Ribbing Question

#1

Hi There,

I am a fairly new knitter and have a ribbing question…I know ribbing is a 2x2 pattern, as in knit 2, purl 2, but then it’s the next row that I get confused on. On the first row, your last two stiches would be a purl stich, correct? If so, those become the first stiches on your next row, right? So are you knitting those stiches? Like would you be knitting all the purl stiches and purling all the knit stiches, or do you need to make sure you only knit, knit stiches, and only purl, purl stiches? I hope I am making sense, haha! Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

Trish

#2

Knit the knits and purl the purls as you are looking at them.

#3

What boogs says is correct, but if you’re like me, I had a hard time figuring out what the knit stitches looked like and what the purl stitches looked like.

if you’re doing a k2, p2 ribbing and you end with p2, on the next row you start with k2 again.

#4

I think that is why I am so confused b/c if you end on purl and then start with knit, aren’t you knitting the purls? Help!

#5

Knit stitches are purls on the other side, purl stitches are knits on the side. So on the side that’s facing you, the ones you purled on the other side are now knit stitches.

sue

#6

Learning what the stitches look like will save you hours of frustration. It helps tremendously when you are knitting a complicated pattern because it makes it easy to scan the work or stitches to see where you are or if you made a mistake.

:hug:

#7

Aaaah, I get it now, thank you! And thanks to everyone for their help! Ok, another question, in terms of ribbing, the “seed stitch” (I believe that is what is called) is 1x1 ribbing, correct? Or is there a difference in terms of the next row?

#8

Seed stitch is k1, p1, that’s true but when you turn to work the other side you will then purl the knits and knit the purls as they face you.

Otherwise, you can create regular 1x1 ribbing by knitting the knits and purling the purls as they face you as you have done with the 2x2 ribbing.

#9

when you finish a few rows, take a look at the pattern – with practice, you’ll be able to eye the purl and knit rows without having to remember where you last left off… an INVALUABLE lesson, IMO!

#10

Thanks eveyrone for your replies! This forum is soooo great for questions - especially since my neighborhood yarn shop is closing :verysad: