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Knitting in Public: Better than Using Your Phone

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knitting in publicNot too long ago I wrote a piece asking if knitting in public could ever be considered rude. A lot of people, especially on Facebook, thought it was a stupid question (probably not clicking the link to see that I was talking more about in meetings and at church than just out anywhere).

But a lot of people also noted that knitting is preferable to staring at your phone all the time, because at least while knitting you can still engage with the people around you.

The knitter behind Roving Crafters recently wrote about just this thing, noting that knitting around other people is far superior to phubbing, that is snubbing someone by paying more attention to your phone than to them. Knitters working on simple things can still engage in conversation and make eye contact, and at the end of the evening they’ve made progress on a hat or scarf or sock or something useful.

So where is it OK to knit in public? We All Knit Here compiled a list of places you should be knitting if you feel like you’re too busy to knit, including waiting rooms, work meetings, TV night and while commuting (if you don’t drive, of course).

I’d love to hear where you knit and what you think about knitting versus using your phone if you didn’t weigh in already.

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Comments

  1. First comment? Yay!

    I’m sure that knitting in certain situations at certain times probably is rude. I’ve probably offended in the past. But I’m not sure that will stop me from offending in the future! I have too many things I want to make and, umm, sometimes people/conversations/movies can be boring.

    Knitting keeps me from rolling my eyes and fidgeting like an 8-year old boy when the boredom sets in. 🙂

  2. I have a dear friend who takes her knitting literally everywhere! I have photos of her sitting on bales of topsoil at Home Depot knitting while waiting for her hubby, photos of her at concerts while waiting for the performance to begin… I could go on. And her work is exquisite!!! I knit while waiting for appointments and the like. But I always have extra ‘stuff’ because I can never remember the pattern directions and I am a copious note taker!

  3. My niece drove a professor crazy when she knitted scarves in class…but she actually could learn more easily when she was in motion, and knitting met that need. He would call on her hoping to catch her out but she always knew the answer! In church, I might find it distracting if the person next to me was knitting. I’m not a knitter, but I think using wait times to do handwork (embroidery or applique come to mind) is just good use of time.

  4. I was working on a preemie cap for my local NICU while watching a baseball game with my grandsons.

  5. I have taken knitting, crocheting and other needlework to appointments and long waits for many years now. I ‘ve found them all to be an icebreakers to start conversations with others in the same predicament. It definitely helps to make long waiting period a lot more bearable.

  6. I knit at church both in Wednesday and Sunday! I am more engaged because knitting satisfies the restless part of the brain. I knit in committee meetings, and on airplanes. If could knit in department meetings at work…we would all be better off!

  8. I have 2 knitting and one crochet project(s) on the go…I keep them in my car and send my husban in to do the shopping…he usually meets up with someone he knows and a 5 minute pop in to the mall can easily turn into an hour…for each stop that is lol…lots of time to work on my projects and a win win situation for both of us…I don’t mind the wait and he doesn’t have to say he’s sorry for making me wait 🙂

  9. How ’bout at a blackjack table? Yup….I did it and no one seemed to be bothered at all. And it was two-at-a-time, toe up, magic loop pair of socks! P. S. I didn’t walk away a winner, but got a lot accomplished on my project.

  10. I always keep a small project like socks to work on. The pattern is familiar and I use one of my dpn’s to measure.

  11. Not at all, how is possible that people think is rude? I´m designer for knitting and crochet, I knit all day, even in airports, train, waiting for appoinments, etc, I never had any problem, instead I had many compliments from people that admire my work, hope this people that compleints understand that knitting and crochet is a passion and is just Great!

  13. Knitting in a meeting or at your desk at work can get your fired in some companies. Don’t pull out a half done sock in a meeting run by your boss or a business meeting where you’re on the agenda as a presenter..

    Knitting on public transit is okay if it’s not crowded and the seat next to you is unoccupied. It’s never okay when you’re so packed in the slightest arm movement bumps your neighbor or invades their space.

    Knitting in a waiting room (doctor, dentist, your tax preparer,, etc.) is okay but never when you’re waiting for a business meeting (for example, at a prospective customer’s office).Credibility killer.

    In business situations staring at your phone lends an air of being someone who stays on top of things . … you have responsibilities and are handling them. You’re an effective multi-tasker. On the other hand, knitting looks like you don’t care about your work, don’t have enough to do, or are bored and would rather be somewhere else.

    If you must knit at work, do it at lunch.

Have you read?

