Subtleties and methods of knitting facial crossed loops
In descriptions of various knitting patterns, quite often there is an indication of the need to knit crossed loops. In this article we will not provide diagrams or descriptions of various patterns in which they are used, but we will tell you how to knit such loops and what they are needed for.
Beginning knitters, when faced with this designation, often cannot understand their purpose, they begin to look for descriptions or videos to get to the bottom of the truth - how does the function of such a loop differ from a regular one - maybe they shouldn’t bother, but knit them all as usual? After all, it’s simpler and more familiar. In fact, if the scheme requires it, it’s worth the trouble, and the indication of the need to cross the walls of the loop is always justified by the specific purpose of the crossed loops. 
The need for crossed loops
And they have several appointments. They make aranas - patterns with moving pets - more expressive. using the third needle. In this case, the crossed loops are knitted along the contour of the intertwined sections - the first and last. Then the weaves become more defined, and the braids, diamonds and plaits become more neat, convex and embossed. Experienced knitters know about this feature and use it, even if it is not specifically mentioned in the patterns.
More elastic, less elastic, so they hold their shape much better when knitting elastic bands. Products with such elastic bands are less deformed when worn and, accordingly, last longer. However, another nuance should be taken into account here: these elastic bands have a higher knitting density than regular ones. Therefore, when calculating the number of pets. for casting on, an elastic band of crossed stitches is knitted as a control sample. When making increases, when the holes from the yarn overs are not needed, the latter are knitted with crossed loops. This method allows you to fill the void due to their special structure.
They make flowers, stems, leaves clear and defined (when various openwork patterns from knit and purl stitches).
The latter function is especially widely used in Japanese patterns with complex openwork, when it is necessary to more clearly highlight the texture of leaves, veins, etc. on the overall canvas.
True, you need to remember that such loops are still knitted as an exception, a special option, which, as you already understand, has its own clearly defined purposes of use, although it is used quite often. Therefore, ordinary patterns should not be knitted in this way - it can greatly change and even ruin appearance pattern, and the result will be completely different from what is needed. Although, if on the stockinette stitch a certain contour is knitted with crossed loops, then this texture will still stand out against the background of the stocking fabric. In this way, you can, for example, knit fabric with your initials - they will not make the item too intrusive, but, nevertheless, they will create a certain accent.
How to knit a knitted stitch
The usual, classic knitted stitch is obtained by knitting it over the front wall located on the right side of the knitting needle: the loop is pulled in such a way that the thread lies “along the course of knitting”, evenly and naturally. This method is used for knitting, for example, stocking fabric - without a pattern or with a colored pattern or ornament. Then all purl rows are knitted, and the thread colors change, depending on the pattern of the ornament.
To cross a loop, you need to swap the front and back walls, “turn out” the loop so that it goes to the right knitting needle with the front wall located on the left. To do this, the front one is knitted behind the back wall. (the needle is inserted into the loop not from above, but as if from the inside).
However, depending on the situation in which crossing stitches is used, there are two ways to cross stitches. You need to know about this so as not to spoil the impression of the drawing in one case or another.
The first option is the usual one, which is used, for example, to form a closed extension (without a hole). Or in the first row, if patterns of knit and purl stitches require knitting them in several rows. Then in purl. row you will also have to knit this loop crossed. The purl loop is crossed in the same way - by knitting behind the back wall. This is not very convenient, because the thread is located in front of the work: you need to try very hard to throw it on the knitting needle threaded behind back wall, and then bring the knitting needle back without dropping the loop. But if the pattern requires it, you will have to adapt, otherwise your pattern will differ from what was planned. Sometimes in the description of the pattern it is additionally specified whether this loop is knitted inside out. a series of ordinary purl. or with crossing.
