I’m adding a ribbed cuff to some crocheted gauntlets. I’m working without a pattern, and have had to start and restart a couple of times, trying to get the right fit. I’m almost there, but the cuff is still too large. rather than frog it yet again, I’d like to just do a few decreases. How do I do a decrease in a 1x1 rib, without messing with the ribbing? If it makes any difference, I’m doing it on circulars, with a magic loop.
Thanks for any assistance!
I don’t think there is any way to do it w/o it showing. What you could try is to just use a smaller needle and see if it’ll make it small enough w/o getting stiff.
I just went through this with a hat I was making. After frogging four times I got it right. For the decrease stop at a purl stitch (purl stitch is first stitch on left needle), knit the next two stitches together and you will have a knit stitch on top and purl stitch on the bottom. If you do all your decreases this way you will have a nice “clean” finish.
Judy
That works for a hat because you are decreasing for the top. For the cuff on mittens it will work, but it will show. If you don’t want decreases to show on a mitten cuff you may have to frog and cast on less.
you will see the decreases. No doubt. So use them as a part of your design. Better to make them look nice than to make them crumple it all.
What you can do (if the needle size will not do it!):
[B]1st option I think of:[/B]
always decrease 2 at a time (slip 1, k2tog, pass slipped over the k2tog-part). If you start that on a knit rib, you will have 2 ribs run together as one and you are still in pattern.
This will leave “arrows” pointing towards the smaller end of the cuff and it can look nice.
of course you will not do this with every rib, but if you know how many to decrease, then space the decreases so that they fall evenly (like: 1 rib unbothered in between, or maybe 2 ribs like that… or 3 times the decrease-rib, then 2 times not… whatever suits you).
[B]2nd option I think of:[/B]
do not continue in 1 by 1. It sounds simple and so it is:
lets say you have 40 stitches (20 ribs) and want to decrease 5stitches: then when you get to a knit stitch, just knit it together with the following purl and you decreased by one… Space that 5 times in your pattern and you will partially have k 1 p1 and partially k 2 p 1 . Since you can always see where you are, no problem, really.
A pattern like that can, of course be done the other way around as well: p2tog, beginning with a purl stitch and you have wider “valleys” than “hills”. That is your choice.
In garnstudio.com-patterns ribbing gets extended or contracted like that a lot. But they might more often start with a 2 by 2 and go down to 1 by 1 - or when getting bigger: start with 2 by 2 and become 2 by 3 then 3 by 3.
But since you already made some 1 by 1 that option is no more.
A k2p1 ribbing has less give than a 1 by 1, just so you know. But if it fits… fine!
[I]3rd option [/I]
… well, I would need to try that, but I was thinking of “cabling” away purl stitches to get k2 p2 and simultaneously knitting / purling some together… but that sounds awefully awkward to test-think without needles in hand and a sample… and I would not really get to try that soon… so do not listen to that. 
I’m not sure that will make enough difference, but thank you for the suggestion. I’ll keep it in mind.
Thanks, I’ll consider this.
I’m not really too concerned about it showing on this project. I’m just tired of frogging it, as I’ve done that three or four times already.
thanks. This sounds kinda what I was looking for. Just a few decreases, evenly spaced around.
and thanks also for your other suggestions, I’ll keep them in mind.
These gauntlets are almost elbow length, and I’m not worried about the cuffs showing, as they will seldom show. they’ll be under my jacket. I ride a golf cart around at work, and the wind goes right up my arms, jacket or not. So I made these gauntlets to stop that wind. but they’re just a bit too big, and I’m hoping the cuffs will help them stay on better.
Thanks to all, and I’ll let you know how it turns out.
Ruth
Just did this 2-st decrease on a 1x1 ribbed neckline and it looks real nice.
- Slip the middle st (knit st) and the previous st (purl st) as if to k2tog (knitwise).
- k1
- Pass the slipped sts over.
Slipping the sts helps to eliminate bulk.
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