Help needed with moss stitch pattern

#1

Hi,
I am new to knitting and to the forum so bear with me!

I am knitting a cardigan that has a moss stitch border, the pattern starts with 35 stitches, in moss stitch and instructs to begin with a pearl stitch, then repeat the row 6 times, I have done this and have moss stitch.

Then for the next rows, the pattern says to knit one row, pearl one row, but for the last 6 stitches on each row do moss stitch. This is where I am having problems as the moss stitch is now turning into rib, I have read things about moss needing a odd number of stitches to work but the pattern says 6 stitches and doesn’t specify anything about which stitch to start with, any advice?

Thanks,
Lucy

#2

Hi and welcome to the forum!
The easiest way to do moss st is to recoginize when you have a knit stitch from the previous row and when you have a purl stitch. You can work moss stitch over either odd or even numbers of sts if you just look at the stitches from the previous row. If it’s a knit stitch (a stitch that looks like a V), purl it and if a purl stitch (one that looks like a loop or bump), knit it. That way you’re not dependent on remembering what sitich to start with or what pattern to follow.

#3

Welcome to Knitting Help!

Knitting creates a stitch that is a purl on one side (bumpy side) and a knit on the other (looks smooth like V’s). When you knit ribbing you knit the knits and purl the purls. Moss/seed stitch you do the opposite by knitting the purls and purling the knits. So knit or purl across and when you come to the first border stitch you’ll either knit or purl depending on what the stitch is. Does that help?

#4

No you don’t have to have an odd number unless you’re knitting in the round, or if it said to k1 p1 every row. Look at the 6 sts you’re about to knit - if the next one looks like a knit stitch, purl it and if it looks like a purl stitch, knit it.