Mattress Stitch Seaming

Mattress stitch is used to vertically seam knitting, creating a join between two pieces that are worked in stockinette stitch, which is invisible on the right side of the work (there will be a selvedge on the wrong side). Mattress stitch is worked from the right side of the work, in the direction that it was knit.

You will need:

-The two pieces of knitting that you will be joining

-A tapestry needle

-Yarn (or the tail of one of the pieces if it is long enough). As mattress stitch is invisible, the yarn you use won’t be visible on the right side of your seam so it doesn’t need to match, however you should make sure that it is of a similar colour and can be washed in the same way as your main yarn.

Step 1

Thread the tapestry needle with the yarn you are using for the join and lay the two pieces that are to be joined next to each other with the right sides facing up.

Step 2

Anchor the thread in one of the pieces

Step 3

Insert the needle down into the same place on the other piece, and thread it under the bar above that stitch.

Step 4

Repeat the previous step on the other side, this time putting the needle in to the same stitch that it came out of last time.

Step 5

Continue to work up the seam, zig-zagging between the two pieces. Every few stitches, gently pull the yarn through just enough to close the gap. Don’t pull too tight, or the seam may pucker.

Step 6

At the end of the seam, tie the yarn through the last stitch to secure it, and then either weave in the end using the tapestry needle, or cut the end from the wrong side, leaving a short tail.

Troubleshooting

Mattress stitch is really easy to unpick if you run into any problems. Simply use your needle to unpick the vertical stitches on the wrong side of the work.