Increases & Ribbing just don't mix!

#1

Hi!
I am working on a dog sweater, and the P1 K1 ribbing was looking
good until I had to increase every other row for several rows. The pattern doesn’t say where exactly to put the increases- just at the beginning and the end of the rows. Because of the increases, I’m ending up with two purls together, and things like that. I am hoping someone might have a suggestion. I am not a “regular” to the forum, but I do visit knittinghelp.com a lot, and say, aren’t those videos absolutely terrific!!

Thanks for taking the time to help me with this. I feel so dumb for not being able to figure this out. :wall:

#2

When you add sts at the ends of the row, you have to keep the extra sts in pattern. If the next stitch on the row is a knit, knit it, if the next one is a purl, purl it. The edge sts don’t have to keep to the pattern because they may end up in the seams or with a finishing band around them.

#3

Thanks for writing back. I’m wondering how close to the edge can you make the increases? I started using the [I]make one left [/I]and [I]make one right[/I] method. Could those increases go right between the first and second stitch in the beginning of the row, and between the last one and second from the last one at the end of the row? I was using the [I]make one in the front and then the back [/I]method, but wasn’t to happy with how it looked. I guess I should be gratefull that’s it’s only a dog sweater. LoL Thanks again for taking the time to help.

#4

I always did the increases at the very last stitch. I did a kfb (knit front and back loop of stitch), or purl front and back loop, for purl stitches.
For some reason that seemed to hide it best (in my opinion).
Of course, since you increase by 1, and ribbing is made on a base of 2, you have to take care not to mess up the pattern.
If you increase 1 at the beginning and 1 at the end, there should be no problem.

#5

You can inc between the very end sts and the next one, or in the end ones, whichever you think looks best.

#6

I’ll try increasing in the last stitch. Thanks! :thumbsup:

#7

I’ll experiment with both suggestions on those increases. Also plan on visiting the forum here more often. What a great place to hang out, learn, and maybe even contribute. Thanks so much!

#8

I have to agree with what everyone else has already said. I have noticed that, when it comes to k1p1 ribbing, whenever you increase or decrease stitches, you have to do it in two’s. (One for the knit, and one for the purl.)

#9

You don’t necessarily have to inc by 2s. You start out with the rib like this w/inc in the edge sts…

pnkpkpkpkpnk

and on the next row you would keep the new sts in the kp pattern in line with the central sts, forget the edge sts, so it might be

kkpkpkpkpkpkpp