Like many knitters, when I first learned to knit, I started with a garter stitch scarf. By the time I finished, I’d learned cast on, knit stitch, and casting (or binding) off.  As I recall it was a long scarf, so I had lots of practice on my knit stitches.

The scarf was made of a single color. I didn’t try anything fancy. Was just happy to be using two wooden needles, size 11, instead of the spool knitting I’d done previously. At the time I thought spool knitting boring, and for children. It seemed as though there were only a limited number of things like placemats or hot pads to make with it. And after all, I was in elementary school, so knitting with two needles was very grown-up!

Since then I’ve learned a few things about knitting garter stitch with color. And like most knitters I have definite preferences as to what I like!

So what patterns arise when you use simple techniques to add color to your garter stitch?

• Stripes, or
• A mosaic, or even
• A pattern you won’t know until you finish your knitting.

When making stripes I tend to be an orderly kind of knitter. My preference is usually to change colors on the same side, which ends up being the right side most often. Carrying one color only across, and then changing colors on the same side. This gives you sharp stripes. This picture shows colors alternated every 2 rows:

Garter stitch stripes "right" side

And the other side, usually the wrong side is more blended:

Garter stitch stripes, "wrong" side

If changing colors on both sides of the article, you’ll get a blend of the two.

There is another technique called mosaic knitting. Here, you change the colors at the beginning of a row like stripes, slip some stitches, and still carry only one color across at a time. It gives some lovely color patterns, on both sides:

Two color mosaic garter stitch odd rows

Two color mosaic garter even rows

Here’s a nice online description of knitting instructions for mosaic garter stitch.

I must admit, however, that one of my favorite ways to add color to garter stitch is easier than either of these.

Garter stitch with variegated yarn

Use a variegated yarn! Especially if you like the randomness, and being surprised at the outcome which may look like stripes or Intarsia, or even something else.

If you like garter stitch, and want to try a small project, why not a kitchen set? Here’s the link on how you can get knitting instructions for my Ripple Garter Stitch Kitchen Set.

Reverse garter stitch looks like garter stitch.

Instead of knitting every stitch, every stitch is purled.

So, when do you use reverse garter stitch?

When you’re:

• Making a garter stitch border, and need to start it with a purl row …
• Practicing your purl stitches, or …
• Teaching someone how to make reverse garter stitch.

Honestly, I rarely use it.

For me, the knitting stitch is more natural.  I can do it almost without thinking about it.  Purling, however, takes more concentration.  And after a few rows of reverse garter, I long to throw in a few knitted stitches.

Which is why, if you look closely, you’ll see how small the actual sample of reverse garter I knit for this post really is …

Only 10 stitches wide, and 10 ribs high (not including the cast on and bind off).  And yes, I knit the first row and cast off with knit stitches.  I can cast off with purl stitches, and didn’t feel a need to practice those.

For the cast on method I used knitting the first row is much faster (and easier).  So that’s what I did.

Just like garter stitch, reverse garter lies flat, and is thicker than stockinette.  Its uses are the same as garter stitch. Assuming of course you  have the patience — and the inclination — to purl multiple rows.  A scarf would make one a purling expert quickly, and possibly tire of it quickly, too.

And yes, I’m one of those knitters who goes out of her way to avoid reverse garter stitch.  If I can, I’ll substitute garter stitch, or alter the pattern.  Patterns like gauges, are after all, only a suggestion—