Great for Beginners
Anyone who can knit and purl can master this pattern in no time. Mistakes, like knitting instead of purling, will be easy to notice and fix in a pattern like this which is great practice for beginners looking to hone their knitting skills. While this pattern is great for those just starting out it still produces a lovely fabric that anyone would love to wear.
A Masculine Knit
It creates a subtly masculine dotted texture reminiscent of grains of sand or a mossy rock from which it takes its names from. The sand stitch is often used in clothes made for men and boys. The fabric produced from this pattern will help retain heat and make a cozy sweater sure to keep you warm in the winter. Because of its simplicity, this pattern is great to use on your first throw blanket. This stitch looks great on either side which means it’s a reversible pattern. This makes it a great pattern to use on garments like cowls or scarfs. It’s texture and rustic look makes it a great stitch for dish towels. Using a neutral colored yarn will help highlight the texture but this pattern would look good in any color. A bulky worsted yarn will make a beautiful fabric that won’t nap, perfect for a scarf.
Which Needles to Use
The sand stitch can be easily worked on round needles which many knitters find easier to use. This is especially good for knitters that tend to lose needles! Using circular needles isn’t just for making sleeves or socks, flat garments can be knitted on them just as easily. Many knitters find they work faster when using circular needles. If speed is what you’re looking for this is a great pattern to practice with larger sized needles. A large gauge would create elongated stitches that stand out more. Knitting in a larger gauge comes with the added benefit of being a faster form of knitting. Even beginner knitters will finish projects sooner using a larger gauge.
The Sand Stitch Pattern
This stitch works on an even number of stitches. Rows 1 and 3 (wrong side): Knit Row 2: *Knit 1, purl 1. Repeat from * across. Row 4: *Purl 1, knit 1. Repeat from * across. Repeat these four rows for pattern. The purl side is the “right side”; the knit side is known as Dot Stitch.
