Get to Know Herringbone Stitch

There are several different knitting stitch patterns known as herringbone stitch, but the one I most commonly think of when I think of herringbone is the horizontal herringbone stitch. If you don’t know this one you can check it out at Mama in a Stitch or New Stitch a Day.

This is considered a somewhat advanced stitch pattern because of the strange technique used to make it. It’s like working decreases except you don’t actually decrease, because when you slip the stitch off the needle you only take one loop, not two. This might make more sense if you check out a video or photo tutorial of the stitch pattern, which you can find above.

It’s really pretty fun once you get the hang of it, and I love the texture, which gives you a firm fabric that looks woven. If you want to try it, check out these fun patterns.

Mama in a Stitch made a bag with the horizontal herringbone stitch, which is a great basic project to practice the technique on. Or try the Herringbone Knit Scarf from Originally Lovely. This one is worked from a short side so you can make it as long as you like, or turn it into a cowl or infinity scarf if you like.

Speaking of infinity scarves, the Big Herringbone Cowl from Purl Soho is another great, easy herringbone pattern. This one is worked in the round on big needles (size 17 US/12mm with worsted weight yarn), which changes the technique a little bit, but the pattern includes a great tutorial for how to work the stitch.

This slouchy herringbone hat from Muki Crafts on Etsy is another fun way to try this stitch. It uses worsted weight yarn and is sized for kids and adults.

This herringbone throw from Arianna Frasca uses super bulky yarn and looks super cozy. You’ll definitely become an expert at working this stitch if you make this project. You can grab it on Ravelry.

While you’re at it, you can stitch up a pillow to match with this pattern from Modern Made Shop on Etsy. This one uses worsted weight yarn and slightly larger needles than the yarn might usually call for, too, which makes forming the stitches a little easier.

Stitch a Fun Herringbone Lace Hat

How to Knit Herringbone Stitch

Knit a Wee Scarf in Blooming Color

Any time of year is a good time for stash busting, but if you can combine it with knitting a blanket that will keep you warm when it (finally!) gets cooler that’s even better. Let’s take a look at some fun patchwork blanket knitting patterns.

If you want to keep it super simple, you can just make blocks of garter stitch and sew them together, like the beginner’s patchwork baby blanket from Mini Baa Baa or the color block blanket from Make and Do Crew. Both projects are worked in strips and sew together, with the baby version calling for two strands of DK or light worsted weight yarn held together and the larger one using bulky yarn.

Add a little more texture with the mixed blocks of the cottage quilt throw from Mama in a Stitch. This one combines garter stitch and seed stitch and uses worsted weight yarn. She used a crochet join to make the chains on top of the blocks, but you can join them however you like. It calls for eight colors but you can use what you have, and there are three size options.

Get a real sampler style patchwork blanket with this design from Knit Sew Make. It calls for worsted weight yarn and has four size options. All of the patterns just use knit and purl stitches so this one is still pretty easy for beginners.

If you want a more complex colorwork project that will keep you entertained all season, try the Peace by Piece blanket pattern from Needle and Feather. This one is made up of two color colorwork blocks and calls for worsted weight yarn. You can choose to use just a few of the blocks and repeat them more often, or make multiples of the whole set.

The knitted patchwork recipe from Martine Ellis (free on Ravelry) uses mitered squares in fingering weight yarn, so it’s perfect for using up all your leftover sock yarn and mini skeins. This one is a tutorial more than a pattern so you can make your blanket as big as you like or keep going until you run out of yarn.

Susan B. Anderson’s 100 Squares blanket (find it on Ravelry) has a lot of mitered squares, too, but they’re arranged in fun ways and includes some quilt inspired designs as well. This one also is a bit of method more than pattern but it sure looks like a lot of fun for using all the leftovers.

Of course you can totally improvise a patchwork blanket using the yarn and stitches you like, but I hope these patterns inspire you to look at your leftover yarn in a new way.

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