How to Knit the Waffle Seed Stitch for a Hat Using a Circular Needle

Use double-pointed or circular needles to knit in the round, not straight needles.

The waffle seed stitch is an advanced knit stitch. It produces a textured fabric that creates a pattern more like a stockinette stitch than a standard seed stitch pattern. A traditional waffle seed stitch pattern is made across four rows, with wrong side and right side rows made differently. If you plan to knit this stitch pattern on a circular needle, or in the round, you will have to alter it slightly. When you knit in the round, every row you knit is a right-side row. The waffle seed stitch requires that you know how to cast on, knit, purl and knit one below.

Instructions

1. Cast on an odd number of stitches. Join the round by slipping the last stitch and the first stitch off their respective needle points and switch them so that the last stitch is now the first stitch of the next needle and the first stitch is now the last stitch you will knit.

2. Purl two. Knit one, purl one around until you have one stitch remaining. Purl the last stitch. This is row one.

3. Knit one. Knit the stitch in the row below. Knit one. Continue to alternately knit one in the row below and knit one until you reach the end of the row. This is row two.

4. Purl one. Knit one, purl one around until you reach the end of the row. This is row three.

5. Knit two. Knit the stitch in the row below. Knit one. Continue to alternate between knitting the stitch in the row below and knitting one until you reach the last stitch. Knit one. This is row four.

6. Repeat this four-row pattern as needed to finish your hat according to your pattern or design.

Tips & Warnings

• Use two circular needles instead of one to knit your hat. It is easier to make projects that may not be as long as your circular needles. It also makes decreases much easier.

• Any stitch pattern can be made into a circular pattern by swapping the stitches in the wrong-side rows, that is, knit when it says to purl and purl when it says to knit.

Resources

• Knitting Help.com: Advanced Knitting Techniques
• Maggie's Rags: Knitting Tips - Knitting into the Stitch Below