Slipped Stitches and the Linen Stitch

Slipped stitches add great texture and fun patterning. 

You should keep in mind that slipped stitch patterns tend to grow more slowly in height. A few things to keep in mind with slipped stitches:

• the row is made up of fewer new stitches; the slipped stitches get stretched over 2 or more rows
• the work is denser (think of the slip stitched heel)
• they tend not to curl

I often recommend you work a slipped stitch pattern with larger needles if you’re not intentionally trying to create a denser area (again, like the heel of a sock). 

One of the most often used places for slipped stitches is to break up pooling, flashing and striping in yarn. The differing heights of the rows do a good job of interspersing colors. Take a look at the Bella socks:

Linen stitch gives you lots of options when you introduce color changes. Look at La Coquette (all the way above, right) in our Fall 2016 issue for a great example of linen stitch worked with three colors. 

Working one-color linen stitch is easy. Over an even number of sts:

Row 1 (RS): *K1, sl 1 wyif, rep from * to end.

Rows 2: *K1, sl 1 wyib, rep from * to end.

Note that for both, the stitch IS NOT twisted. I’m repeating this because it’s so important.

My pattern says to slip purlwise

Slipping a stitch purlwise is the same as sl 1 wyib.

What can I do with Slipped Stitches?

• In a shawl for a fun change.
• On the patterning of a sock to mix the colors of a funky skein of hand dyed yarn.
• Along the edge of a sweater or neckline, like in Unwrapped.
• Or, like in La Coquette, to combine multiple colors