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Knitted initial patch

Knit a small stockinette patch, then embroider an initial or short name over its V-shaped stitches. The lettering comes from the same name-chart engine used by our editable alphabet tool.

Original Purlgrid recipe · engine-checked counts · diagrams are previews, not photographs of a physically made sample.

Illustration of a cream knitted patch with a red A in duplicate stitch
Illustration based on the chart, not a photo of a stitched sample.

Supplies and skills

A background yarn, a small contrasting amount of the same yarn, knitting needles and a blunt yarn needle, scissors and a ruler.

  • Stockinette worked flat
  • Duplicate stitch
  • Sew a patch

How to make it

  1. Swatch in stockinette, wash and dry it, then enter the stitch and row gauge. Choose an initial supported by the alphabet and check that the complete letter fits.
  2. Cast on the stated count. Knit every odd row and purl every even row, keeping the same number of stitches. The chart is viewed from the knit side.
  3. Bind off, weave in the background ends and block the rectangle. Stockinette edges can curl: this is a patch to sew down, not a free-standing flat coaster.
  4. With contrasting yarn, follow the separate initial chart using duplicate stitch over the existing knit Vs. Work without pulling the fabric tight, then secure the ends on the back and sew the patch around its edge onto the chosen textile.

The coloured chart is embroidery placement; do not knit the letter into the background rows.

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Optional: estimate yarn from a weighed swatch

Use a washed, dry sample in the same yarn and stitch pattern. Fill all five measurements; the estimate includes the reserve you choose.

Stitches across
20
Fabric rows
28
Calculated rectangle
10 × 10 cm
Cast on
20

The target size is 10 × 10 cm. Whole stitches and rows give the calculated size shown above, before finishing.

Gauge used: 20 sts and 28 rows per 10 cm in this fabric.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV––––––––––––––––––––VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV––––––––––––––––––––VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV––––––––––––––––––––VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV––––––––––––––––––––VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV––––––––––––––––––––VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV––––––––––––––––––––VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV––––––––––––––––––––VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV––––––––––––––––––––VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV––––––––––––––––––––VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV––––––––––––––––––––VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV––––––––––––––––––––VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV––––––––––––––––––––
Stitch schematic, not a finished-product photograph. V = knit, – = purl, × = single crochet. Preview: first 20 stitches and 24 rows.

Working instructions

Cast on 20 stitches. Turn after every row. Knit and purl abbreviations use the stitch count of the complete row.

  • Odd rows: k20 (20 sts in every row).
  • Even rows: p20 (20 sts in every row).

After the listed fabric rows, bind off on the following row. The bind-off edge is outside the calculated fabric-row count.

Duplicate-stitch lettering

Lettering: A. Finish the background first, then add the marked cells in a separate contrasting yarn. Each cell is one fabric stitch across and one fabric row high. The chart is a placement diagram viewed from the front.

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Embroidery placement chart. Marked cells are embroidery; blank cells are left alone. The clear edge is included in the chart.

18 embroidered knit stitches; keep the outer 1 stitches and rows clear. Yarn for lettering is additional to the background estimate.

How to add the letters

  1. Thread a blunt yarn needle with contrasting yarn. Bring it up from the back at the bottom point of the knit V you want to cover.
  2. Slide the needle under both legs of the V directly above that stitch, then take it down through the starting point. The new yarn follows both legs of the existing knit V.
  3. Repeat for each marked cell without pulling the fabric tight. Secure the ends on the back and check the lettering from the knit side.

Every marked position

Rows count from the bottom. Columns count from the right as you look at the front, on every row. These are embroidery positions after finishing, not colour changes while making the fabric.

  • Fabric row 12: columns 9, 13.
  • Fabric row 13: columns 9, 13.
  • Fabric row 14: columns 9, 13.
  • Fabric row 15: columns 9, 10, 11, 12, 13.
  • Fabric row 16: columns 9, 13.
  • Fabric row 17: columns 9, 13.
  • Fabric row 18: columns 10, 11, 12.

No yarn quantity is assumed. Add a weighed, measured swatch below for an area-based estimate.

  • ✓ Every row keeps the same stitch count.
  • ✓ The instructions cover every row exactly once.
  • ✓ The optional lettering fits inside the edges.
  • ✓ The written embroidery positions match every marked chart cell.

More first projects with a name

Knitted name bookmark · Single crochet coaster · Striped crochet bookmark

Choose a first project

Questions about this project

Do I change yarn colours while knitting?

No. Knit the whole rectangle in the background colour. Add the letter afterwards with duplicate stitch, following the chart from the knit side.

Why will a long name not fit?

Each letter needs its full grid width plus spacing. The engine rejects lettering that does not fit instead of shrinking or cropping it; enlarge the patch or use fewer letters.

How do I duplicate stitch letters?

Knit the background first, then cover each marked knit V with contrasting yarn. The embroidery chart and written positions show every stitch to cover; the needle steps below the chart explain how.

Terms and next steps

k = knit; p = purl; sc = US single crochet; MC = main colour; CC = contrast colour. A number after a stitch abbreviation is the number of stitches to work. Read repeat instructions as written.

Abbreviation references: Craft Yarn Council knitting terms · Craft Yarn Council crochet terms and US/UK comparison.

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