What's that stitch? Basket weave

Here is one of my favourite stitches, basket weave, it creates little squares which is why it is also called checkerboard.  Here is a quick guide how to do basket weave, what it looks like and a few things you can make using basket weave.

[Start of image description for image above: A photo of a red basket weave stitch square on a wooden table. On top of the photo is a white rectangle with the words "What's that stitch". Underneath is a sage green rectangle with two white stripes at the top and has the words "Basket weave" underneath is the words "cozy woodland cottage knits .blogspot .com". End of image description.]

What is basket weave?

Basket weave is also called checkerboard. It creates little squares alternating between knit and purl stitches to make alternating garter stitch squares and stocking stitch squares. It's worked on an 8 row repeat which becomes easy to memorize. 

[Start of image description: red a basket weave square on a wooden table. Under it is a sage green rectangle with a red border and the words "What's that stitch? Basket Weave by Cozy Woodland Cottage Knits".  At the bottom is a close up of the red basket weave square showing the alternating squares. End of image description.]  

What does basket weave look like?

The texture of the basket weave is bumps of the knitted squares and smooth squares of the stocking stitch squares as shown in the photo below:

[Start of image description: A close up of the red basket weave square showing the alternating squares of garter stitch and stocking stitch squares. End of image description.]

How do you do basket weave?

To do basket weave cast on stitches in multiples of 8 eg.8, 16, 24, 32 

Row 1: *K4, P4, repeat from * to end 

Row 2: *P4, k4, repeat from * to end 

Row 3: *K4, P4, repeat from * to end 

Row 4: *P4, k4, repeat from * to end 

Row 5: * P4, K4, repeat from * to end

Row 6: *K4, P4, repeat from * to end

Row 7: *P4, K4, repeat from * to end

Row 8: *K4, P4, repeat from * to end

Free printable handy stitch cards

We have made you a free printable basket weave handy stitch card for you, you could keep this in your knitting bag/basket, punch a hole and it on a key ring or get a piece of string and tie it onto the card. There is two basket weave stitch cards to choose from a sage green background or a white background, each has how to do elm grain stitch on the back of the card.

Free printable handy stitch card in White 

Free printable handy stitch card in sage green

 

[Start of image description: A wooden table with a basket weave stitch square next to two handy stitch cards one in sage and one in white. End of image description.]

What can you make using basket weave?

Basket weave looks great on almost anything such as cardigans, cushion covers and throws but I love this pattern on baskets/containers, scarves and mug cozies.  

You can find the free mug cozy pattern here: Free mug cozy pattern

[Start of image description: A sage green rectangle with a white stripe at the bottom on it is the words "Free Mug Cozy Pattern". Underneath are two mugs with cream and light blue mug cozies. End of image description.]

How to make your own patchwork square

You need to know how to:

• Cast on and off
• Knit
• Purl 

You will need:

• 5mm knitting needles
• DK/8ply
• 25 grams of yarn (75.5 yards/69 metres) 
• Row counter (If you do not have a row counter you can use the pen and paper as well but use a different colour pen or a pencil).
• Pen 
• Paper
• Yarn needle or tapestry needle to thread ends in. 

Tips:

• To keep track of the row mark the row repeats on paper and keep track of the rows using a row counter. 
• If you do not have a row counter you can use the paper and just use a different colour pen or use a pen and a pencil
• If you cast off too tightly use a stretchy cast off

Gauge:

10x10cm

18 stitches and 28 rows

If its too big go down a needle size and if it's too small go up a needle size. 

Gauge is in stocking stitch (knit 1 row, purl the next row)

Pattern:

Cast on 40 stitches

Row 1: *K4, P4, repeat from * to end 

Row 2: *P4, k4, repeat from * to end 

Row 3: *K4, P4, repeat from * to end 

Row 4: *P4, k4, repeat from * to end 

Row 5: * P4, K4, repeat from * to end

Row 6: *K4, P4, repeat from * to end

Row 7: *P4, K4, repeat from * to end

Row 8: *K4, P4, repeat from * to end

Repeat from row 1- row 8 4 times (5 times in total) and cast off

Tip: To keep track of the row I mark the row repeats on paper and just keep track of the rows using a row counter. If you do not have a row counter you can use the paper and just use a different colour pen or use a pen and a pencil.

[Start of image description: A photo of a red basket weave stitch square for a patchwork blanket on a wooden table.End of image description.] 

Hope you have as much fun learning how to do basket weave, happy knitting.

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[Start of image description: A photo of a red basket weave stitch square on a wooden table. Underneath is a sage green rectangle with two white stripes at the top. Under the stripes is a white rectangle with the words "what's that stitch?" underneath is the words "basket weave" and "cozy woodland cottage knits .blogspot .com". End of image description.]

Related Posts

What's that stitch? - Page of photos and links to all posts in the what's that stitch series.
Knitting abbreviations - Free printable knitting abbreviations cheat sheet in downloadable pdf file
Free printable knitting sheets - Free printable handy knitting sheets all in downloadable pdf files