One of the ways to reinforce sock heels, soles of slippers, elbow areas of sweaters and cardigans, as well as other parts of our projects is to use a stitch pattern that forms a thicker and denser fabric.
The problem is that the gauge of the majority of those denser stitch patterns is different from the gauge of stockinette stitch and other “knit and purl” stitches.
Some denser stitch pattern (I mean you, dear herringbone stitch also have uneven side edges. These edges form crooked unsightly join when we incorporate them into another stitch pattern.
We can easily resolve all these issues when we make each stitch of stockinette pattern thicker and denser. We do it by forming “reinforcement” stitches in one row or round and eliminating them in the next one.
I tested different ways to create a “reinforcement” stitch, and it seems that “pulled increases” give the best results.
This simple method makes each stitch thicker without messing up the gauge, so we can safely use this “denser stockinette stitch” to make any part of our projects firmer and more durable.
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Let’s see how we can do it step by step.
ROW OR ROUND 1
These instructions are the same for projects worked in the round and the ones worked back and forth.
If you want to make the whole project denser and stronger (for example, a thick windproof hat or heavy-duty mittens), work step 1 from the very first stitch of the row or round.
If you use this method to reinforce only a part of your project, work to the first stitch that you plan to make thicker.
It helps to separate the part of the project worked in a different stitch pattern with stitch markers. That’s why you can see one stitch marker at each side of the section worked in denser stockinette stitch.
STEP 1
With the yarn at the back of the work, insert the right needle from front to back into a space between the first two stitches on the left needle.
Wrap the tip of the right needle with the working yarn as we do when we knit a stitch.
Pull the wrap through the fabric to form a new stitch.
STEP 2
Knit the first stitch from the tip of the left needle. It is the stitch that is at the right side of the spot from where we “pulled” a reinforcement stitch.
Repeat steps 1 and 2 to the end of the row / round, or until you reinforce the last stitch of the section of your project that you want to make stronger.
If you use this stitch pattern only on a segment of your project, continue to work in the main pattern to the end of the row / round.
If this stitch decorates the whole project worked flat, repeat steps 1 and 2 to the last stitch of the row.
Then pull the yarn from around the left side of the last stitch.
And knit that stitch.
As you see, we ended up with way more stitches on the needles than the number of stitches we had before we started this row. Don’t worry – we’ll deal with all those “reinforcement stitches” in the next row / round.
ROW 2
The instructions for the second row of this pattern are easy, but they are different for working flat and working in the round. First, let’s take a look at this row worked back and forth.
Once you get to the first stitch worked in this pattern, purl 2 stitches together.
Repeat the “purl 2 together” step until you work the last pair of regular + reinforcement stitches.
It will be at the spot where you’ll get to the stitch-pattern-separating marker.
Or, it will be at the very end of the row if you use this stitch as an all-over pattern.
Now we are back to the initial number of stitches.
ROUND 2
In projects worked in the round, we will knit each pair of regular + reinforcement stitches instead of purling them.
When you get to the first stitch worked in this pattern, knit 2 stitches together. It will be the duo of a regular stitch and its “bodyguard” stitch.
Repeat until you finish the segment worked in this stitch pattern, or until you finish the round if you use this pattern on the whole project.
After a few rows / rounds you will see that the section worked in a denser stockinette stitch is noticeably thicker that the rest of the fabric, but it is not wider or longer and it fits perfectly into the stockinette gauge.
HERE’S A VIDEO TUTORIAL THAT SHOWS EVERY STEP
If you use wool, the reinforcement stitches will quickly bond to the regular stitches forming a warm and durable fabric that will keep your socks and other projects toasty and hole-free.
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This and 36 other in-depth tutorials are part of Knitting Collection #7.