I picked up this book (how to teach yourself to knit visually) a few weeks ago and it is super. It has lots of beginner stuff with more intermediate information and mixed skill level projects for later.
The only weird thing is that they had weird directions for making a rib stitch,
knit 2 then purl 2 knit 2 repeat to end of row
then purl 2 knit 2 purl 2 repeat to end of row
I’m pretty sure that is how the directions went and you were supposed to get vertical alternating ribs of knit stitches and purl stiches, unless perhaps now that i think about it, maybe i was supposed to look at it sideways to see the ribbing? maybe i unraveled it all for no reason?! what do y’all think???
definitely didn’t look like ribbing to me…
perhaps i should stick to the site’s video advice of k2p2 to end of row and repeat forever and ever
[color=indigo]I don’t have that book and I can’t say for sure, but it looks to me like those directions are for flat knitting, and not knitting in the round. So the first row would be K2P2, the second would be the opposite because you’d turn the work. Especially because it says to the end of the row and not the end of a round.
From what you’ve said it seems like you are trying to knit in the round, so you would need to keep knitting the knit stitches and purling the purl stitches.
I could help better if I knew exactly what you are trying to do.[/color]
BUT!!! you must start with an even number of stitches. For example, cast on 10, 12, 14, 20, … stitches.
If you cast on an odd number of stitiches and follow the same alternating stitch pattern, you will get a seed stitch (otherwise known as moss stitch and, I think, sand stitch)
I hop this helps. You will see the ribs within a few rows. If you use a real nubby yarn the look may not be as dramatic. I think it is important to consider the yarn AND the stitch so that each compliments the other rather than competing for the limelight.
For ribbing, if you are knitting flat, if you end your row with knit stitch(es) you will start the next row with purl stitch(es) and if you end with purl you will start the next row with knit.
I will try again later. I am definitely working with straight needles, that much I know, I haven’t tackled round needles yet. What exactly do you mean by “turn the work”? Does this have anything to do with right and wrong sides?
Turning the work just means that when you get to the end of the row, having worked all of your stitches, you turn your needle around to begin working the next row.
Sometimes the ribbing pattern isn’t evident until you have completed several rows. Keep plugging away at it and you’ll get it eventually. We all started where you are now!
I was assuming that since you are a beginner you were working on a scarf with straight sticks (that’s what I call them too!). In this case, if you cast on an even number of stitches, you simply repeat k1,p1, every row exactly the same, starting with a knit stitch. The same is true if you are knitting in the round. If you see a knit stitch (it looks like the stitch on the needle is wearing a scarf around its neck), knit. If you see a purl (the stitch on the needle sort of looks like has a noose around its neck), then purl.
In the seed/moss, sand stitch, you purl when you see a knit and knit where there is a purl. If you are making a scarf, simply cast on an odd number of stitches and k,p,k,p,… starting with a knit stitch every row.
Oh I am so confused! I appreciate everyone writing back but I seem to be getting 2 different answers. I am knitting with straight singe pointed needles.
Someone wrote if I did k1p1 for every single row that I would not get a ribbed stitch, Iwould get like a moss or seed stitch.
Others wrote If I do k1p1 and end with p1, then I need to start the next row p1k1, and alternate, even on straight sticks…
What is a fool proof way to get ribbing with straight needles?
You can get ribbing with an odd number of stitches or an even number of stitches. You just have to make sure that what was a knit stitch on one side is a purl stitch on the opposite side.
As I said earlier, if you end your row with a knit stitch, you will start your next row with a purl stitch, and if you end your row with a purl stitch, you will start your next row with a knit stitch. This is pretty foolproof to me!!
If you are doing K1P1 ribbing and you have an ODD number of stitches, you will end your row with a K1. So if you started your next row with the K1P1 to the end, you would end up with seed stitch, as someone earlier stated. You ended with a knit and started the next row with a knit.
So the bottom line for ribbing (using K1P1 for an example):
EVEN NUMBER OF STITCHES:
Row1: K1P1 to the end
Repeat Row 1 until desired length of ribbing
ODD NUMBER OF STITCHES:
Row 1: K1P1 to last stitch, end with K1
Row 2: P1K1 to last stitch, end with P1
I hope to g-d this helps. Really, I’m not trying to be stupid, I’m just confused and probably making a mountain out of a molehill over something so silly, lord help us all when I try circular needles or knitting with dpns, LOL.
I am printing the entire post out and will go over it at home later.
Thanks for the kind words. That helps a lot. What was confusing is some people were telling me I would k2p2 and they didn’t mention anything about odd and even cast ons. Now that I have re-read everything in addition to the website below I think I got it. My school is closed tomorrow and dh and I do not have a computer at home, but hopefully I will have good news to report monday!
