Miniature Smocking Stitch
Miniature Smocking Stitch creates a beautiful stitch pattern that reads like the intricate smocking you might see in the yoke of a special little dress. Distinctive concave arcs animate the pattern, creating a deep and impactful texture. Working this stitch pattern involves a three-step combination that’s incredibly easy to master: reverse yarn over; knit 2; pass the yarn over, over… And that’s it!
In our Miniature Smocking Stitch Tutorial, the smocking stitches come one right after the next and are staggered from row to row. This variation is called the Fish-Scale Pattern, and you can find it in Barbara G. Walkers’ legendary book, Charted Knitting Designs: A Third Treasury of Knitting Patterns.
Miniature Smocking Stitch: Video Tutorial
Miniature Smocking Stitch: Written Instructions
Yo In Reverse [Yarn Over In Reverse]
To “yarn over in reverse,” bring the yarn from the back, over the right needle to the front, then between the needles to the back. (Note that if the stitch after the yo in reverse were a purl, you would not bring the yarn between the needles to the back. In this pattern the next stitch is always a knit stitch and so, you do!)
Stitch Pattern
The following instructions include a 1-stitch garter-stitch selvage.
Cast on an even number of stitches.
Row 1 (right side): K1, *yarn over in reverse, k2, pass yo over 2 knit stitches, repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
Row 2 (wrong side): K1, purl to last stitch, k1.
Row 3: K2, *yarn over in reverse, k2, pass yo over 2 knit stitches, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, k2.
Row 4: K1, purl to last stitch, k1.
Repeat Rows 1-4.
Give It A Try!
The Miniature Smocking Stitch in the Fish-Scale Pattern enlivens our fantastically nubbly Cozy Corners Crib Blanket. Give it a try!
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There is no video or a link showing for this technique.
Can you fix this? I would love to see this!
Thanks!
Hello Kathy!
We unfortunately don’t have a video tutorial for this technique in the works at the moment, but which part is most confusing for you? Please let us know so that we can more carefully help you troubleshoot! Thanks for writing in! -Alyson
I think what is confusing is that it says “In this video” but there is no video. There is also a space where it looks like a video should be.
Hello Kat!
I made a mistake! Here is the link to the video on our pattern page: https://youtu.be/ZUVSJRzUJYM
I’m sorry it wasn’t working for you! Let me know if you’re still having trouble. Thanks! -Alyson
Hi Alison and thanks awfully four yr explanations. I would appreciate further advice on the four row repeat. Are all the rows equal?. Does the pattern change every four rows?. If so, how.
Hello, Maria!
Thank you so much for writing in! Sorry about the delayed response! I would really like to help you, but I am not sure if you are asking about the Miniature Smocking Stitch tutorial or the Cozy Corners Crib Blanket which utilizes this stitch. Please let us know so that we help you further!
Best wishes,
Kumeko
Your instructional videos are, BY FAR, the easiest for me to learn from. Clear visual instruction, with no background clutter. Clear and simple audio instructions as well. I wish you could do a video for every stitch I’d like to knit! I’d like to work up a swatch using only the “Miniature Smocking Stitch”. I’ve searched the site for written instructions on this particular stitch alone, but haven’t found it. Such as the multiple of stitches to cast on, and if there are any other rows to work, other than the pattern repeat in the instructional video above.
Hello Lindsy,
Thanks for writing in! I’m thrilled to hear how helpful you have found our videos. The “Miniature Smocking Stitch” can be found in Barbara Walker’s Charted Knitting Designs: A Third Treasury. The repeat that we used is written out in our Cozy Corners Crib Blanket pattern. I hope this helps. Please let us know if you have any further questions!
-Marilla