Slip-Stitch Crosses
About this stitch
Small Greek crosses worked in mosaic.
Slip-stitch colourwork uses only one colour per row, so it is easier than stranded colourwork — but it produces a denser, less drapey fabric (good for hats, mittens, blankets; less good for shawls and wide sweaters).
Further reading A primer on swatching Slip-Stitch & Mosaic for accurate gauge.
Stitch chart
Read RS rows right-to-left, WS rows left-to-right. The bottom-right cell is row 1, stitch 1.
knit on RS, purl on WS
V
slip 1 purlwise wyib
•
purl on RS, knit on WS
Row-by-row written instructions
- Cast on a multiple of 6 sts + 1 in MC.
- Follow the chart. RS rows are read right-to-left; WS rows are read left-to-right.
- Slipped stitches are slipped purlwise with the yarn on the WS of the work (held to the back on RS rows, to the front on WS rows).
- Carry the unused colour up the side of the work loosely; do not weave in.
- Repeat the 8-row pattern for length.
Abbreviations used
- k knit
- p purl
- sl slip purlwise
- wyib with yarn in back
- wyif with yarn in front
- MC main colour
- CC contrast colour
Knitter's tips
- Work the row before a colour change in the new colour to avoid jogs in colour-change rounds.
- Slip-stitch fabrics shrink in length; expect 10–15% row gauge difference vs. stockinette.
Editor's pick Why every knitter should keep a swatch journal.
Recommended materials
This stitch is most flattering in DK-weight yarn on 7 (4.5 mm) needles, at a working gauge near 22 stitches and 32 rows over four inches in stockinette. Open the yarn weight reference or the needle conversion chart for substitutions.