52 Knit Stitch Patterns for Beginning Knitters
Enjoy my collection of 52 Knit Stitch Patterns for Beginning Knitters with different combinations of simple knit and purl stitches. With just these two basic stitches, beginning knitters can create scarves, dishcloths, blankets, and more.
Table of Contents
Patterns are organized by row repeats, beginning with the easy-to-memorize 2-row repeats up to more intricate 28-row stitches. Explore all swatches below to get free printable patterns and video tutorials.
Garter Stitch
When you knit every row in your swatch, you are creating the most basic pattern, the Garter Stitch. It is easy to knit, reversible, lays flat, and is stretchy.
Stockinette Stitch
When you knit one row, then purl the next, you are creating the Stockinette Stitch. This 2-Row Repeat creates a smooth, classic texture.
1×1 Rib Stitch
The 1×1 Rib Stitch looks a lot like the Stockinette Stitch but it’s stretchy and identical on both sides. As a result, it’s perfect to knit for garments when you need a little extra give.
Knit Stitch Pattern Book
Love easy knitting? Get 50 stitch patterns from my Knit Stitch Pattern Book available in both digital and print formats.
2×2 Rib Stitch
The 2×2 Rib Stitch is a bit thicker and is great for knitting scarves, hats, blankets, and more! This 2-Row Repeat Pattern is perfect to knit up a chunky scarf.
Seed Stitch
It’s called the Seed Stitch because the raised bumps from your purl stitches resemble seeds. It creates a really pretty and sturdy piece of knitting. I have an easy trick to help you easily knit up this texture without mistakes!
Sand Stitch
The Sand Stitch creates punctuated rows of little bumps for an easy texture.
Garter Ribbing Stitch
The Garter Ribbing Stitch creates columns of smooth Stockinette Stitch separated by two rows of the Garter Stitch texture.
Broken Rib Stitch
The Broken Rib Stitch creates columns of smooth one Stockinette Stitch separated by one row of Garter Stitch texture.
Beaded Rib Stitch
The Beaded Rib Stitch is a vintage design of ribbing rows separated by little seed stitches for additional texture and lays flat.
Seeded Rib Stitch
The Seeded Rib Stitch creates thick, textured rows. It is stretchy and holds its shape with the seed stitches between the rows of ribbing.
5×1 Flat Rib Stitch
The 5×1 Flat Rib Stitch has five wide stitches of stockinette separated by one narrow reverse stockinette row.
7×3 Flat Rib Stitch
The 7×3 Flat Rib Stitch has seven wide stitches of stockinette separated by three narrow reverse stockinette rows.
Knit Stitch Pattern Book
Love easy knitting? Get 50 stitch patterns from my Knit Stitch Pattern Book available in both digital and print formats.
Andalusian Stitch
This vintage Andalusian Pattern is a sweet little update of the Stockinette Stitch. In this 4-Row Repeat, we simply knit and purl on one of the rows, creating a little bit of texture and visual interest.
Double Fleck Stitch
The Double Fleck Stitch creates simple rows punctuated with two little diagonal seed stitches. Vertical columns separate a stockinette background with a pop of double purl textures.
Double Moss Stitch
This Double Moss Stitch is a simple pattern that adds great texture. A variation on the Seed and Irish Moss stitches, this easy design is achieved with a 4-Row Repeat of knit and purl stitches.
Hurdle Stitch
This Hurdle Stitch is a sweet knit and purl combination. It resembles the hurdles jumped in track class, by horses… or the Olympics!
Irish Moss Stitch
The Irish Moss Stitch, also called the American Moss Stitch, is similar to the Seed Stitch, but with a thicker texture. As a result, it feels thick and squishy, too.
Purl Ridge Stitch
The Purl Ridge Stitch is a Stockinette background textured by a horizontal row of raised purl seed stitches.
Pique Rib Stitch
This Pique Rib Stitch is a great way to create the depth of ribbing while allowing your piece to easily lay flat.
