How to Do Mattress Stitch in Knitting and Crochet

If you are knitting or crocheting anything that is made up of separate pieces joined together, whether it is a garment, a cushion, or a toy, it will be useful to learn how to do the mattress stitch. This stitch is also known as ladder stitch, because of its appearance, which looks like the rungs of a ladder before it is pulled closed completely.

What is Mattress Stitch?

Mattress stitch is a hand-sewing technique used to join two knitted or crocheted pieces together. It creates an almost invisible seam on the right side of the fabric, making it ideal for garments, toys, blankets, and home décor projects.

How to do Mattress Stitch (Step by Step)

Here are the step-by-step instructions for joining two pieces of fabric knitted with a stockinette stitch.

1. Thread your yarn needle with matching yarn, or use a long tail left over from casting on.
2. Lay your pieces to be seamed out flat, right next to each other, with the bottom edges closest to you. You will work this seam from the bottom up.
3. Pull the edges of your knitting out slightly, to open up between the stitches.
4. Find the running yarn between the first and second stitches on each piece.

5. To start, work through the threads in your cast-on row.    
6. Secure your thread (if not using a cast on tail).
7. Work a figure of 8 for your first stitch.

I have used a darker pink contrasting yarn thread to make the sewn stitches stand out. But you should use the same yarn for an invisible seam.

8. Pick up the first running thread on the right-hand or opposite side (this is the thread between the first and second stitches on the RH side).

9. Now find the corresponding running thread on the left-hand piece. 
10. Bring your needle under the thread, then pick up the corresponding running thread on the other piece.

11. Work back and forth, from side to side, always making sure you are picking up the thread from the same row of knitting on both pieces.

12. Every inch or so, pull your thread up to pull the two pieces of knitting together. Don’t pull it too tightly, or your knit fabric will pucker up and form gathers. Just use a gentle tug.

13. When your sides are completely joined, tie off the end of the yarn you have used for stitching, and weave any loose ends through the ridge on the wrong side.

All those dark pink stitches have disappeared on the mattress seam! Done in a matching color, you will get an invisible join on the right side. Here is how the front looks

Here is how the wrong side of your work looks. See the ridge formed in the center.

Mattress Stitch Variations

Mattress Stitch On Striped Stockinette Stitch 

When you are working with stripes (see the random stripe generator) or any kind of color work, the most difficult part is making sure that the colors line up perfectly. If you are careful about picking up the running thread between stitches precisely, row for row, this will work itself out perfectly.

Mattress Stitch On Reverse Stocking Stitch

This is a little more complicated because you have to alternate between the ‘mountains’ and ‘valleys’ of the stitches. If you look closely at the purl side of the knitting, you will see that some stitches curve downwards, with a peak in the middle, like mountains, and others curve upwards like a valley, or a smile.

1. Align your knit pieces and begin, as described above on your cast on row.
2. Then slide the needle through the first lower (valley) bar or running thread on the right-hand piece.

3. Now cross over to the left-hand piece and slide the needle through the first upper bar (mountain) thread.

4. Keep alternating between right and left and lower and upper stitches. All stitches on the right side will be into the lower bars, and all stitches on the left side will be into the upper bars.

Mattress Stitch On Garter Stitch                 

When you look closely at the garter stitch, you will see that there are smooth rows and bumpy rows created by knit stitches. For a neat finish, you will be sewing on the bumpy rows only.

You will use the same technique as described above by sewing through the upper bars (mountains) on one side and the lower bars (valleys) on the other.

Mattress Stitch for Crochet

Although mattress stitch is most commonly associated with knitting, it also works beautifully for crochet projects. It is especially useful when joining granny squares, garment pieces, cushions, blankets, and amigurumi parts where you want a neat, nearly invisible seam. Mattress stitch is ideal when you want a flat, unobtrusive seam. It works particularly well for:

• Joining crochet garment pieces
• Seaming crochet cushions
• Connecting granny squares
• Joining blanket panels
• Attaching amigurumi parts

If you want the seam to become a decorative feature, a slip-stitch or single-crochet join may be a better choice. However, when you want the join to blend into the fabric, mattress stitch is often the best option.

To work the mattress stitch on crochet:

1. Place the crochet pieces side by side with the right sides facing up.
2. Thread a yarn needle with matching yarn.
3. Starting at the bottom edge, insert the needle under the edge loops of the first piece.
4. Cross to the second piece and insert the needle under the corresponding edge loop.
5. Continue working back and forth between the pieces, picking up matching loops on each side.
6. Every few inches, gently pull the yarn to close the seam.
7. Fasten off and weave in the yarn ends securely.

❤️ BEGINNER TIP: The key to a neat crochet mattress stitch is to pick up the same part of each stitch on both sides of the seam. This keeps the join even and prevents puckering.

Troubleshooting Mattress Stitch Seaming

BUMPS – On occasion, you may miss one of the bars and effectively skip a row. This will cause a bump or a step in your seam. It is easily fixed by pulling out the mattress stitches until just below the bump, then re-sewing, making sure to pick up every bar without skipping any.

MISMATCHED STRIPES – This shows up even more obviously than just a bump. Again, the solution is to pull out the mattress stitch to just below the mismatched part, then re-sew, making sure you include every bar.

How to Pull Mattress Stitch Out

Luckily, mattress stitch is an easy stitch to unpick!

1. Turn your work to the wrong side. You will see a small ridge where your seam has been made.
2. Fold the ridge back and you will see a row of small straight stitches.
3. Find the point where your mistake has happened, and slide the yarn needle under the stitch at that point.
4. Pull the whole row of stitches out by pulling on that thread.
5. Straighten out any gathers, re-thread the needle, and continue sewing.

Alternatives to Mattress Stitch

• Whip stitch is a very quick and easy stitch, but it is not quite as invisible as a mattress stitch. To work it, place the right sides of the knitting together and secure your sewing yarn (or use a long tail from the cast on).
• Backstitch is also quick and easy, but it does create a wider seam at the back of the garment.
• For those who really dislike sewing, but know how to crochet, this one is the answer! Here is how to slip stitch crochet:

Mattress Stitch FAQs

Mattress Stitch – In Conclusion

I have included other seaming methods here, but the mattress stitch is by far the best method. It is very secure and really almost invisible. It is really worth giving it a try, as it is not at all difficult once you get the hang of it. It is also most useful as a darning stitch on woven fabrics, so it’s definitely worth getting familiar with this one! Don’t be one of those people who love knitting, but hate sewing, so their UFOs (unfinished objects) are all completely knitted, but not joined.