How to do tile stitch

Welcome to our knitting stitch series what's that stitch? This week learn how to do tile stitch, it is quite an easy stitch to do and I think it might just be my new favourite stitch. Tile stitch creates rows of tiles with a garter stitch border around the edges of each of them.  Learn about this stitch, how to do tile stitch, get a few project ideas and grab our free printable handy stitch card. 

[Start of image description: A wooden table with two blue tile stitch squares on a wooden table with a white rectangle at the top with the words "What's that stitch". Underneath is a sage green rectangle with two white stripes underneath is the words "Tile stitch". End of image description.]

What is tile stitch?

Tile stitch is an easy stitch suitable for beginners who know how to knit and purl.  It creates rows of tiles with a border of garter stitch around them all.  This stitch would look lovely on jumpers, cardigans and scarves. 

[Start of image description: a photo of two blue knitted tile stitch squares . 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 "tile stitch. To do tile stitch cast on multiples of 5.  Row 1: Knit  Row 2: *P4, K1* Row 3: Row Row 4: *P4, K1 Row 5: Knit Row 6: *P4, K1 Row 7: Knit Row 8: Knit. Repeat these 8 rows". End of image description.]

What does tile stitch look like?

Below are a few photos of what the tile stitch looks like along with close-up photos to show the texture of the tile stitch with the garter stitch borders in between the tiles.  

[Start of image description: a light blue tile stitch square on a wooden table. End of image description.]

[Start of image description: A close up of the knitted blue tile stitch showing the garter stitch border around each of the tiles. End of image description.]

How do you do tile stitch?

To do tile 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 tile stitch 

Cast on multiples of five eg, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25

To do tile stitch you cast on multiples of 5 eg, 5, 10, 15
Row 1: Knit
Row 2: *P4, K1*
Row 3: Knit
Row 4: *P4, K1*
Row 5: Knit
Row 6: P4, K1*
Row 7: knit
Row 8: Knit 

Repeat these eight rows and cast off. 

[Start of image description: Two blue knitted tile stitch squares one with a garter stitch border and one without. On the top of one is a pair of double-pointed needles (DPN'S) with needle point protectors on the ends of them. End of image description.]

Tips for doing tile stitch

• To keep track of the row mark the row repeats on paper or keep a track of the rows using a row counter. 
• Make sure you do the knit 1 to create the garter stitch lines between the tiles along with the two knit rows to finish off the garter stitch border.
• You need to make sure you have an even number of stitches and have cast on multiples of 5 so it turns out in the right stitch pattern and doesn't cut off some of the pattern eg half a square. 
• 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: *P4, K1*
Row 7: Knit
Row 8: *P4, K1*
Row 9: Knit
Row 10: P4, K1*
Row 11: knit
Row 12: Knit 

Row 13: Knit
Row 14: *P4, K1*
Row 15: Knit
Row 16: *P4, K1*
Row 17: Knit
Row 18: P4, K1*
Row 19: knit
Row 20: Knit 

Row 21: Knit
Row 22: *P4, K1*
Row 23: Knit
Row 24: *P4, K1*
Row 25: Knit
Row 26: P4, K1*
Row 27: knit
Row 28: Knit 

Row 29: Knit
Row 30: *P4, K1*
Row 31: Knit
Row 32: *P4, K1*
Row 33: Knit
Row 34: P4, K1*
Row 35: knit
Row 36: Knit 

Row 37: Knit
Row 38: *P4, K1*
Row 39: Knit
Row 40: *P4, K1*
Row 41: Knit
Row 42: P4, K1*

Row 43: Knit

Row 44: Knit

Row 45: Knit

Row 46: Knit

Cast off 

[Start of image description: a blue tile stitch square with a garter stitch border with a pair of knitting needles on top of it with needle point protectors on the ends of them and a row counter on the end of one. On top of it is a ball of blue 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 tile stitch?

This stitch would look great for the following projects:

• Headband
• Beanie
• Dishcloth
• Teatowel 
• Jumper 
• Cardigan is my fave 
• Scarf

[Start of image description: A wooden table with a dark blue tile stitch squares with a garter stitch border and a ball of dark blue yarn on top of it with a pair of double pointed knitting needles sticking out of the top with needle point protectors on the ends along with a row counter on the end of one of them. End of image description.]

Free printable handy stitch cards

We have made you a free printable tile 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 tile stitch handy stitch cards to choose from a sage green background or a white background, each has how to do tile 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 light blue tile stitch square and a dark blue square that has a garter stitch border around it and tile 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 "Tile 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 light blue tile stitch square and a dark blue square that has a garter stitch border around it and tile 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 "Tile Stitch" and the words "cozy woodland cottage knits. blogspot .com. End of image description.]

If you loved this post please pin!

[Start of image description:A wooden table with a dark blue tile stitch squares with a garter stitch border and a ball of dark blue yarn on top of it with a pair of double pointed knitting needles sticking out of the top with needle point protectors on the ends along with a row counter on the end of one of them. In the middle is a sage green rectangle with a white border and the words "What's that stitch? Tile stitch by Cozy Woodland Cottage Knits". 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

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.]