ribbing doesn't look right...

ERNPDX · 12-27-2010, 03:14 AM

Hi friends,
I'm trying to do 2x2 ribbing, and my result does not seem to be ribbing at all. My understanding is this is cast on by a multiple of 4; k2, p2 a row; repeat. My result is this: http://www.flickr.com/photos/47775231@N04/5296109892/

Just reviewed online videos for the knit and purl stitch, but I only pick up my knitting once every couple of years, so I could be all confused on a number of fronts.

Any ideas what on earth I could be doing wrong?

Thanks for help & suggestions!

ERNPDX · 12-27-2010, 08:17 AM

10 1/2 gauge needles used for the sample

Peace, Joy & Soy

ERN

hyperactive · 12-27-2010, 11:45 AM

Hi!

Your parameters are right:
a multiple of 4 and then work k2 p2, turn your work, work k2 p2 and so on.

that should do ribbing.
it is really hard to see in your swatch due to the yarn and dark color.

did you do any kind of edge stitch? That would create an offset?

or maybe it is just the yarn, hiding the stitches? That yarn is super curly!

suzeeq · 12-27-2010, 05:10 PM

The boucle yarn makes it more difficult to see stitch patterns, and sometimes you may need more rows than you've got for it to show. It kind of looks right, why don't you do a few more rows and see how it seems then.

ERNPDX · 12-27-2010, 08:15 PM

Thanks, I think I'll try with regular yarn to see if it looks right then.

TrueIconoclast · 12-30-2010, 10:41 PM

What's funny is that I spent 5 hours yesterday trying to figure out why my ribbing looked like that. And alas, I did!

Check the following link for confirmation.....you'll also probably find the stitch dictionary quite helpful as well.
http://www.knittingonthenet.com/stitches/2rib.htm

What you need to do is cast on any multiple of 4 stitches + 2 stitches if you're working with 2x2 (I'm working my ribbing in 34 stitches).
Row 1: *k2, p2; repeat from *, ending row in knit stitch
Row 2: *p2, k2; repeat from *, ending row in purl stitch

SO, when charted out, this is what your stitches should look like:

kk PP kk PP kk PP kk PP kk PP kk PP kk PP kk PP kk
PP kk PP kk PP kk PP kk PP kk PP kk PP kk PP kk PP

When kk = knit knit (knit 2) and PP = purl purl (purl 2).

Hope this helped!

MerigoldinWA · 12-30-2010, 10:58 PM

TrueIconoclast, what you say is right, but you can also do it with a simple multiple of 4 and begin row one k2, p2 and the next row will begin k2, p2 also.

kmaclean · 12-30-2010, 11:00 PM

It is kinda hard to tell from the photo ... it could be that it is right but you haven't done enough rows yet for it to really look like it should (plus using a boucle yarn means it won't be as defined).

It could also be that you're knits and purls aren't lining up properly. When you work on a flat piece (which you are) you need to make sure that you "knit the knits and purl the purls" in order to get ribbing (if you don't, you'll end up with seed stitch, or in your case double seed stitch since you're doing 2x2). There is a sticky thread on this subject if you're not sure what this means .... but basically just remember that the back of a knit stitch is a purl and the back of a purl stitch is a knit. If your row ends with a K2, then the beginning of your next row will need to be a P2 for it to work properly (as the previous poster pointed out). If you end each row with a P2 though, then you can always start each row with a K2. Figuring all that out can be confusing though, especially when you're first starting, so I'd suggest focusing on learning to read your stitches (so you know whether you are looking at a "knit" or a "purl") and then just knit the knits and purl the purls as you go down the row.