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Book Review: Seed Stitch by Rosemary Drysdale

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seed stitch by rosemary drysdale book reviewMost people, when they learn to knit, seem to learn the knit stitch and then the purl stitch. We make endless Garter Stitch and Stockinette Stitch projects before combining knit and purl in the same row, usually to add ribbing to the edges of projects that are still mostly worked in Stockinette Stitch.

But of course it’s the combination of knits and purls that accounts for a lot of the interest that possible in a knit fabric, and one of the most basic ways to get there is through Seed Stitch (or what the British call Moss Stitch, which is a whole different thing this side of the pond).

Seed Stitch in its basic form is simple: knit 1, purl 1 across and then do the opposite on the next row.

Rosemary Drysdale took this simple stitch pattern and twisted it in all sorts of ways for her lovely and inspiring sourcebook Seed Stitch: Beyond Knit 1, Purl 1.

The book includes a primer on the basics of working with Seed Stitch, such as how the pattern is worked on even and odd numbers of stitches, flat and in the round, and how one increases and decreases in the pattern.

Readers will then find swatches and instructions for 60 variations on Seed Stitch including projects with multiple colors, chevrons, cables, lace and other design elements.

Thirty-one patterns using some of these stitch patterns round out the book. There are five cowls, four scarves, six pillows, two bags, one throw, two baby blankets, three baby hats and two versions of a pint-sized cardigan, as well as a couple of hats, a pair of mitts, a poncho and two tops. All of them are rated easy except one, the Open Squares Cowl, which is rated intermediate (it’s an eye-catching cowl made with Seed Stitch and open squares made by casting off stitches).

A few of the patterns that caught my eye include the Striped Wristers, which have a cute zig-zag pattern worked in tweedy yarn; the Cropped Pullover, worked in two color Seed Stitch Stripes; and the Narrow Zigzag Pillow, which uses a two-color vertical chevron design that’s one of my favorites of all the stitch patterns in the book.

If you’re already a fan of Seed Stitch you are sure to enjoy this book, and if you’ve never gotten into knit 1, purl 1 before this book will make you realize there’s a whole lot more out there that can be a lot more interesting to knit.

About the book: 144 pages, paperback with interior flaps. Published September 2017 by Sixth & Spring Books. Suggested retail $21.95.

 

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Textured Hat Knitting Patterns

There are all sorts of knitting techniques you can use on hats, but some of my favorites are textured stitch patterns or cabled hats worked in a single color. Check out these great textured hat knitting patterns and find your next fall favorite. 

The K?pekapeka hat from The Practice of Fibre was the one that got me started thinking about textured hat knitting patterns. This one has a simple zig-zag pattern worked with purls. This hat uses centered double decreases for shaping to help keep the pattern going as you finish the top of the hat. It uses worked weight yarn. 

Little Totz Designs has this simple knit hat that uses worsted weight yarn and an allover knit-purl stitch pattern that’s easy to memorize. This one would be a great first hat in the round pattern if that’s something you haven’t tried before. 

The Fia Beanie from Honey and Grace Fiber Co is another simple stitch pattern that’s full of texture. It calls for bulky yarn so it should stitch up in no time in this great textured diamond design. 

Kalurah Hudson’s Cindersmoke hat is an interesting stitch design that uses double moss stitch and bands of slipped stitches throughout the pattern, which is where the decreases are worked, keeping the rest of the pattern as established. It uses bulky yarn and is sized for adults, and you can find it on Ravelry.

Benjamin Matthews has such pretty designs that often turn out to be simpler to knit than they look. The Snow Carved Beanie (find it on Ravelry) for example only uses knits, purls and slipped stitches, but it has a design that looks almost like cables. The pattern uses worsted weight yarn and has a foldover brim for extra warmth. 

While I wanted to keep the focus in this roundup on simple stitch patterns, basic cables are not that much more difficult than regular knitting, and the lattice pattern on this CrissCross Hat form the Purling Princess is so charming I couldn’t resist sharing. This hat comes in three sizes (baby, child and adult) and uses worsted weight yarn. It would be a great gift to knit if you’re thinking about that.