The second option is when the front stitch is knitted crossed after the purl loop in the previous row was crossed in its place (or knitted in the “grandmother’s” way). In this case, the back wall of the loop is on the knitting needle on the left, that is, in front. And so that the front one does not “unwind” the loop of the previous row back (then the braid will be uneven and ugly, as if “jumping”), but lies in the same direction and also crosses, the front one is crossed, knitting behind the left wall. You can watch this process in more detail and clearly in this video.
Video: How to knit crossed loops
Look at this photo: on the right - beautiful braid from facial crossed loops, on the left - an uneven, dancing chain. Because the front one was knitted behind the right wall and turned the underlying purl one the other way.
As you can see, knitting crossed knit stitches is quite simple. But if this technique appears in your arsenal, it will allow you to significantly expand the possibilities of knitting various patterns. By being attentive and patient when reading patterns (especially with complex openwork segments), you will be able to please yourself and your loved ones with a large number of beautiful things. True, to knit openwork patterns you still need to master yarn overs and knitting loops together. But you can read about this in other lessons on our website.
Video: Original pattern of crossed loops
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Knitting booties for newborns - different knitting methods
In descriptions of various knitting patterns, quite often there is an indication of the need to knit crossed loops. In this article we will not provide diagrams or descriptions of various patterns in which they are used, but we will tell you how to knit such loops and what they are needed for.
Beginning knitters, when faced with this designation, often cannot understand their purpose, they begin to look for descriptions or videos to get to the bottom of the truth - how does the function of such a loop differ from a regular one - maybe they shouldn’t bother, but knit them all as usual? After all, it’s simpler and more familiar. In fact, if the scheme requires it, it’s worth the trouble, and the indication of the need to cross the walls of the loop is always justified by the specific purpose of the crossed loops.
And they have several appointments. They make aranas - patterns with moving pets - more expressive. using the third needle. In this case, the crossed loops are knitted along the contour of the intertwined sections - the first and last. Then the weaves become more defined, and the braids, diamonds and plaits become more neat, convex and embossed. Experienced knitters know about this feature and use it, even if it is not specifically mentioned in the patterns.
More elastic, less elastic, so they hold their shape much better when knitting elastic bands. Products with such elastic bands are less deformed when worn and, accordingly, last longer. However, another nuance should be taken into account here: these elastic bands have a higher knitting density than regular ones. Therefore, when calculating the number of pets. for casting on, an elastic band of crossed stitches is knitted as a control sample. When making increases, when the holes from the yarn overs are not needed, the latter are knitted with crossed loops. This method allows you to fill the void due to their special structure.
They make flowers, stems, and leaves clear and defined (when various openwork patterns from knit and purl stitches are knitted with knitting needles).
The latter function is especially widely used in Japanese patterns with complex openwork, when it is necessary to more clearly highlight the texture of leaves, veins, etc. on the overall canvas.
True, you need to remember that such loops are still knitted as an exception, a special option, which, as you already understand, has its own clearly defined purposes of use, although it is used quite often. Therefore, ordinary patterns should not be knitted in this way - this can greatly change and even ruin the appearance of the pattern, and the result will not be the one you need. Although, if on the stockinette stitch a certain contour is knitted with crossed loops, then this texture will still stand out against the background of the stocking fabric. In this way, you can, for example, knit fabric with your initials - they will not make the item too intrusive, but, nevertheless, they will create a certain accent.
How to knit a knitted stitch
The usual, classic knitted stitch is obtained by knitting it over the front wall located on the right side of the knitting needle: the loop is pulled in such a way that the thread lies “along the course of knitting”, evenly and naturally. This method is used for knitting, for example, stocking fabric - without a pattern or with a colored pattern or ornament. Then all purl rows are knitted, and the thread colors change, depending on the pattern of the ornament.
To cross a loop, you need to swap the front and back walls, “turn out” the loop so that it goes to the right knitting needle with the front wall located on the left. To do this, the front one is knitted behind the back wall. (the needle is inserted into the loop not from above, but as if from the inside).
