What is STS knitting, and what does STS stand for?

STS is the abbreviation of stitches in knitting aptly since ST is the abbreviation for a single stitch. If you are a knitting enthusiast, especially when you are a novice, learning the knitting language is essential to move forward in your knitting craft. As you work your way into your knitting journey, you will encounter the most common abbreviations and unusual ones that may vary from one knitting pattern to another.

Knitting language is easier to understand through experience and practical use. Being familiar with the knitting abbreviations can help you through simple as well as new and current knitting designs that you may come across in your knitting hobby.

To add to your growing vocabulary of knitting terms here is a very basic one. By adding another T to STS in knitting consequently varies its meaning. STST in knitting identifies the stockinette stitch. Stockinette stitch is also represented in some patterns as St st.

What does stockinette mean in knitting?

Stockinette is a basic stitch in knitting. The stockinette stitch creates a knitting pattern that shows all the knit stitches on one side of the fabric, and all the purl stitches are on the other side. Alternating single rows of knit stitches and purl stitches make the stockinette stitch.

Is a stockinette stitch the same as a stocking stitch?

Stocking stitch and stockinette stitch refer to the same knitting technique and can be used interchangeably. Stocking stitch is the term mostly used in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, while Stockinette stitch is used more often in North America.

How do you knit a stockinette stitch?

You create a stockinette stitch by knitting across an entire row; then you turn around, purl your way back across the next row, then knit the third row, and purl the fourth row, and so on. The main idea is to create a fabric with all the “V” parts of the stitches on one side (right side of the fabric) and all the “bump” parts of the stitches on the other side (the wrong side of the fabric). The front side of your fabric will look smooth because of the “V” designs on it.

The Stockinette stitch is a basic knitting stitch but produces a charming and professional-looking fabric that looks great on sweaters, scarves, hats, blankets, socks, etc. It would look excellent in any knitted project you can think of.

What is the difference between the garter stitch and stockinette stitch?

Garter stitch is the most basic stitch in knitting. It is also known as the Knit stitch. You can work the garter stitch by knitting row by row. With a garter stitch, you create a sturdy, durable fabric that does not curl. Knitting in the round, a garter stitch is produced by alternately knitting and purling by row. The fabric that the garter stitch creates has significant lengthwise elasticity.

On the other hand, the stockinette stitch is created by knitting one row then purling the next row. It produces the iconic “v”-shaped stitches in front, creating a very lovely and smooth fabric. The downside of making the stockinette stitch is its tendency to curl. Some knitters make use of this dilemma and incorporate the curling to the design of the knitting project. When the curling of the stockinette stitch ruins the design, knitting other stitches around the fabric will help make it lay flat.

What is a stockinette stitch knit flat?

A stockinette stitch knit flat is knitting stockinette stitch on two flat needles. The procedure in making a stockinette using flat needles is straightforward. Cast on any number of stitches that you need. In the first row, knit all the stitches. The knit stitches will form the first row of the right side of the fabric. Next, you purl all stitches on the second row on the wrong side. Repeat these two rows until you reach the length of the material that you need. Another way to remember how to work your stockinette in flat needles in a much easier way is to knit on the knit side and purl on the purl side.

What is a stockinette stitch in the round?

A stockinette stitch in the round means using circular needles to knit a stockinette stitch. If you use circular needles when knitting stockinette, you only need to knit and not purl. When you knit the stockinette stitch using straight needles, you must knit on the right side and purl on the wrong side. Knitters usually refer to this as stockinette stitch knit flat, as mentioned earlier.

Using circular needles to knit the stockinette stitch, you only have to knit around and around. You only knit on the front, so there is no right and wrong side when you use a circular needle. You create a smooth stockinette stitch just by knitting and no purling.

Stockinette stitch on the round requires you to knit round and round- no shifting from knitting to purling, then knitting and purling again. Stockinette stitch on the round is such a relaxing way to knit.

Check:

Meaning of knitting term “PM”

Does stockinette stitch curl?

Stockinette stitch has a great tendency to curl. You can even say that curling is natural to occur on a stockinette stitch. The knit stitches on the front of the fabric are wider than the purl stitches at the back. Consequently, the purl stitches at the back are longer than the knit stitches on the front. The knit stitches at the front are pushing out horizontally while the purl stitches at the back are pushing vertically, thus curling the fabric.
How do you stop stockinette stitch from curling?

Curling on your stockinette fabric can be prevented by knitting a border around it. Using a flat-lying stitch as a frame makes your stockinette stitch lay flat. The garter stitch, seed stitch, and rib stitch are the most commonly used border stitches.

To make your stockinette fabric uncurl, you might need to knit five or six stitches at each side and five or six rows at the beginning and end of the fabric.
Knitting stockinette in the round is another good option to prevent the curling of the fabric. Or you can use that curl as a design element in your craftwork.