Basic Stitches

The first stitch you probably learned on the loom was the e-wrap stitch. This is also the knit through the back loop (k tbl) stitch. It is the most common stitch you will encounter when loom knitting and is often substituted for the knit stitch when converting needle knitting patterns. This stitch is twisted clockwise which also makes it a plaited stitch. Together with a stitch twisted counterclockwise, you'd have a plaited stitches. When these stitches are knit in columns, they create a subtle type of ribbing. In needle knitting, this stitch is stitch and has a smaller gauge but in loom knitting this isn't the case. However, in both needle and loom knitting, this stitches are useful in increases and decreases because they draw the fabric together and so cover "holes" in the fabric.

The next two stitches you should learn are the knit stitch and the purl stitch. Once you are familiar with both of these, you will be able to convert needle knitted patterns and work them as they are in the pattern. These two stitches are "opposites": the back of a knitted stitch is the purl stitch and vice versa.

The last required stitch to learn is the slip stitch. At first, you will probably use it at the beginning of rows when flat knitting. The other stitches listed in this section are also considered "basic" stitches though some of them you will not use often until you get into more advanced patterns.

The elongated, k1 below and p1 below stitches all have their specific place in knitting and it's possible to go your entire knitting career without ever knitting any of them.