How to Knit Plaid with Vertical Stripes
In this tutorial video, knitting instructor and knitwear designer Shaina Bilow demonstrates how to add vertical stripes to a horizontally striped fabric to create a plaid look. There are two ways to add the stripes, either with embroidery or with surface crochet. Shaina demonstrates both, discusses the pros and cons of each, and also shows how to weave in the ends on the piece.
To create a sample like the one shown, use a 24"/60 cm circular needle* in whatever needle size recommended by your desired yarn.
For the yarn, have one background color and one or more contrasting (stripe) colors.
Instructions:
With background color, cast on 35 stitches.
Row 1 (RS - front of fabric): K3, p1, k4, p1, k2, p1, k3, p1, k3, p1, k3, p1, k2, p1, k4, p1, k3.
Row 2 (WS - back of fabric): p3, k1, p4, k1, p2, k1, p3, k1, p3, k1, p3, k1, p2, k1, p4, k1, p3.
Repeating these two rows forms the basic pattern. With your background color, work three and four rows at a time, and work one or two rows of the contrasting colors as desired.
*The reason circular needles are required is so you can slide the stitches to the opposite end of the needles to access the background color after working one row of a contrast color. When you do this, work the row that's facing you - which means you might be working two RS rows in a row or two WS rows in a row.
Happy knitting!
.png)
