Kids hat

I have been completed rows of rib… K2, p2, now the pattern says rib 5, rib 2tog, rib3, rib 2tog 18times, rib to end. It is a decreasing row.

When it says rib… Do I still K2 p2 as rib?

Hello
Yes that’s right keep working k2 p2 for the rib.
When it says rib 5 this is 5 stitches total, not 5 lots of “k2 p2 rib”.
The reason it says rib is that you need to look at what stitch is presented on the left needle, if it is a knit which looks like V then knit it, if it’s a line or bump it is purl so purl it.
For rib 2 together you can k2tog or p2tog as you prefer.

Hope this helps

Thank you!

@Creations , I have wondered: With a k2, p2 rib, then a rib 5 followed by rib 2tog will likely leave you with the second stitch of a rib to be worked with the first stitch of the next rib.
(Such as K, P, P on the left needle)
Do you work the K&P together as the first stitch (K2tog) or work as the second stitch (P2tog)?

Personally I look at what I have in front of me and decide what I like the look of best. My early projects I followed “blindly” the pattern I had and would have most likely just k2tog for any decrease unless it was explictly stated to do something else - which actually turned out fine. Now I am more experienced and more fussy. I prefer all rib decreases (transitioning to stockinette or lace with stockinette etc) to be within the purl columns and so long as they are reasonably spaced, and I start and end with the correct number of stitches, I will move them to a purl column rather than interupt a knit column.

I also like the refining tip (from Rox Richardson videos) where the first row of stockinette is worked by knitting the knits and slipping the purls, it makes the rib column transition look lovely. The purl columns remain “set back” rather than being pulled forward by directly knitting all stitches in that first row.

You know, no one else will ever notice any of these things… but I like learning bits and tips and the beauty about hand knitting is being able to make changes if or when we want. My skill level is not high enough to actually make all the adjustments I’d like but …I like the process.

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Good resource. Thanks. I have flagged for future reference. I still blindly follow pattern. Never give it a thought but now I see there are other options. I guess I have been so afraid of messing something up. Guess I need to be more daring.

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