However, depending on the situation in which crossing stitches is used, there are two ways to cross stitches. You need to know about this so as not to spoil the impression of the drawing in one case or another.
First option– ordinary, which is used, for example, to form a closed extension (without a hole). Or in the first row, if patterns of knit and purl stitches require knitting them in several rows. Then in purl. row you will also have to knit this loop crossed. The purl loop is crossed in the same way - by knitting behind the back wall. This is not very convenient, because the thread is in front of the work: you need to try very hard to put it on the knitting needle threaded behind the back wall, and then bring the knitting needle back without dropping the loop. But if the pattern requires it, you will have to adapt, otherwise your pattern will differ from what was planned. Sometimes in the description of the pattern it is additionally specified whether this loop is knitted inside out. a series of ordinary purl. or with crossing.
Second option– when the knit stitch is knitted crossed after the purl loop in the previous row was crossed in its place (or knitted in the “grandmother’s” way). In this case, the back wall of the loop is on the knitting needle on the left, that is, in front. And so that the front one does not “unwind” the loop of the previous row back (then the braid will be uneven and ugly, as if “jumping”), but lies in the same direction and also crosses, the front one is crossed, knitting behind the left wall. You can watch this process in more detail and clearly in this video.
Video: How to knit crossed loops
Look at this photo: on the right is a beautiful braid of crossed loops, on the left is an uneven, dancing chain. Because the front one was knitted behind the right wall and turned the underlying purl one the other way.
As you can see, knitting crossed knit stitches is quite simple. But if this technique appears in your arsenal, it will allow you to significantly expand the possibilities of knitting various patterns. By being attentive and patient when reading patterns (especially with complex openwork segments), you will be able to please yourself and your loved ones with a large number of beautiful things. True, to knit openwork patterns you still need to master yarn overs and knitting loops together. But you can read about this in other lessons on our website.
Video: Original pattern of crossed loops
One of the fastest and most unusual ways to decorate fabric when knitting is to knit with knitted crossed stitches. Using modified knit stitches, you can form any pattern on a plain fabric. If you knit a loop through one loop according to the pattern, you will get a voluminous relief fabric that will be warm and comfortable to walk in even in very coldy. This pattern is most often used to knit sweaters, hats, and pants for children and adults. The knitting is fluffy and dense at the same time, which allows the product to retain heat near the body for a long time.
You can also knit items such as coats, warm skirts, trousers. The knitting will be dense, inelastic, but very warm.
Often crossed loops come out by accident. For example, with circular knitting. To knit a straight line knit stitch, you need to take the loop by the back wall ( right half), but crossed ones are obtained if you place the knitting needle behind the front wall (left half).
The knit crossed stitch is also necessary when you need to increase stitches in knitting. If you knit a regular straight knit stitch, a hole will appear at the place of the increase, which does not always look beautiful and aesthetically pleasing. Therefore, the craftswomen know this secret and add a crossed loop. Then there will be no hole - it will be closed by the cross of threads, the finished product will look smooth and neat.
How to knit crossed stitches: a brief educational program
A knit crossed stitch is a regular knit stitch that is knitted behind the other wall. There is no fundamental difference from a regular straight knit stitch, but the crossed knit stitch has an interesting appearance.
Unfortunately, this type of knitting is only suitable for hand knitting. To understand how to knit a crossed knit stitch, it is important to understand the intricacies: the whole point of knitting a crossed knit stitch is that the knit or purl knitting It is taken not by that side, as in a regular knitting, but by its other part, the side. It is incredibly difficult to use this type of knitting in machine knitting; you will have to constantly turn the loops over, which is not very convenient, extremely labor-intensive and energy-intensive.
Multi-color knitting with knitted crossed stitches
You can knit with knitted crossed stitches not only with plain fabrics, but you can add other colors to your knitting. For example, you can draw the outline of a figure, transfer it to the canvas, calculate the correct number of loops, form a pattern of knit crossed stitches and knit it in a different color. Small flowers, checkmarks, diamonds and similar patterns will look ideal.
