Double Seed Stitch: Repeat, Multiple and How to Work It
Double seed stitch takes seed stitch's knit/purl alternation and works it in two-stitch, two-row blocks instead of switching every single stitch — the result is a bolder, more clearly checkered texture than plain seed stitch's finer, more uniform bumps.
The repeat
The two-stitch blocks put double seed stitch's total repeat at a multiple of 4. Worked flat: Rows 1 and 2, *k2, p2; repeat from * to end; Rows 3 and 4, *p2, k2; repeat from * to end (the block shifts by two stitches). Repeat all four rows. The key difference from plain seed stitch isn't just the block width — it's that each block is worked identically for two full rows before shifting, rather than reversing every single row the way plain seed stitch's k1/p1 does.
How it reads differently from plain seed stitch
Plain seed stitch alternates every stitch in both directions, producing a fine, even, almost speckled texture. Double seed stitch's two-stitch, two-row blocks read as visible small checks — a coarser, more clearly patterned texture at the identical gauge, since the eye can pick out the individual 2x2 blocks in a way it can't with seed's single-stitch alternation.
Why it still lies flat
Like plain seed stitch, no column of the fabric is ever all-knit or all-purl for more than two rows running, so the fabric never develops the sustained vertical pull that gives true ribbing its elasticity and curl resistance. The blocks shift position every two rows specifically to prevent any column from settling into a rib-like structure.
Where it's used
Textured borders that want more visual presence than plain seed stitch gives, allover sweater or blanket panels where a checked texture is the actual design goal, and as a non-curling alternative to garter when a subtler ridge-free surface is preferred.
Common mistakes with double seed stitch
Shifting the block every row instead of every two rows. This is the single most common execution error — it collapses the pattern into something closer to plain seed or a 2x2 rib, rather than the distinct two-row-block checkerboard double seed is meant to produce.
Losing track of which two-row block you're on after a break. Because the visual difference between "row 1 of a block" and "row 2 of a block" is subtle mid-row, marking your place (a row counter, or simply noting which block-row you stopped on) avoids having to reverse-engineer your position from the fabric alone.
Related stitch patterns
- Seed stitch — the finer, single-stitch-alternation original this pattern builds on
- Basketweave — a different route to a woven-look checked texture, using larger knit/purl blocks
- 2x2 rib — visually similar block width, but structurally elastic rather than flat
FAQ
Is double seed stitch also called double moss stitch? Yes, in the same US/UK naming split that applies to plain seed and moss stitch — both names refer to the identical repeat.
Does double seed stitch use noticeably more yarn than plain seed stitch? Both involve frequent knit/purl transitions relative to plain stockinette, and both cost more yarn than a flat fabric for that reason — swatching and weighing your actual gauge and yarn is the most reliable way to compare the two directly for a specific project.