A library of popular knitting stitch patterns and how to knit them. Click on the links to access the step-by-step instructions and video tutorials. If you still need to brush up your knitting skills, then I recommend you to work through my free knitting school as well. Also, as there are so many different knitting stitches, you might consider investing in one of the many excellent stitch pattern books.
Garter Stitch
The most basic knitting stitch perfect for beginners. Fluffy and stretchy, perfect for scarfs.
Stockinette Stitch
A timeless classic for sweaters. The perfect pattern to show off luxurious yarns.
Double Stockinette Stitch
The reversible and non-curling sister of the classic stocking stitch.
1×1 rib stitch
The mother of all cuffs and hems: Stretchy, easy to knit for beginners and very versatile.
2×2 rib stitch
A very popular knitting stitch pattern for hems, cuffs, and socks – with a lot of negative ease
Rib Stitch Variations
An overview of the most common rib stitch variations. 2×2, ziz-zag, twisted rib, etc
Seed stitch
A very simple knit/purl variation suitable for beginners, and a great pattern for shawls
Moss stitch
A popular and easy 4-row repeat pattern with a lot of texture. Perfect for sweaters and dishcloths
Double Moss Stitch
Stretchier, but just as charming as the Irish Moss Stitch – perfect for scarfs, hats and washcloths.
Brioche Stitch
Incredibly fluffy & perfect for scarfs. An easy 1-row repeat but a bit of yarn eater.
Half Brioche Stitch
A variation of the classic stitch that has two sides and is not reversible
Fisherman’s rib stitch
Same pattern as brioche but different technique – try it out!
Cable Stitch
The elaborate sister of the rib stitch: Knit complicated-looking patterns with a cable needle – even if you are a beginner.
Horseshoe Cable Stitch
A fun variation of the classic cable stitch: Horsehoe cables look wonderful on the front of a sweater or a headband.
Honeycomb Cable Stitch
A cable stitch variation very popular on Aran Sweaters. A lot of structures and a lot of cable fun.
Bobble stitch
An fabulous way to add structure to any knitting pattern + 5 different ways to knit.
5 Stitch Garter Bobbles
The fun knitting variation of the classic bobble stitch
2-colored bobble stitch
Another fun variation to bring some color(s) into your pattern.
Broken rib stitch
A very basic knit-purl combination with quite a lot of texture.
Waffle Stitch
A simple 4-row repeat that results in a squish well-structured fabric.
Star Stitch
An intricate pattern that needs a bit of practice, but looks almost like crochet.
Zig Zag Stitch
Another variation of the rib stitch. Sadly not reversible but a lot of texture and a fun knit
Entrelac pattern
A very ingenious method to knit squares in multiple colors for a basketweave effect
How to knit an I-Cord
An easy way to produce knitted straps and drawstrings with double-pointed needles and some fun variations.
The 10 best edge stitches
A detailed list of the best selvage techniques in knitting.
As you can see, there are many, many different types of knitting stitches. And some of them even have different names – depending on the region. For example, Stockinette stitch is known as stocking stitch in Australia. And some people call seed stitch moss stitch and vice versa.
If you are looking for easy knitting stitches, then I would stick to knit/purl combinations like ribbings, basketweave, etc. These are typically much easier for beginners – not only because they don’t involve complicated stitches but also because gauge can be a problem, and you might have to block your finished projects for them to truly shine!
On top of them, you should definitely keep in my that not all of the options listed here are reversible knitting stitches. This means, if you knit a scarf, there would be one good and one less so neat side.