirley]

I thought I understood until I got to the last photograph where you said to insert the tapestry needly into the first stitch on the back needle but the photograph looks like you are putting it into both of the stitches where the red thread already is.

did I miss something or can you help me out?