What would be the best ribbing for cotton?

How-to Questions
1

Since it doesn’t have the “spring” like wool, what would be the best ribbing to make it stretchier, 1 x 1 or 2 x 2. Are the decorative ribbing patterns not as stretchy as the plain ribbing?

I want to make a knitted tube top and sew a fabric skirt and either knitted or fabric straps to it (like gimmesanity/Sharon did for her little girl), and figured for summer wear something cotton would be best (planning on using Cotton Tots) for a dress for my almost 3-year-old niece. Would I be better off getting a cotton with a tad of elastic in it, like Cascade Fixation, especially the bulky version? I do have some Cotton Fleece which is 80% cotton and 20% wool, but I’m thinking that’s not enough wool to make a big difference.

2

I’ve done 2 x 2 ribbing with cotton plus and it’s worked just fine…Summer Swing Top is the pattern to which I am referring.

3

Good to know. Since I will be putting straps on, the “holding on” factor won’t be critical (as in a strapless dress) but I wanted to make sure it still had some form to it.

4

If it’s not elastic enough, you can always try threading some elastic through on the wrong side. I always wondered if just carrying a clear or complimentary elastic thread with your yarn would work just as well…

5

I’ve never carried an elastic, but I have sewn it in after finishing a project and that works nicely, too.