Ok so I can knit I can purl but how come every time I try and do
k2p2 ribbing it looks like a mess? I’m knitting I’m purling and it ends up looking so bad I’ve avoided ribbing much like dpns (as though it were the plague) but now I’d like to knit some simple hats for winter for my kids and of course that means ribbing. What am I doing wrong is there a trick to ribbing?
Ribbing?
Yes, there is a trick to ribbing. :lol: I’ll bet I know what you are doing wrong because I did the same thing when I was learning ribbing. You know how to knit, but probably haven’t thought much about the fact that the yarn is always behind the left needle when you knit. And the yarn is in front of the left needle when you purl. It is important that you move the yarn into the correct position for each stitch, always between the needle tips. So yarn back, k2, move the yarn forward, p2, move the yarn back k2, etc.
The other thing is to be sure that all the stitches that look like knits (when they are facing you to be worked) are knit, and all the stitches that look like purls (have the bump right under the left needle), are purled.
Raven must be my clone because I was going to post the same question tonight. I have the same problem.
Merigoldin, I understand the yarn has to be in different places for the two different stitches, my question is how does it get there. For example if the yarn is in the back and I need it in the front, do I bring it over top of the right needle or underneath? And do I do this before I insert the needle or after?
itscherij, we must really be on the same wave tonight I was about to ask the same question about the front and rear facing yarn.
I’d love a video or like step by step instructions with pics?
I mentioned that in my first post.
always between the needle tips.
I don’t know of a video although you could probably find one on youtube. On this site it has knit and purl and under tips there is how to do a small project from start to finish but I don’t know if they include ribbing.
But I’ll explain a little more again. You knit the first two stitches, then bring the yarn to the front between the tips of the needles, don’t go under or over anything exactly (although it could be considered kind of going under the right needle to bring it to the front) Then to go from the front to the back you kind of go under the right needle again, but I don’t think of it that way. I just think of it as moving from front to back as going between the needle tips as though they formed a little gateway, and just stay between them.
Thanks, Merigoldin. While you were responding, I found this video and it seems really simple now that I see it happening.
Raven, if you go to Free Videos, Tips, on this website, look for Ribbing. It demonstrates exactly how to do it and it looks really, really simple. I´d post a link, but the website tells me I haven´t made enough posts in the forum to provide a link. Go figure.
Thank you so much both of you. I can’t wait to free up my needles so I can knit a hat.
I´m with you, Raven. Now I´m wishing I hadn´t started this scarf today . . .
I can put a link, I’ve been around long enough. 
LINK Go down to “Basic Stitch” something-or-other, then to Ribbing.
That “LINK” thing is a trick I’ve never learned. I do like your detailed advice on your answers, Merigold. It helps alot, and always has such a positive tone.