Crossed knit stitch: how to knit
First you need to decide on the pattern and frequency of repetition in knitting crossed loops. When knitting one loop through one loop, a rather monotonous product is obtained, which can be diluted with other colors, stripes, and patterns. When knitting two loops through two loops, you will get a pattern similar to a chessboard, which looks quite interesting when knitting for boys. To avoid unnecessary work, the pattern of knitted crossed stitches needs to be thought out in advance. Patterns of rhombuses, wavy lines, diagonal lines, honeycombs and other simple patterns look very good.
There are two options for knitting a crossed loop, both are performed by knitting behind the front wall. The only difference is that working thread you can grab it either clockwise or counterclockwise, and the type of resulting loop depends on this. Try this on your work and see what the new stitch looks like on your right needle.
Knitting a crossed knit stitch is not very convenient, each experienced needlewoman without thinking, it will automatically knit the correct straight knit stitch, and will never confuse a knit stitch with a crossed knit stitch.
When knitting fabric on the wrong side, you can also repeat the pattern (and sometimes this is even necessary to get the desired pattern), and then the craftswoman knits a purl crossed loop. The knitting method is exactly the same: we place the knitting needle behind the back wall of the loop of the previous row and pull out a new loop, already crossed.
Important differences
A regular (that is, a straight front loop) is always knitted over the right half. The crossed (crossed) front loop is knitted behind the left half, that is, the back wall when straight, and not circular knitting. Perhaps these are all the features of this knitting. Isn't it easy?
It’s knitted like this: insert the right knitting needle behind the front wall of the loop on the left knitting needle, pick up the working thread and pull it out onto the right knitting needle. When knitting a crossed loop - insert the right knitting needle behind the back wall of the loop on the left knitting needle and pull the working thread onto the right knitting needle. This creates a crossed loop.
But, if you knit a classic knit stitch behind the back wall, that is, insert the right knitting needle behind the back wall of the left knitting needle, and picking up the working thread, pull it onto the right knitting needle, then we knit the crossed loop behind the front wall. That is, we insert the right knitting needle behind the front wall of the loop on the left knitting needle, pick up the working thread and pull it onto the right knitting needle, you can see it clearly in the article:Knitting course for beginners or on the forum in the topic: .
Usually crossed loops are needed to highlight some place in the drawing. Very often, crossed loops are found in shawl knitting or in patterns where you need to highlight some part of the pattern in the pattern.
Looking at the samples Japanese schemes(for example, pattern 213) it is clear that when knitting side leaves or to highlight the pattern itself, a knitted crossed loop is knitted on the sides. In addition, in the outline of the leaf itself - both the side leaves themselves and the middle leaf - knitting is used with a knitted stitch. In the picture it will immediately catch your eye and even knitted facial surface(the front stitch is a series of classic knit stitches) is already different and the contours of the pattern that you want to highlight are immediately visible, and it is also clear that it is in different ways connected loops. In this regard, it turns out that the relief of the drawing looks voluminous and beautiful.
In shawls, and in other products, they are usually knitted to highlight flowers, veins on leaves, stems, and various geometric contours. Crossed knit stitches look especially good on stockinette stitch or purl stitch; by the way, purl stitches can also be crossed.
Knitted crossed stitches are also used in knitting sweaters, dresses, hats, and many other things. Especially if the entire fabric is knitted or purl stitch and against its background a three-dimensional pattern is knitted, which should not be lost throughout the entire canvas.
Volumetric highlighting of the contour of each detail makes it possible to examine the drawing rather than try to guess it.
It also happens that you need to hide a hole or knit a yarn over, then knit a knitted stitch, which makes the knitting more dense.
Of course in different schemes symbols different, but even looking at the diagram you can see how the drawing changes.
