What is the difference between stocking stitch and garter stitch?
Two UK knitting terms you will come across often are stocking stitch and garter stitch; but what are they? And what is the difference between them?
The answers to these questions are quite simple
Stocking Stitch
This term simply means that you knit your first row and purl the second row. (knit a row, purl a row). This gives a smoother appearance, but the two sides look different. They are known as a right side and wrong side.
Stocking stitch tends to curl at the edges so is not used as often for ‘flat’ projects such as blankets and scarves.
Garter Stitch
Garter stitch means to knit every row. This gives the same ridged appearance on both sides. Unlike stocking stitch, garter stitch lies flat so if perfect for scarves and blankets.
