A tuck stitch is a knitting technique that creates a unique texture by forming a held loop, one or more tuck loops, and knitted loops.
In essence, when a needle already holding a loop receives a new loop, it doesn't immediately knit it off. Instead, this new loop is "tucked" behind the existing loop on the reverse side of the fabric, creating a raised or textured effect. This is because the tuck loop isn't intermeshed through the old loop.
Here's a breakdown of the components:
- Held Loop: The original loop already present on the needle.
- Tuck Loop: The new loop received by the needle but not immediately knitted off. It's tucked behind.
- Knitted Loop: Loops that are knitted normally, creating the base fabric structure along with the tuck stitches.
The tuck stitch allows for a variety of textured patterns and can be used to create effects such as welts, ribs, or raised designs in knitted fabrics.
