The Moss Stitch is another excellent reversible stitch giving a rugged raised dimpled effect.
The stitch is closely related to the Seed Stitch, and indeed can cause some confusion as the Moss Stitch is also known as the Double Moss stitch in the UK/Aus/Nz; where the Seed Stitch is called the Moss Stitch! This stitch is reversible and doesn’t curl making it excellent for a wide range of projects.
So what is the Moss Stitch? It is a very straightforward stitch requiring only the two basic techniques, the knit and purl. Like the Seed Stitch, it begins by simply alternating knit and purl stitches.
This is continued for the entirety of the first two rows, however, on starting the third row you inverse the order – purling then knitting for two rows. And repeat.
Instructions for the Moss Stitch
Cast on the required number of EVEN stitches for your project, begin row 1 by knitting one stitch followed by purling one stitch and continue until you have finished the first row. Now reverse the fabric and repeat – start by knitting one, then purling one until you have completed row 2.
Starting the 3rd row you are going to inverse the order, purl one stitch followed by knitting one stitch and continue until you have finished the third row. Reverse the fabric and repeat – alternating; purl, then knit until you have completed the fourth row.
Continue repeating this four row pattern until you have the desired size of fabric for your project.
Difficulty Level:
Cast on:
Cast on any even number of stitches.
Techniques Used in this Stitch:
k
p
Traditional Instructions
- Row 1: *k1, p1; repeat from * to the end
- Row 2: *k1, p1; repeat from * to the end
- Row 3: *p1, k1; repeat from * to the end
- Row 4: *p1, k1; repeat from * to the end
Repeat row 1-4 to desired length.
Example of Moss Stitch Swatch Samples
