How to Knit the Herringbone Stitch in the Round

Hi everyone, it’s Fariba from Watch Knitting! In this tutorial, I’m going to show you how to knit the Herringbone Stitch in the round. I’ve shared the flat version before, but here we’ll review it briefly so we can focus on adapting it for circular knitting.

This beautiful stitch creates a dense, woven texture that looks like tiny diagonal arrows—perfect for scarves, cowls, hats, or even home décor projects.

The Herringbone Stitch is simple to work and follows a 2-row repeat, and you can cast on any number of stitches.

Step 1: Flat Version Overview

We’ll start with the flat version to see how the pattern forms.

• Row 1 (RS): Work two stitches together through the back loop (K2tog tbl). Drop the first stitch and keep the second. For the next pair, use the second stitch from the previous K2tog as the first stitch, then work it together with the next stitch through the back loop. Repeat across the row.
• Row 2 (WS): Repeat the same steps, but this time purl two together (P2tog). Drop the first stitch, keep the second, and continue across the row.

Once you finish these two rows, you’ll see the distinctive herringbone lines forming. Repeat Row 1 and Row 2 to continue the pattern.

Step 2: Adapting for Knitting in the Round

Now let’s convert this pattern to work in the round.

• Round 1: Same as flat Row 1, start by joining your stitches in the circle. Knit two together through the back loop, drop the first stitch, keep the second, and repeat across the round.
• Round 2: On the flat version, we purled two together. For the round, knit two together through the front loop (K2tog) instead. Drop the first stitch, keep the second, and repeat. This creates the right-slanting lines to complement the left-slanting lines from Round 1.

Tips:

• Keep in mind that knitting in the round slightly shrinks the fabric, so your stitches may be a little tighter.
• The texture is dense and woven, giving a striking herringbone effect perfect for any project.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and feel inspired to try the Herringbone Stitch in your next project. It’s a textured, versatile stitch that looks stunning in hats, scarves, cowls, or other knitted items.

If you have any questions, I’ll be glad to answer them. Happy knitting and have a wonderful day!