ribbed scarf--help?

[snpdiva]

I am trying to make a simple ribbed scarf from a pattern found in a beginner's knitting kit. The instructions call for bulky yarn and 10 1/2 size needles; cast on 33 stitches and work in K3-P3 ribbing. I've started and unravelled about four times, but it just looks all weird and awful. To make the ribbing, I'm supposed to alternate K3/P3 with P3/K3 on the back side, right? The ribbing still doesn't look right...
I'm using a Lion Brand Suede yarn that is marked "bulky" with a number 5, and the 10 1/2 size needles.
Any tips? Thanks in advance!
Nicole

[knitqueen]

Is there any way you could post a picture? It sounds like you understand the instructions so a picture might help us be able to see what might be going wrong.

[fibrenut]

Hiya Diva n welcome to the party!!!
One little rulette (not really a gospel thing though) for knitting any combo of rib st. Is the ol' k the k and p the p as the piece is facing you (don't worry bout p the k or reversing anything) Hope that helps ya hun!!

[suzeeq]

That should work out, since you have an uneven number (divisible by 3, but not 6) your 1st row ends with a k3, so you will start the 2nd row with a p3. Remember, it takes more than 2 rows for a rib pattern to look like it's supposed to.

[Howdovely]

That should work out, since you have an uneven number (divisible by 3, but not 6) your 1st row ends with a k3, so you will start the 2nd row with a p3. Remember, it takes more than 2 rows for a rib pattern to look like it's supposed to.

What? Really? I'm still knew and haven't done a whole lot of ribbing (I've only done it in the round), but if I read that, I would start EVERY row as K3/P3, just as the directions read. I still get so confused when it comes to anything other than K every row, haha.

[suzeeq]

Her directions are correct: k3,p3 on row 1, p3, k3 on row 2. The rib pattern takes up 6 st. If you have a number that isn't divisible by 6, the row ends with k3. So to make a rib, the next row starts with a p3. It ends with p3 also, so you repeat the 1st row again and start with k3. There's only one st in knitting, one side is a knit, the other is a purl. So when you're doing ribbing you need work each st how it looks to you when you come to it. A lot of patterns read knit the knits and purl the purls as they face you; this is where knowing how to read your knitting comes in handy.

[snpdiva]

Thanks to everyone who has replied...especially suzeeq and fibrenut...I think I was trying to reverse stitches and getting confused whether I started the row with knit or purl. I know it takes more than two rows; I had done five or six rows and my ribbing was not looking right.

Purl the purl stitches and knit the knit stitches, as the work is facing you. So I don't have to remember which row I'm on after the first two, I can just do whichever stitch I'm looking at on the previous row. I will give that a try and see if it turns out looking better.

[Howdovely]

Her directions are correct: k3,p3 on row 1, p3, k3 on row 2. The rib pattern takes up 6 st. If you have a number that isn't divisible by 6, the row ends with k3. So to make a rib, the next row starts with a p3. It ends with p3 also, so you repeat the 1st row again and start with k3. There's only one st in knitting, one side is a knit, the other is a purl. So when you're doing ribbing you need work each st how it looks to you when you come to it. A lot of patterns read knit the knits and purl the purls as they face you; this is where knowing how to read your knitting comes in handy.

Very good to know. I'm finally beginning to feel able to actually do something other than a scarf of all knit stitches. I've done a few dishcloths with patterns, but haven't really ventured away from that yet. Thanks to all of you 'pros' out there that we newbies can lean on, I think I might be up to it after Christmas!

Yay!