Crossed stitches are widely used when knitting warm items such as socks, mittens and hats. The advantage of such loops is that the knitted fabric is very dense, wear-resistant and retains its shape well, unlike knitting loops in the classical way. We offer instructions for beginning needlewomen, describing step by step how to knit an elementary crossed loop on your own, purl on the main side, and also consider several basic patterns made with crossed loops.
How to knit a crossed purl loop: basic methods
There are at least two ways to knit such loops. Let's look at both of them step by step.
Required materials and equipment:- a small amount of wool or wool blend yarn;
- straight knitting needles of the appropriate diameter.
- In one of the purl rows we begin to knit crossed loops. To do this, we bring the working knitting needle under the broach between the knitted loop and the next loop, which is still on the left knitting needle.
- We put the broach on the left knitting needle and cross it working knitting needle for the right leg. From the resulting crossed loop, pull out a purl loop to the adjacent loop.
- We make the next loop in the classical way. The hole between the loops in this case will be completely invisible.
The broach is often called a cross thread, so in some descriptions this method of knitting a crossed purl loop is called knitting from a cross thread. Sometimes the name "gap knitting" is also used. This is the same knitting method.
Method No. 2 - from a yarn over:- We cast on a small number of stitches with knitting needles and knit several rows of garter stitch in the usual way.
- In one of the purl rows we begin to knit crossed loops. To do this, we form one yarn over by throwing the working thread on the right knitting needle.
- We transfer the yarn over to the left knitting needle, turning the resulting loop clockwise, that is, crossing it. Knitting purl loop from yarn over by analogy with broaching.
The yarnover method is used to expand the knitted fabric. If increases are not needed, you need to knit two adjacent loops after the yarn over together.
Consider popular patterns with crossed loops
Crossed stitches add extra density to the product, so they are often used for knitting warm winter clothes. To make the product look neat, crossed loops alternate with classic ones.
"Granny's" rubber band.
Crossed stitches are often called “granny” stitches, and elastic bands for socks that are knitted with such loops are called “granny” elastic bands. They are not as smooth and neat as classic ones, but they are very warm and elastic.
- For a 1*1 elastic band, we cast on an odd number of loops, plus two to form the edge.
- We knit the first row and all odd rows with crossed loops, alternating “grandmother’s” stitches. and i.p.
- We knit even rows. and i.p. in the classic way, due to which the elastic bands take the shape of “Christmas trees”.
In the same way you can knit elastic bands with 2*2 and 3*3 loops.
Small dense pattern"hatching".
The number of loops is even, plus two additional loops to form the edge. In the first row, after dropping the edge loop, we alternate one purl and one crossed knit stitch. At the end of the row we knit the edge of the classic i.p.
We knit the first four rows in this way, then shift the pattern one loop to the side, as shown in the diagram. It should be remembered that in purl rows all loops must be knitted in the traditional way.
Shadow stripe pattern.
Cast on the required number of stitches for knitting in garter stitch. We begin to knit in the classic way: front rows - with traditional knit stitches, purl rows - with traditional purl loops.
After several rows, at our discretion, we knit a whole row with crossed “granny” loops. In this place, a strip is formed that differs in structure from the rest of the knitted fabric. We repeat such stripes at the required intervals. You should not do them too often, as in this case the product may not look very neat.
Garter stitch with crossed stitches.
To obtain garter stitch with more convex loops and greater density and wear resistance (for example, for a warm ski sweater or winter hat), you can use crossed loops.
We cast on the required number of loops and knit the product in one of the following ways:
- We knit the front rows with crossed loops, and the purl rows with classic ones;
- We knit the purl rows with crossed loops, and the front rows with classic stitches.
It is worth remembering that knitting with crossed loops significantly increases total time work due to the fact that each loop that needs to be knitted “granny” must actually be thrown from knitting needle to knitting needle twice.
Video on the topic of the article
In order to more clearly demonstrate the procedure for knitting crossed loops and their difference from classic loops, we suggest watching the following video lessons.