How To Do Kitchener Stitch: A Beginner-Friendly Guide To Grafting Knitting Seamlessly

Kitchener stitch is one of those knitting techniques that feels a little bit mysterious until you finally sit down and do it. It is often used to close the toes of socks, but it is also a wonderfully neat way to join two sets of live stitches together without making a bulky seam.

If you have ever finished a beautiful sock and then paused at the toe because the pattern says “graft remaining stitches,” this is the tutorial you want to keep handy.

Kitchener stitch, also called grafting, creates a row of stitches between two pieces of knitting so the join looks almost invisible. Instead of binding off and sewing two edges together, you use a tapestry needle and yarn to form a new row of knitting between the live stitches.

It is one of the most useful finishing techniques for knitters, especially if you enjoy knitting socks, mittens, cowls, loop scarves, or garments where a smooth join matters.

You might also like this older CraftGossip post on grafting with Kitchener stitch, and if you want to go deeper into finishing techniques, this post on mastering grafting in knitting is another helpful read.

What Is Kitchener Stitch?

Kitchener stitch is a method of grafting two sets of live stitches together. The stitches stay on two needles, usually held parallel to each other, and you use a threaded tapestry needle to work through the stitches in a specific order.

When done well, the finished join looks like one continuous piece of knitting.

This is why Kitchener stitch is so popular for:

  • sock toes
  • mitten tips
  • shoulder joins
  • cowls
  • loop scarves
  • seamless tube projects
  • underarm stitches on some sweaters
  • small knitted bags and pouches

It is most commonly used on stockinette stitch, but grafting can also be adapted for other stitch patterns once you understand the basic idea.

Why Use Kitchener Stitch Instead Of Sewing A Seam?

The biggest benefit of Kitchener stitch is that it creates a smooth, almost invisible join. That matters most in places where you do not want a bulky seam, such as the toe of a sock.

A sewn seam across a sock toe can feel uncomfortable inside a shoe. Kitchener stitch avoids that by creating a flat, flexible finish.

It also gives knitted items a more polished look. If you are making gifts, charity knits, socks, or heirloom-style projects, learning this one technique can make your finished pieces look much neater.

For knitters who enjoy socks, you may also like this roundup of knitting patterns using sock yarn, especially if you have leftover yarn after finishing a pair.

Supplies You Need

To work Kitchener stitch, you will need:

  • two knitting needles holding live stitches
  • a tapestry needle or darning needle
  • yarn tail or matching yarn
  • scissors
  • good lighting
  • a little patience the first time

If you are working sock toes, most patterns will tell you how many stitches to leave on each needle before grafting.

As a general guide, leave a yarn tail at least three times the width of the stitches you are grafting. If you are unsure, leave a little extra. It is much easier to weave in a longer tail than to run out halfway across.

A blunt-tip tapestry needle is easier to control than a sharp sewing needle because it slides between yarn strands without splitting them as much. You can find tapestry needles, sock knitting tools, stitch markers, and finishing supplies through places such as Amazon, Mary Maxim, or your favorite local yarn store.

Before You Start: Set Up Your Stitches

For standard Kitchener stitch on stockinette:

Hold the two needles parallel, with the wrong sides of the knitting facing each other.

The right side of the knitting should be facing out.

The needle closest to you is the front needle.

The needle farther away from you is the back needle.

Thread your yarn tail onto a tapestry needle.

Try to keep the stitches sitting neatly on the needles and avoid twisting them before you begin.

The Kitchener Stitch Mantra

Many knitters remember Kitchener stitch with this little rhythm:

Front needle: knit off, purl on.
Back needle: purl off, knit on.

That means:

On the front needle, go into the first stitch knitwise and take it off. Then go into the next stitch purlwise and leave it on.

On the back needle, go into the first stitch purlwise and take it off. Then go into the next stitch knitwise and leave it on.

Once you get into the rhythm, it becomes much less intimidating.

Kitchener Stitch Step-By-Step

Setup Step 1

Insert the tapestry needle into the first stitch on the front needle as if to purl.

Pull the yarn through.

Leave the stitch on the knitting needle.

Setup Step 2

Insert the tapestry needle into the first stitch on the back needle as if to knit.

Pull the yarn through.

Leave the stitch on the knitting needle.

Now you are ready to begin the repeating sequence.

Step 1: Front Needle, Knitwise, Off

Insert the tapestry needle into the first stitch on the front needle as if to knit.

Pull the yarn through.

Slip that stitch off the knitting needle.

Step 2: Front Needle, Purlwise, On

Insert the tapestry needle into the next stitch on the front needle as if to purl.

Pull the yarn through.

Leave that stitch on the knitting needle.