Waffle Stitch
This yummy Waffle Stitch, with its series of knits and purls, resembles one of our favorite breakfast treats! It’s an easy-to-memorize, all-around stitch for your fashion and home decor knitting projects.
Little Raindrops Stitch
The Little Raindrops Stitch creates a reversible pattern of small vertical lines.
Knit Stitch Pattern Book
Love easy knitting? Get 50 stitch patterns from my Knit Stitch Pattern Book available in both digital and print formats.
Flag Stitch
This Flag Knit Stitch has such a beautiful depth of texture. This 6-Row Repeat Knit Stitch Pattern is an easy level project, with easy to follow series of knits and purls in six repeating rows.
Reverse Ridge Stitch
The Reverse Ridge Stitch has the stretchy rib pattern horizontally rather than vertically. With a series of knits and purls, this is a reversible pattern that’s super stretchy, but unlike most rib stitches, this accordion stretch is horizontal.
Tile Squares Stitch
The Tile Squares Stitch is designed with blocks of Stockinette separated vertically with a rib of Seed Stitch and a horizontal ridge of purls.
Diagonal Seed Stitch
The Diagonal Seed Stitch is an easy texture of a Stockinette background punctuated with diagonal rows of the Seed Stitch.
Diagonal Rib Stitch
The Diagonal Rib Stitch is a great way to create the depth of ribbing while allowing your piece to easily lay flat. This 8-Row Repeat Knit Stitch Pattern would be perfect to knit up a pillow or an elegant scarf.
Long Raindrops Stitch
The Long Raindrops Stitch creates a reversible pattern of elongated, alternating vertical lines resembling a rainy downpour.
Pennant Pleating Stitch
This Pennant Pleating Stitch is an easy design of overlapping vertical columns of interlocking triangles in Stockinette and Reverse Stockinette textures.
Simple Seed Stitch
This Simple Seed Stitch is a vintage pattern with a Stockinette background punctuated with alternating rows of raised purl seed stitches.
Chevron Rib Stitch
The Chevron Rib Stitch creates thick zigzag rows.
Diamond Brocade Stitch
This Diamond Brocade Stitch is an elegant design with its textured graphic raised seeds. Even if you only used one yarn color, this pattern would look really impressive as part of your home decor!
Seersucker Stitch
The Seersucker Stitch creates textured rows of puckered diamond shapes edged with stockinette ridges. It looks like a complex raised pillowy design, but it is achieved with just a simple combination of knits and purls.
Wide Basket Weave Stitch
This Wide Basket Weave Stitch easily creates an interwoven illusion. Blocked Stockinette, Garter, and Purl Ridge textures are stacked together in this variation on the standard Basket Weave Stitch.
Knit Stitch Pattern Book
Love easy knitting? Get 50 stitch patterns from my Knit Stitch Pattern Book available in both digital and print formats.
12 to 16-Row Repeats
Basket Weave Stitch
The classic Basket Weave Stitch is really impressive. It looks like your pattern is actually woven like a basket. However, it is really just a combination of knit and purl stitches row after row.
CATERPILLAR STITCH
Another fun one is the Caterpillar Stitch because the raised purl stitches make a little shape like a Caterpillar. It is a perfect pattern for light summer knitting and it’s very modern.
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CUT DIAGONALS STITCH
This Cut Diagonals Stitch creates a bold horizontal texture that is perfect for beginners. Similar to the Embossed Leaf Stitch, it is a great choice to create textured scarves, pillow covers, and blankets with its bold, reversible design.
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PIQUE TRIANGLE STITCH
This Pique Triangle Stitch is a sweet graphic pattern of your favorite 3-sided shape, allowing you to easily create this modern design. It looks amazing as a chunky blanket or cozy pillow.
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BASKET LOOP STITCH
This Basket Loop Stitch is an easy pattern that creates a textured illusion of looping interwoven rings atop a background of vertical pillars.
