I just watched the instruction video on ribbing. I got the knit 2, purl 2 part down. I understand that pattern for row 1, but what about row 2 in the opposite direction? Do I purl 2, knit 2? Or do I still knit 2, purl 2?
(I hope that isn’t confusing.)
If you ended with a P2 you will begin the next row with a knit 2. On each side you want all the smooth vees of the knits to line up over each other and all of the purl bumps to line up over each other. The best way is to learn what a knit and purl stitch look like as you come to them.
You can make yourself a little swatch and pay very close attention to which stitches are which and learn to recognize them. When you know what the stitches look like as they face you ready to be knit, you always knit the knits and purl the purls. This works with all ribbing and knowing this will help you in so many other ways.
Hiya babeebk, n welcome to the party!:happydance:
K, what I have seen confuse more new knitters about this whole ribbing thing is worrying about what they did on the last row. "Do I purl the ones I knitted, or purl them or do I knit the ones I purled…etc."
K, here’s a kewl little trick for ya. Don’t worry what you knitted and purled on the previous row. Just concentrate on the New row as it faces you. Now for ribbing this works for any count, just knit the knits and purl the purls. So let’s say you ended with 2 purls on the last row. Now you’ve turned and those first stitches backs are now showing to you. They are now knit stitches. and the knit stitches you did on the last row, now you are seeing their backs and those are purls. Knit the v’s and purl the bumps. to the end.
Hope that helps!!:knitting:
IMO one of the most important things you can learn is what the stitches look like. Once you know that you can easily tell if you goofed up. To get ribbing you knit the knits and purl the purls on both sides. Knit stitches in stockinette will look like little V’s and the purls are bumpy. Each stitch has two sides, one is a knit and the other is a purl.
Here’s a sample.