What Is Andalusian Stitch? My Beginner’s Guide With Videos

Want to learn the Andalusian stitch? You’ve come to the right place. A gorgeous textured stitch that is easy to do but looks complicated. I’ve curated the easiest knitting tutorials to follow. The excellent teachers I’ve included helped me with my journey.

I reviewed, fact checked and updated this post on May 17, 2023.

Table Of Contents

• What Is Andalusian Stitch?
• How To Do Andalusian Stitch
• How To Do Andalusian Stitch In The Round
• Common Problems & Fixes
• Project Ideas
• FAQS

What Is Andalusian In Knitting?

It’s a twist on the stockinette stitch with a lovely textured fabric and features a 4 row repeat pattern using knit and purl stitches.

1. Knit all stitches (a knit row)
2. One row of purl all stitches
3. Knit 1, Purl 1, repeat until the end of the row
4. Purl all stitches

See my full tutorial further down.

It is a great stitch for beginners because it uses the basic stitches – knit and purl. The texture is added with the knit 1, purl 1 row. It looks more complicated than it is.

A hat, scarf or cowl would look great in this stitch. A bigger project like a throw using Andalusian stitch like would look fabulous, particularly when using bulky yarn. The best part about a thicker yarn it doesn’t take as long to knit.

Key Facts – Things To Know

• Difficulty Category – Intermediate
• Appearance – A vintage twist on stockinette
• Does It Stretch? – A little, but it’s not elastic
• Is It Reversible? – No, the pattern only appears on the right side and it has a wrong side
• Does Andalusian Stitch Curl? – No, it doesn’t
• Is It Good For Borders? – Yes, because it doesn’t curl
• How Difficult Are Increases/Decreases In This Pattern? – Shaping is difficult to do
• How many rows for the pattern repeat? – 4 rows
• Variations – Andalusian Rib Stitch, Double Andalusian Stitch (the double Andalusian pattern is a four row pattern, with more complicated rows than all knit and purl rows)

You can use this knit stitch pattern in a vertical or horizontal position in your knitted fabrics to create a different effect.

Why Is It Called Andalusian? This variation on the stockinette pattern is named after a region in Southern Spain, Andalusia, where it was allegedly invented.

Why Use It In Projects?

The stitch creates a fabric with a lovely textured finish. It looks great using small needle sizes and big needle sizes. For the best stitch definition I’d used a solid color yarn so the Andalusian pattern really pops!

It’s also sturdy, so it’s great for garments that get lots of wear. Think a simple sweater, hat, scarf or cowl. Mittens would work too because the wrong side is smooth.

How To Do Andalusian Stitch

Knitting Techniques You Need To Know

Here’s what you need to know to learn how to knit the Andalusian stitch.

• Making a slip knot
• Casting on (my favorite method is the long-tail cast on)
• Reading knitting abbreviations (like k1, p1)
• The = stitch
• Casting off (AKA bind off)

Knitting Tools & Materials

These are the supplies you need to knit the Andalusian stitch.

• A skein/ball of yarn (if you’re a beginner, use a wool or acrylic worsted weight yarn)
• Straight knitting needles (ensure the sizes match the type of yarn you’ve chosen)
• Scissors
• A yarn needle (AKA a tapestry needle)

Andalusian Stitch Knitting Pattern

Here’s how to knit the Andalusian stitch in flat knitting. Do you use your left hand or right hand to make a knitted fabric? These instructions are for right-handed knitters. If you’re left-handed, it’s the same, but with the opposite hand.

Total Time: 5-15 minutes.

1. First, Cast On: Multiples of 2, plus 1 (so in my swatch above I cast on 16 stitches (multiple of 2) plus 1, so in total I had 17 stitches.
2. Knit all stitches (a knit row)
3. One row of purl all stitches
4. Knit 1, Purl 1, repeat until the end of the row (a knit purl row)
5. Purl all stitches
6. Repeat until you reach your desired length
7. Cast off your stitches, trim the yarn tail, and weave in the ends.

