Whether you’re knitting a baby project or something else, there are a wide variety of techniques that can add colorful dimensions to the process of knitting.  Techniques to knit the yarn in a variety of ways help in creating a variety of patterns and designs on cloth.

Knit stitches and purl stitches form the basics of knitting. Alternate use of knit and purl stitches helps form interesting designs on a fabric. The knit stitch is formed by making loops that interweave each other. It resembles “V” patterns when viewed from the knit side of the pattern. The purl stitch resembles a “brick face.” Knitting techniques use of a large variety of knitting stitches which include Fair Isle, tuck stitch, slip stitch, Stockinette stitch, striped stock stitch, and stocking stitch among others.

The stocking stitch is a simple form of knitting stitch that is used widely in the process of knitting. It is used for making stable fabrics that curl up when the fabric is stitched completely. This type of stitch is used widely in pullovers, sweaters, and other similar garments.

A variant of the stocking stitch, a striped stocking stitch, is a very easy fabric to produce. In this type of stitch, a new color can be incorporated in every row. However, a color should be used in an even number of rows before moving on to the next row.

The tuck stitch is a knitting technique which produces a textured pattern of cloth. This type of stitch can be created only by using a knitting machine. Depending on the knitter’s preferences, either side of the cloth can be used as the right side. Two or more colors can be included in a tuck stitch pattern. The slip stitch is less textured than the tuck stitch and uses one or more colors in the fabric pattern.

A Fair Isle stitch is a stitch where two colors can be included in a single row. This stitch pattern can be produced on machines using patterning devices or on old style machines by hand selection of needles. A simple Stockinette stitch is composed of alternate rows of knit stitches and purl stitches.

Knit-weaving is a knitting technique that produces a thicker fabric by knitting the purl side of the fabric. This technique makes use of a weaving yarn, which is quite thick as compared to the knitting yarn. Plating is a technique whereby two strands of yarn are held in a way that one appears to be in front of the other. Striking effects can be created on a ribbed fabric through plating.

Another interesting knitting technique is that of producing a double jacquard fabric. This fabric can be produced using a knitting machine with a patterning device. The double jacquard has two reverse colors across the fabric.