How mattress stitch knitting works

What is mattress stitch technique?

A mattress stitch is a method of hiding the stitches from the inside so they cannot be seen from the outside of whatever the item, cloth, fabric or knitting may be. The mattress stitch is primarily used to finish off a piece of clothing, cloth, fabric or knitting to give the item an aesthetically pleasing look to them without showing the mattress stitch at all. 

Mattress stitch knitting garter

A garter stitch is just another way of saying mattress stitch when sewing vertical or horizontal. For a garter stitch (mattress stitch) you want to align the stitches of the 2 fabrics, cloths or knitting beside each other, making sure the stitches are next to each other and not just on top or below each other. Make sure not to pull too tight when you are about to finish the knitting because you want some elasticity to the item you are doing a mattress stitch to. 

Mattress stitch knitting shoulder seam

To sew on a shoulder seam there are 3 ways to stitch them together, the 3-needle bind-off, slip-stitch bind-off and the most common mattress stitch.

Sewing up knitting

When sewing up you’re knitting it is best you use a stocking stitch (mattress stitch). This is to give the item the best possible look without being able to see the stitches. It is best to take your time, so you do not make a mistake and must undo all your work to fix 1 mistake, take your time with your knitting.

What is moss stitch?

The moss stitch is method where you can give the item a tiny, weaved basket appearance with the stitching. It is done by changing the knits and purls every stitch and the location every 2 rows. This can also be done with a similar stitch called the seed stitch.

What is knit one purl one called?

Knit one purl one means a single rib. This method is used for cuffs and hems. Single rib is a method to give the item a textured pattern. This would also be called ribbed knitting.