Uneven Stitch Count and Ribbing

#1

Help!

I’m a beginner knitter and have two questions about a pattern.

I’m making a toddler’s sweater, but it’s a very basic pattern (marked for beginners).

I’ve completed 11 rows of ribbing, 55 stitches across.

Now the pattern says:

[B]Next row /B: Rib 3, *inc in next st, rib 7; rep from * to last 4 sts, inc in next st, rib to end. 62 sts.

I have two questions.

[ol]
[li]Does “Rib 3” mean to K1, P1 three times and “Rib 7” mean to K1, P1 seven times? If not, what does it mean?
[/li]
[li]Does is matter that my stitch count is an odd number (55) and a rib stitch begins with a knit stitch (which will “reverse” the look of my “ribs”)? Or should I start with the opposite of the last stitch on the previous row (i.e. ended with knit so begin with purl)?
[/li][/ol]

I’ve had to rip out this row twice because I keep ending up with 59 stitches instead of 62 and can’t figure out why.

I’d appreciate any help I can get! Thanks! :stuck_out_tongue:

#2

It means to do 3 sts in rib pattern, (k1, p1, k1) inc 1, make 7 sts in the rib pattern( k,p,k,p,k,p,k), inc, etc. BTW, since it says to increase [B]in[/B] the next st, I take that to mean a kfb or a pfb.

#3

Sue,

You’re an ANGEL!!! Thank you for such a quick response and clear explanation. :slight_smile:

I do have a follow-up question…would you please tell me what kfb and pfb mean? Do you mean follow whichever is my last stitch with the appropriate increase?

(i.e. k1, pfb or p1, kfb)

#4

That means knit/purl in the front and the back of the same stitch. So starting the row - k, p, k, I would do the inc as a pfb in the next st, then you’d do k,p,k,p,k,p,k over the next 7 and again a pfb. It may have you go to stockinette stitch on the next row, because the ribbing’s going to be messed up. If it does, you could just do the ribe pattern one more row, and increases on the first stockinette row.

If you’re still not sure how to kfb, look in the Increases under Basic techniques - it’s also called a bar increase.

#5

May all your stitches be even and the wind be at your back. :wink:

Seriously…thanks. I truly appreciate the help.

#6

A post was split to a new topic: Increases in rib