What is K the K and P the P?

[swarthygirl]

I'm trying to make a hat for my sister using this pattern, and since my gauge and needles are off, I'm trying to figure out how to adjust the stiches to make it fit. It's in ribbing, which I'm doing on straight needles, and I'm thinking this abbreviation in question has something to do with doing things on circulars?

Also: why does it have you do a k3, p1 at the beginning when the hat is k4, p1? Am I supposed to keep doing this throughout?

Thanks for any help!

[gardenmommy]

K the K and P the P means knit the knit stitches (the V ones) and purl the purl stitches (the "bump" ones) for the back side of the ribbing, to keep it in the rib pattern.

Really you will be ending your row with a K3 (after you have done all the K4, P1s you can), because when you seam it, you lose a stitch off the beginning and the end so when you bring the sides around, you'll end up with a K4 P1 together...make sense? (that K3 P1 will lose a K stitch in the seam to basically become a K2 P1, and the K3 at the end will lose a K stitch in the seam to become K2, so that it will make a K4 P1 section when seamed together.

[swarthygirl]

Okay, that makes sense, but I'm a bit confused as to that, because I've been purling the knit stiches and kniting the purl ones when I've flipped it over, so there's four rows of stockinette in the front and one in the back. Is this the right thing to do on straight needles? This is only my second project and I'm new to ribbing (and decreases, but hopefully that'll be slightly easier).

Thanks for the clarification on the K3, P1. So that means knit 3, purl 1, do the pattern as described, and then end with a k3? So the pattern is a multiple of 5 and then adding 7 on. Okay, that works; I can work out the pattern details now, I think.

[gardenmommy]

Did you get your four rows of the 1 x 1 rib done yet?

If not that will be

Row 1 will be K P K P K P K P K P.... for all 72 stitches (assuming are you doing the adult small size, otherwise do the whole row that way for whatever size you're doing).
Row 2 you will do the opposite, P K P K P K P K P K allllllllll the way across.
Row 3, just like row 1
Row 4, just like row 2

Now you're ready to start your K4 P1 pattern (you can start your row count over since you're done with the first section, it will be easier to keep track how many you have done)

Row 1 - K3 P1, then repeat (K4 P1) all the way across to your last 3 stitches which you will knit
Row 2 - You will be purling the stitches that you had knit on row 5, and knitting the stitches you had purled on row 5, so since you ended with K3, you will start with P3, then you will (K1 P4) all the way across to the last four stitches (which were the first four of row 5, so you will K1, P3
Row 3 - same as row 1
Row 4 - same as row 2

Repeat for the amount of rows specified in the size you are using, then you'll start your decrease section. Follow those directions, and on the even rows (you can start your row count over again). On the even rows, (2, 4, and 6) you will continue in pattern like you had been, knitting the knits and purling the purls. By this time it will be easy to tell what you need to do to keep the ribbing pattern going.

Hope that helps! Just let us know if yoiu have more questions!

[suzeeq]

Okay, that makes sense, but I'm a bit confused as to that, because I've been purling the knit stiches and kniting the purl ones when I've flipped it over, so there's four rows of stockinette in the front and one in the back. Is this the right thing to do on straight needles? This is only my second project and I'm new to ribbing (and decreases, but hopefully that'll be slightly easier).

No, you don't keep track of how you knit or purled on the previous row, but what they look like as they face you on the next row. Look what gardenmommy wrote out - k p k p all the way to the end, then the next row is p k p k all the way across. Repeat those two rows twice for a total of four.

Thanks for the clarification on the K3, P1. So that means knit 3, purl 1, do the pattern as described, and then end with a k3? So the pattern is a multiple of 5 and then adding 7 on. Okay, that works; I can work out the pattern details now, I think.

Good. But you can come back and ask questions if you're not sure of something.

sue