The elusive No Stitch in a chart – what do you do with it and why is it there?
We’ll answer all your questions about the No Stitch symbol and explain why it’s there.
What to Do with a No-Stitch Symbol
A No Stitch symbol might look like a grey stitch or an X.
But either way, the key should tell you that it’s a No-Stitch symbol.
Although you might not know what to do with a No-Stitch symbol, it’s actually quite easy – you do NOTHING. That’s right – just ignore it. Don’t slip any stitches. Don’t do the “regular” stitch for th pattern.
Just skip past it to the next “real” stitch.
Why are there No-Stitch Symbols?
The No-Stitch symbol is there just for chart readability. It allows the correct parts to line up on top of each other.
Chart readability is the reason for No-Stitch symbols. While technically not necessary, a chart would be A LOT more challenging to read if there weren’t any No-Stitch symbols in it (but it needed them).
Here’s a chart with No-Stitch symbols:
And here’s the same chart without them:
If the chart doesn’t have No-Stitch symbols, you don’t see a picture of what the chart is making, and that’s a large part of why a chart exists.
When are No-Stitch Symbols Used?
Typically, decreases or bind off’s are replaced in future rows with No-Stitch symbols. This allows future rows to have the same number of stitches and things can line up nicely. See?
Don’t Fret the No-Stitch Symbol
Many of our charts include No-Stitch symbols and they shouldn’t discourage you from trying a pattern just because of them. Here are a few free patterns from Knotions. Give one of them a try!
On reading patterns with no stitch I am assuming you go to the next real stitch and ignore the stitch like it isn’t there.
Exactly!
When it says no stitch in a chart/pattern you look at the next working stitch symbol and start your work on that stitch [see 2nd picture of chart A which has the no stitch squares removed and looks “lop” sided] This may mean you actually start the pattern stitch in chart that is numbered [for example stitch 8 ]as in the 1st example chart given above which has the no stitch in black squares. In this chart you start your row [stitch on chart says it’s 8 but it’s actually your first stitch of the row] and then do a yarn over, knit yarn over knit tbl. You are therefore working these 4 stitches across your row, then purl [or whatever pattern says] on the wrong side and then follow chart for row 3. The black or no stitch squares are only there to make the chart look more like a picture.
That’s another great way to say it! Thanks!
Sorry but the no stitch problem is just that a problem, your answers don’t really explain. Please please answer the following questions.
1. The stitches do nothing are they knitted or purled in the main colour?
2. If you just leave them do you cut yarn and rejoin it latter.
3 if you don’t do you leave slack yarn so garment doesn’t pull?
4 if you allow slack yarn what do you do with it later?
I have just found a tutorial which explains this ( in my mind,) really well…….. The ‘no stitch’ is used usually on lacey type knitting,— when knitting lacey patterns quite often some rows have less stitches in them, —— in essence ( well how I understand this) – completely ignore the no stitch square and realise that there will be less stitches to work
If they tried to chart this the chart edges would go in and out , ie some rows would be 10 squares long, some rows 15 squares long etc, charts are always the same width hence the need to put in the no stitch squares, it is literally taking up unused space on the chart.
Yes that’s another good way to explain it! Thanks 🙂
Just to be clear, it’s not just lace. It’s anything that has either decreases or increases.