Fancy Stitch Combos – Herringbone Stitch

Instructions for working the Herringbone Stitch:
Cast-on a multiple of 3 stitches, + 1
Row 1: (RS) K1, *yo, SL 1 with yarn in back, K2, pass slipped stitch over 2 stitches*
Row 2: P1, *yo, SL 1 with yarn in front, P2, pass sl stitch over 2 stitches*
Work to desired length, then bind-off normally on a right-side row.

This week is the third video in a new series called Fancy Stitch Combos. In this series I hope to demonstrate stitches that have been requested, and hopefully introduce you to some new ones that I think are pretty and useful. Feel free to drop me a note if you’d like to submit an idea for a video in this series.

Information on things you’ll see in this video:

The sweater I’m wearing is my Ombre Dyed Sweater, pattern + video tutorial.

The scarf on the mannequin is One Row Handspun Scarf, knit with Cascade 220.

The bulky yarn I used in the sample is Berroco Peruvia Quick.

The pink yarn I used in the smaller sample is Berroco Vintage.

The wood needles I use for demonstration are by Clover, size 10.5 (6.5mm).

11 comments on “Fancy Stitch Combos – Herringbone Stitch

  1. Did you tie knots on the tail to know what size needles you used for the white sample?

  2. Hi Staci! I love this video series! A question and a comment:

    Comment: I hate these complicated patterns when it comes to finding and fixing mistakes. I am skilled at dropping a stitch correct a mistake a few rows back, but it doesn’t seem like this is always possible on more complicated patterns! If you could provide any guidance on fixing errors in any of these stitch patterns where a technique actually exists, it would be great!

    Question: I noticed that you slip as if to knit on the right side, and slip as if to purl on the wrong side. Is that a common practice – to mimic the other stitches in that row, i.e. slip as if to knit when all other stitches are knit, and visa versa for purling? I wouldn’t think to do it differently within one pattern unless the pattern specifies!

    Love your videos!!

  3. Hi, for this week video I don’t see the yarn in back on the first row? For me it’s look like a yarn in front. Could you please explain it? Thank you.

  4. Great question about fixing errors on more complicated stitch pattern!

    I also thought you held the yarn in front while slipping the stitch on the first row.

  5. Emily – that sample is actually pink, and yes – I count the knots I tied in the tail (7 of them) at about 1:17 in the video.

    S t a c i

  6. Danielle – yes, this is one of those stitches which would be very difficult drop a stitch to fix a mistake. Instead, I recommend threading lifelines every few inches, so that you have a safe place to rip back to in case you make a mistake: https://verypink.com/2010/03/30/lifelines/

    You always want to slip stitches “as if to purl” unless the pattern tells you otherwise. In this video, I slip as if to purl on both right and wrong side rows.

    S t a c i

  7. Okay – I see what you all are seeing now. Yes, the yarn-over before the slip 1 stitch makes it look as if the yarn is being held in front. It really isn’t. 🙂 If the yarn was truly held in front, the slipped stitch would have sort of a wrap around the base of it on the right side of the work (called a “float”). With the yarn being held in back, the “float” is on the back of the work, not the front.

    S t a c i

  8. Hi Staci, ok after three times, I had a revelation now I see the yarn in back…I’m really sorry. You can tell that I new in knitting and English is not my language. Sorry again…

  9. Hi Staci! I really like this stitch and was wondering how to do it in the round. Can you help?

  10. Hi Elle – I’ve tried to work out this stitch in-the-round, and there may be variations of Herringbone out there that can be worked in the round, but this one won’t really work. What would be the WS row in-the-round would require a PSSO before the slip stitch is worked, which is impossible. Hopefully you can find instructions for something similar that you also like!

    S t a c i

  11. Hi. I was wondering if you can demonstrate some variations of herringbone stitch. I’ve seen loys of variations but you explain them better. I would greatly appreciate it

Comments are closed.