Elongated Garter Stitch

Easy, quick, and fully reversible – elongated garter stitch (also known as drop stitch garter) is perfect for airy summer tops, beach cover-ups, and light scarves, shawls, and blankets.

You don’t even need to do any math to make an elongated garter scarf or a blanket. This pattern can be knitted on any number of stitches.

Simply cast on enough stitches to make your scarf as wide as you want (here’s how you can eyeball it without making a swatch) and work four rows of the pattern repeat until your scarf is as long as you want.

Scroll down to see both the written instructions and the chart. There is also a video tutorial, just in case 😉

Have fun!

THIS STITCH IN A NUTSHELL

• Level of difficulty – Easy
• Reversible? Yes
• Textured? Yes
• Best for – Scarves, shawls, cowls, blankets, summer tops, beach cover-ups
• Stitch multiple – 1 stitch
• Row multiple – 4 rows / rounds

VIDEO TUTORIAL
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WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS

HOW TO KNIT ELONGATED GARTER STITCH BACK AND FORTH

You can form this texture on any number of stitches. There is no multiple to calculate.

Cast on as many stitches as you like, or add elongated garter to any project you are currently working on.

The side edges of this stitch are as “bumpy” as garter stitch itself. They look nice and don’t curl. In most cases, there is no need to add selvedge stitches.

If you do decide to treat the side edges of your project in any special way, be careful – because of the elongated sections of the garter fabric, most selvedges will constrain the free flow of elongated garter stitch.

The texture of elongated garter stitch is identical on both sides of the fabric. There is no right or wrong side, but to make it easier for you to keep track of the pattern rows, I have marked rows as “right side” or “wrong side” in the written instructions.

Row 1 (right side): knit all stitches.

Row 2 (wrong side): knit all stitches.

Row 3 (right side): [ knit 1 with 2 wraps ], repeat the brackets to the end of the row.

To knit a stitch with 2 wraps, insert the right needle into the first stitch on the left needle knitwise (from left to right), wrap the tip of the right needle with the yarn as we do when we knit a stitch, but do it twice.

Finally, pull both wraps through the stitch to form a new stitch with 2 wraps.

To keep the size of the stitches consistent, push the newly minted stitch with two wraps away from the slim tip of the needle and to its thicker part.

Row 4 (wrong side): [ knit 1 and drop wraps ], repeat the brackets to the end of the row.

To do this knitting trick, knit 1 stitch as usual. When you slip the original stitch off the left needle, slide both yarn wraps that form that stitch off the left needle.

As a result, you’ll have one regular stitch on the right needle, and an elongated stitch underneath it.

As you form stitches in this row, focus on the tension of the new stitches and ignore the messy elongated stitches in the row below.

When you finish row 4, pull the fabric down to neaten the elongated stitches.

Repeat rows 1 – 4 to form the pattern.

When you are ready to bind off stitches, work rows 1 and 2 to give your project a nice framing.

HOW TO KNIT ELONGATED GARTER STITCH IN THE ROUND

To add this pattern to a seamless project, cast on any number of stitches.

Arrange stitches for working in the round on double-pointed needles, two circular needles, or one circular needle (with or without using the magic loop method).

Join stitches in a circle and place a marker to mark the beginning of the round.

Round 1: knit all stitches.

Round 2: purl all stitches.

Round 3: [ knit 1 with 2 wraps ], repeat the brackets to the end of the round.

Round 4: [ purl 1 and drop wraps ], repeat the brackets to the end of the round.

To make it happen, slide both wraps of the original stitch off the left needle after you purl a stitch.

After you finish round 4, pull the fabric down to align all elongated stitches into a lovely “waterfall”.

Repeat rounds 1 – 4 to form the pattern.

To add symmetry to your project, work rounds 1 and 2 before you bind off stitches.

Thanks to the sections of elongated stitches, projects made with this pattern knit up really fast. You will make a lovely airy scarf, blanket, or beach dress in no time.

VARIATIONS

To create more space between the sections of elongated stitches, repeat rows / rounds 1 and 1 one or more times before you work rows / rounds 3 and 4 again.

To make the elongated stitches longer, wrap the yarn around the tip of the right needle three or more times in row / round 3, and drop all those wraps after you work that stitch in row / round 4.

To make the texture looser and more airy, use knitting needles in a bigger size. For a tighter, more defined look, use needles in the size recommended for the yarn, or needles one or two sizes smaller.

CHART

If you are not sure how to read a knitting chart, here’s a guide for beginners that explains what knitting charts mean, how to understand the symbols, why there is a red frame in a chart, and how to read lace, cable, or any other knitting chart when knitting back and forth or in the round.

GIVE IT A TRY!

Take any yarn and needles in a size recommended for this yarn and cast on 10 stitches.

Follow instructions for Row 1, Row 2, Row 3 and Row 4 of the pattern until you make 12 rows.

Look at the texture of your swatch, stretch it to see how elastic it is, and notice the difference between the right and the wrong sides of the fabric.

What is the first project that comes to mind? When you submit your choice in the fully anonymous poll below, you will see what other knitters picked.

PATTERN CARD

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