How to do hurdle stitch

Welcome to what's that stitch series.  This month's stitch is a simple stitch knitted in knit and purl stitches called hurdle stitch.  Hurdle stitch creates rows of garter stitch ridges with rib in between and can also be used instead of a rib stitch.  Learn about this stitch, how to do hurdle stitch, get a few project ideas and grab our free printable handy stitch card. 

[Start of image description for above image: A photo of a green knitted hurdle 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 and the words "Hurdle stitch". End of image description.]  

What is hurdle stitch?

Hurdle stitch is an easy stitch suitable for beginners who know how to knit and purl.  It creates rows of garter stitch ridges with rib in between and can be used instead of a rib stitch on the cuffs on jumpers, cardigans and for the brim/cuff on the bottom of a beanie. 

[Start of image description: a photo of a green knitted hurdle stitch square with a pair of double pointed needles (DPN'S) with needle point protectors on the ends of them on top of the knitted square along with the ball of green yarn. On top of the photo is a white rectangle with the words "What's that stitch?".  Underneath is a sage green rectangle with the words "seed stitch is an easy stitch for beginners. On even rows Row 1: *K1, P1* Row 2: *P1, K1*. On odd rows "Row 1: *K1, P1*

Row 2: *K1, P1*". End of image description.]

What does hurdle stitch look like?

Below are a few photos of what hurdle stitch looks like along with a close up photos to show the texture of the garter stitch ridges with the rib in between in more detail which looks a bit similar to a knit 1, purl 1 rib.  

[Start of image description: A close up of the knitted green hurdle stitch showing the garter stitch ridges with the rib in between. End of image description.]

How do you do hurdle stitch?

To do hurdle stitch you need to know how to:

• Cast on
• Cast off
• Knit
• Purl 

Knitting abbreviations

K - knit
P - purl

You can find our Free printable knitting abbreviations here

To do hurdle stitch 

Cast on multiples of two eg, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10

Row 1: Knit

Row 2: Knit
Row 3: Knit 1, Purl 1
Row 4: Knit 1, Purl 1

Repeat these four rows and cast off. 

[Start of image description: A green knitted seed stitch square with a pair of double pointed needles (DPN'S) with needle point protectors on the ends of them on top of the knitted square along with the ball of green yarn. End of image description.]

Tips for doing hurdle stitch

• To keep track of the row mark the row repeats on paper or keep a track of the rows using a row counter. 
• You can use a hurdle stitch instead of a rib stitch for something a bit different. 
• Make sure you don't confuse this stitch with rib stitch which is similar but doesn't have the garter stitch ridges. 
• You need to make sure you have an even number of stitches and have cast on multiples of 4 so it turns out in the right stitch pattern. 
• If you cast off too tightly use a stretchy cast-off.
• Have fun knitting this stitch and/or learning how to do this stitch.

How to make your own patchwork square

You need to know how to:

• Cast on 
• Cast off
• Knit
• Purl 

Knitting abbreviations

K - knit
P - purl
Knitting abbreviations - Free printable knitting abbreviations sheet

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 pen and paper).

Gauge:

10x10cm

18 stitches and 28 rows

If it is 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)

[Start of image description: A wooden table with a yellow knitted seed stitch square with a garter stitch border around it. End of image description.]

Pattern:

Cast on 40 stitches

Row 1: Knit

Row 2: Knit

Row 3: Knit

Row 4: Knit

Row 5: Knit

Row 6: Knit
Row 7: Knit 1, Purl 1
Row 8: Knit 1, Purl 1

Row 9: Knit

Row 10: Knit
Row 11: Knit 1, Purl 1
Row 12: Knit 1, Purl 1

Row 13: Knit

Row 14: Knit
Row 15: Knit 1, Purl 1
Row 16: Knit 1, Purl 1

Row 17: Knit

Row 18: Knit
Row 19: Knit 1, Purl 1
Row 20: Knit 1, Purl 1

Row 21: Knit

Row 22: Knit
Row 23: Knit 1, Purl 1
Row 24: Knit 1, Purl 1

Row 25: Knit

Row 26: Knit
Row 27: Knit 1, Purl 1
Row 28: Knit 1, Purl 1

Row 29: Knit

Row 30: Knit
Row 31: Knit 1, Purl 1
Row 32: Knit 1, Purl 1

Row 33: Knit

Row 34: Knit
Row 35: Knit 1, Purl 1
Row 36: Knit 1, Purl 1

Row 37: Knit

Row 38: Knit
Row 39: Knit 1, Purl 1
Row 40: Knit 1, Purl 1

Row 41: Knit

Row 42: Knit

Row 43: Knit

Row 44: Knit

Row 45: Knit

Row 46: Knit

Cast off 

[Start of image description: a green hurdle stitch square with a garter stitch border with a pair of knitting needles on top of it. On top of it is a ball of green yarn, all items are sitting on top of a wooden table. End of image description.]

You could use your square to make:

• a blanket 
• a cotton dishcloth
• a cotton facecloth.
• a patchwork blanket using our what's that stitch post. 
• a scarf 

What can you make using hurdle stitch?

This stitch would look great for the following projects:

• Used instead of rib for the cuffs of jumpers, on beanies
• Headband
• Beanie
• Dishcloth
• Teatowel 
• Jumper 
• Scarf
• Curtain ties 

[Start of image description: A wooden table with two seed stitch squares one is yellow with a garter stitch border and the other is a seed stitch square knitted in dark blue. End of image description.]

Free printable handy stitch cards

We have made you a free printable hurdle stitch 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 are two seed stitch handy stitch cards to choose from a sage green background or a white background, each has how to do seed 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 white background with a photo at the top centre. The photo is of a wooden table with a green square that has a garter stitch border around it and the hurdle stitch inside.   Underneath is two brown stripes and then a brown rectangle with the words "what's that stitch?" and at the bottom is the words "Hurdle Stitch" and the words "cozy woodland cottage knits. blogspot .com. End of image description.]

[Start of image description: A sage green background with a photo at the top centre. The photo is of a wooden table with a green square that has a garter stitch border around it and hurdle stitch inside. Underneath is two white stripes and then a white rectangle with the words "what's that stitch?" and at the bottom is the words "Hurdle Stitch" and the words "cozy woodland cottage knits. blogspot .com. End of image description.]

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[Start of image description: a yellow seed stitch square on a wooden table at the top is a white rectangle with the words "what's that stitch?".  Underneath is a sage green background with two white stripes and the words "seed stitch. End of image description.]

Thank you for visiting Cozy Woodland Cottage Knits!

Have fun learning how to do basket stitch and making a project using this stitch. Don't forget to download your free printable basket stitch cards. Check our stitch library What's that stitch? for more stitch pattern posts like this one. 

[Start of image description: Arjaye's signature with two toadstools in between the letter j and the letter y. Next to it is a fairy with blue hair, a green wreath headband, blue lips and yellow wigs, she is wearing a sage green dress. The fairy sitting on top of a yellow toadstool with blue dots and blue underneath the toadstool. Next to the fairy is a black cat holding a turquoise ball of yarn. 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

Free curtain ties knitting pattern - Free pattern that uses hurdle stitch