Step 3: Back Needle, Purlwise, Off

Insert the tapestry needle into the first stitch on the back needle as if to purl.

Pull the yarn through.

Slip that stitch off the knitting needle.

Step 4: Back Needle, Knitwise, On

Insert the tapestry needle into the next stitch on the back needle as if to knit.

Pull the yarn through.

Leave that stitch on the knitting needle.

Repeat these four steps until all stitches have been grafted.

A Simple Way To Remember It

Say this out loud as you work:

Knit off, purl on.
Purl off, knit on.

It feels silly the first few times, but it works. Many knitters mutter this little phrase while closing sock toes, and honestly, anything that helps you avoid losing your place is worth doing.

How Tight Should Kitchener Stitch Be?

One of the most common mistakes with Kitchener stitch is pulling the yarn too tightly.

You are not sewing a seam closed. You are creating a new row of knitting.

After every few stitches, gently adjust the tension so the grafted row matches the surrounding stitches. If you pull too tightly, the join may pucker. If you leave it too loose, the grafted row may look stretched out.

A good trick is to look at the stitches beside the graft and try to match their size.

Do not panic if it looks a little uneven while it is still on the needles. Kitchener stitch often looks better once everything is off the needles and the tension has been gently adjusted.

How To Finish The Last Stitches

When you get to the final stitches, continue the sequence as closely as possible.

If there is only one stitch left on a needle, work the “off” part of the sequence for that stitch.

Pull the yarn through gently and then weave the tail into the inside or wrong side of the project.

For socks, weave the end into the inside of the toe so it will not be visible.

Troubleshooting Kitchener Stitch

My graft looks too tight

You probably pulled the yarn too firmly as you worked. Use the tip of your tapestry needle to gently loosen each grafted stitch, working from one side to the other.

My graft looks loose

Gently snug up the grafted stitches one at a time. Do not yank the working yarn all at once, as this can make one area tight and another loose.

I lost my place

Pause and look at the stitches. If the last stitch was removed from the front needle, you are probably ready to work the “purl on” part on the front needle or move to the back needle. If you are a beginner, it helps to say the mantra out loud every single time.

I split the yarn

A blunt tapestry needle helps prevent splitting. If a stitch looks split and messy, carefully undo that part before continuing.

The join looks like a seam, not a row of knitting

This usually means the tension is too tight or the needle was inserted in the wrong direction on some stitches. Practice on a swatch before using Kitchener stitch on a special project.

Practice Before Grafting A Real Project

If Kitchener stitch makes you nervous, knit two small stockinette swatches and place the live stitches on two needles. Use a contrasting yarn to practice grafting across the stitches.

Practicing with a different color makes it easier to see what the grafted row is doing. Once you understand the movement, try again with matching yarn.

This is especially useful before grafting handmade socks, because sock toes are small and can feel fiddly the first few times.

When Else Can You Use Kitchener Stitch?

Kitchener stitch is most famous for sock toes, but it is helpful in many other knitting projects.

Use it for joining the ends of a cowl or loop scarf, especially when you start with a provisional cast on. This CraftGossip post on making loop scarves from stash yarn mentions using a provisional cast on so the ends can be grafted together neatly.

You can also use Kitchener stitch for small bags, seamless headbands, mitten tips, and some garment joins.

If you are brushing up on knitting basics, this post on favorite ways to cast on is a good companion read, especially if you are learning how different beginnings and endings affect the finish of a project.

Kitchener Stitch For Sock Knitters

If you knit socks from the cuff down, Kitchener stitch is one of the most useful finishing techniques you can learn.

Most cuff-down sock patterns end with a small number of stitches divided between two needles. Kitchener stitch closes those stitches without creating a ridge across the toe.

For a comfortable sock toe:

Keep the stitches evenly divided.

Do not pull the graft too tightly.

Check that the toe lies flat before weaving in the end.

Use matching yarn whenever possible.

Once the sock is finished, blocking can also help smooth the stitches and even out the graft.

If you enjoy knitting small accessories, you might also like these easy headband knitting patterns, which are great projects for practicing finishing techniques on something smaller than a sweater.

Kitchener stitch has a reputation for being tricky, but it is really just a short sequence repeated across two needles. Once you remember the rhythm — knit off, purl on, purl off, knit on — it becomes much easier.

The real secret is to slow down, keep your tension relaxed, and remember that you are creating a row of knitting, not stitching a seam shut.

It may not feel natural the first time, but after a few sock toes or practice swatches, Kitchener stitch becomes one of those finishing skills you will be glad to have in your knitting toolkit.