The odd rows have more variation, the even ones are only purls.

Congrats! You’ve created your knitted piece.

Visual Tutorials

Here’s an excellent tutorial with pictures by StudioKnit on YouTube showing you the steps above.

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How To Do Andalusian Stitch In The Round

Doing the Andalusian stitch in the round requires circular needles. Knitting in the round is different to knitting flat. Doing stockinette requires alternate knit and purl rows when knitting flat. Knitting in the round, you only have to do knit stitches.

Knitting Techniques You Need To Know

• Making a slip knot 
• Casting on
• Joining in the round
• The = stitch
• Casting off

Knitting Tools & Materials

These are the supplies you need to knit the Andalusian stitch.

• A skein/ball of yarn (if you’re a beginner, use a wool or acrylic worsted weight yarn. Cotton is more difficult to use. The price varies depending on the yarn brand you choose. Occasionally, brands have a collection of products on sale. Try to shop then and look for some deals on shipping, or get someone to gift it to you!)
• Circular needles (ensure it matches the yarn)
• Scissors
• A yarn needle (aka tapestry needle)

You can use other types of needles like DPNs, but they’re more difficult to use.

Andalusian Stitch Pattern In The Round

Here’s how to knit the Andalusian stitch in the round.

1. First, cast on enough stitches to fit around your circular needle circumference in multiples of 2. Ensure your gauge (how many stitches per inch) isn’t too tight or loose for the needle size you’re using.
2. Wrap the yarn around the needle, and join in the round
3. Knit all stitches
4. Knit all stitches
5. Knit 1, purl 1, until the end of the row
6. Knit all stitches
7. Repeat the four rows (add a few rows) as many times as necessary
8. Cast off your stitches, leaving the last stitch knit
9. Pull the yarn through the last stitch
10. Trim the yarn tail and thread it through a yarn needle, and weave in the ends.

(Unlike the flat knitting pattern, this doesn’t have a row with all purl stitches. But it’s still a simple stitch pattern.)

Video Tutorials

Here’s a tutorial by Little Knits on YouTube on how to do the Andalusian stitch patterns in the round.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmF_NKeyEVk

If you’re confused, hopefully it’ll make it a lot easier to grasp.

Common Problems & Fixes

When you’re learning, things are bound to go wrong for beginners! You may notice the following problems in your knitting, but don’t worry. Here’s how to solve them.

Knitting Is Too Loose/Tight

This is a gauge problem. Check that your tension (how tight you hold the yarn while you knit) is even. Ensure you’re using the right size needles for your yarn weight. If it’s too loose/tight, go up or down a needle size.

Project Ideas For This Stitch

Here is a list of suggested uses for this knitting technique. They’d make a variety of gifts for friends or family, or your next knitting project! Designers use this stitch in their designs for:

• Accessories like a shawl
• Garments like a cardigan or sweater
• Home décor
• Sweaters
• Knitted squares for a quilt or multiple quilts if you’re feeling ambitious! 😊
• A useful thing for your home like dishcloths
• A bath mat
• A market bag or other purse
• A scarf or cowl
• A pair of socks or slippers
• Baby booties, a hat, or a blanket

FAQS About The Andalusian Stitch

How Do You Weave In The Ends Of Andalusian Knit Stitch?

• Thread the tail through a yarn needle
• Weave in the end by going under a few stitches, then over a few more stitches
• Do this a few times until you reach the end of the tail
• Trim any excess yarn

How Do You Count Andalusian Stitch Rows?

The little downward facing arrows (that look like ribbing) is every third row of the pattern. So count by threes every time you see one of those.

Can Andalusian Stitch Be Created In Crochet?

No, you can’t create a mock version using a hook.

Conclusion

Time to knit (and master) Andalusian stitch! Hope you enjoy learning this new skills. Want to try something else? See my guide to the seed knit stitch.