How to do mattress stitch?
We asked superstar knitting designer Sarah Hatton to help us out with this knitting essentials how to - how to do mattress stitch? Sarah is an established designer who has been designing for many years and has incredible patterns featured in Rowan magazines and her own books. She also teaches knitting workshops and knows a thing or two about gin!Whilst Sarah was in store teaching we took the opportunity to film a quick video on how to do mattress stitch. Sarah prepared two stocking stitch swatches (in Rowan Big Wool) to demonstrate the technique. Watch the video below or on our YouTube channel.
If you prefer to read the instructions, we have put together still images with our own text to guide you through this helpful finishing technique.
What is mattress stitch?
Mattress stitch is a joining method for two knitted pieces. It is most commonly used for joining two pieces of stocking stitch knitting. Fantastic for joining garments, giving you a practically invisible seam. Once you have got this sewing up skill under your belt, you will want to get that unfinished jumper finished pronto (note to self: get jumper finished!).
How to do mattress stitch
Line up your two pieces of knitting side by side with right side of work facing. Thread a length of yarn onto a sewing up needle and insert the needle under the first stitch at the bottom right of your knitted piece.
Now move over to the left piece and insert the needle under the first stitch at the bottom or your work.
Go back to the first stitch on the right and insert your needle and pull through to secure.
Pull tight to secure, ready to begin the magic art of mattress stitch.
Moving to the left piece (green), insert needle under the first horizontal bar of the knitted row, then come back up with your needle leaving a gap of two bars in between. Move over to the right piece and do the same on the opposite side. There is no need to pull the stitches tight at this stage, leave it so that you can see a laced zig zag of sewing up yarn for the time being.
Continue to swap from side to side matching the rows as you go. Once you have sewn up approximately 5cm - 10cm, gently pull the yarn you are sewing up with whilst holding the start of the seam and watch the two pieces of knitting marry together.
Once you reach the end of your knitted pieces sew in ends to finish off.
What is your preferred seam for knitting? Do you find mattress stitch to be the best sewing up method?