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WINDOW STITCH
The Window Stitch creates little blocks of textured squares separated by vertical lines with just knit and purl knitting techniques.
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GARTER CHECKERBOARD STITCH
This vintage Garter Checkerboard Stitch is a combination of garter and stockinette stitch patterns, blocked together. As a result, it looks quite intricate to knit, but it’s actually quite simple.
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BAMBOO RIBBING STITCH
This Bamboo Ribbing Stitch adds depth and dimension to your knitting project. The texture with raised lines and ridges has a unique and natural look, like you have woven actual bamboo into your knitting.
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DIAGONAL CHEVRON ZIGZAG STITCH
This Diagonal Chevron Zigzag Stitch has a really bold graphic design. With this 16 Row Repeat Knit Stitch Pattern, an intricate pattern emerges. I love this texture so much, it’s the cover of my Knit Stitch Pattern Book!
16-Row Repeat | Reversible | Lay Flat
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Twin Sails Stitch
I named this pattern the Twin Sails Stitch because its repeating triangle shapes remind me of two sails set side by side, gliding together in the breeze.
12-Row Repeat | Reversible | Lay Flat
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FANCY DIAMOND STITCH
The Fancy Diamond Stitch creates a large diamond nested within outer rows of zigzags. It is a visually impressive design knitted with a combination of the Garter, Stockinette, and Reverse Stockinette stitches.
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EMBOSSED LEAF STITCH
This Embossed Leaf Stitch is a visually interesting vintage design. It is a great choice to create textured pillow covers, blankets, and scarves with its bold motif.
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PARALLELOGRAM STITCH
The Parallelogram Stitch creates a modern texture of interconnecting diagonal angles. When lightly blocked, it holds a flat shape that is perfect for scarves, pillows, and blankets.
Knit Stitch Pattern Book
Love easy knitting? Get 50 stitch patterns from my Knit Stitch Pattern Book available in both digital and print formats.
18 to 28-Row Repeats
DIAGONAL SPIRAL RIB STITCH
Diagonal Spiral Rib Stitch creates textured slanted ribbing and resembles cabling. Similar to the Diagonal Rib Stitch, this Spiral Pattern knits up even thicker for a great dimension.
18-Row Repeat | Reversible | Ribbing
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LATTICE SEED STITCH
The Lattice Seed Stitch creates a wide braided basketweave design woven atop a seeded background. It looks like a complicated cabled design but is actually achieved with a simple combination of knits and purls.
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WIDE CHEVRON ZIGZAG STITCH
This Wide Chevron Zigzag Stitch creates a bold horizontal texture that is perfect for beginners. This simple combination of knits and purls in an 18-Row Repeat Knit Stitch Pattern is a great choice for chunky scarves, pillow covers, and baby blankets with its strong, graphic design.
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TUMBLING MOSS BLOCK STITCH
This Tumbling Moss Block Stitch creates an illusion with 3 various textured patterns. The easy pattern results in an interlocking pattern of parallelogram shapes in the Garter, Stockinette, and Moss Seed Knit Stitches.
20-Row Repeat | Reversible | Lay Flat
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LARGE STACKED TRIANGLES STITCH
The Large Stacked Triangle Stitch creates interconnected Stockinette and Garter Stitch shapes. Similar to my Pique Triangle Stitch, here is a great choice to create graphic scarves, pillow covers, and blankets.
Knit Stitch Pattern Book
Love easy knitting? Get 50 stitch patterns from my Knit Stitch Pattern Book available in both digital and print formats.
Kristen McDonnell
Author • Designer • Teacher
Kristen from StudioKnit LLC produces knitting video lessons and pattern designs from her vibrant production studio on Half Moon Bay’s California coast.
Kristen McDonnell is the author of the highly acclaimed book Knit Stitch: 50 Knit + Purl Patterns featuring vintage and unique designs.