CraftPatterns

Houndstooth knitting chart

The classic broken-check houndstooth in charcoal and cream, a tiny 4-stitch repeat for all-over colourwork.

Preview of the finished houndstooth knitting chart
How it looks finished (rendered from the chart)
Pattern details
Size48 × 24 stitches
Colours2 · Generic yarn
Total stitches1,152
DifficultyEasy (2/5)
Finished size9.4 × 3.4 in (24 × 8.6 cm)
LicenceCC BY-NC 4.0 — free for personal use with credit

Materials

ColourCodeNameStitchesShareAmount
Y12Charcoal57650%576 sts · ~11.6 m
Y02Cream57650%576 sts · ~11.6 m

About this design

Houndstooth, or dogtooth, is the jagged check of tweed jackets. In knitting it comes from a tiny four-stitch, four-row repeat: one dark stitch, then three, then three shifted by one, then one, which forms the pointed tooth shape. Worked in Y12 Charcoal and Y02 Cream it looks smart and timeless. Because every row uses both colours, the fabric is dense and warm, ideal for hats, mittens and cowls.

Knitting the chart

The motif repeats every 4 stitches, and the chart shows 12 repeats across 48 stitches. Every patterned row uses two colours. The longest float is 3 stitches. Stranded all-over patterns knit up tighter than plain stockinette, so swatch in pattern and go up a needle size if needed.

Sizing and uses

At 20 stitches and 28 rows per 10 cm, the 48-stitch chart is 24 cm wide and the 24 rows are about 8.6 cm tall. Any stitch count that is a multiple of 4 works: 88 to 104 stitches for an adult hat, 48 to 56 for mittens.

Colour chart for houndstooth knitting chart with a bold line every 10
Colour chart preview. The PDF adds symbols, row and column numbers and the full key.

Colour plan

Charcoal does the most work, 50% of the 1,152 stitches, followed by Cream at 50%. Every colour is used at least 576 times, so there are no tiny one-off details to hunt for. Every square of the grid is filled.

Working notes

The longest float is 3 stitches, so no float needs catching. Every row uses at most two colours, so it can all be worked as stranded colourwork.

Row by row

All 24 rows written out, row 1 at the bottom
  • Row 1 (RS, right to left): 1 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 2 Cream
  • Row 2 (WS, left to right): 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal
  • Row 3 (RS, right to left): 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal
  • Row 4 (WS, left to right): 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream
  • Row 5 (RS, right to left): 1 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 2 Cream
  • Row 6 (WS, left to right): 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal
  • Row 7 (RS, right to left): 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal
  • Row 8 (WS, left to right): 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream
  • Row 9 (RS, right to left): 1 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 2 Cream
  • Row 10 (WS, left to right): 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal
  • Row 11 (RS, right to left): 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal
  • Row 12 (WS, left to right): 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream
  • Row 13 (RS, right to left): 1 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 2 Cream
  • Row 14 (WS, left to right): 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal
  • Row 15 (RS, right to left): 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal
  • Row 16 (WS, left to right): 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream
  • Row 17 (RS, right to left): 1 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 2 Cream
  • Row 18 (WS, left to right): 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal
  • Row 19 (RS, right to left): 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal
  • Row 20 (WS, left to right): 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream
  • Row 21 (RS, right to left): 1 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 2 Cream
  • Row 22 (WS, left to right): 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal
  • Row 23 (RS, right to left): 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal, 1 Cream, 3 Charcoal
  • Row 24 (WS, left to right): 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream, 1 Charcoal, 3 Cream

This is an original CraftPatterns design, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0: stitch it, share it and gift what you make — please credit craftpatterns.app and don't sell the pattern itself. Want to change it? Open it in the knitting colourwork editor.

Geometriccolourworkstrandedhoundstoothdogtoothall-overtweed

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