Question about the ribbed stitch

Likesyarn2 · 02-07-2008, 12:15 PM

Hi all
I just found this site last week. I couldnt knit before I found all these videos to watch.

I am practicing the different stitches and am kind of confused with the ribbed stitch. I get the k2 p2, but when I put work in left hand, thats where my confusion comes in,, If I ended with the p2, do i start with p2, or k2?

Thanks for your help to this newbie.

Mike · 02-07-2008, 05:42 PM

Ribs are like stockinette.
You knit the purls from the previous row and purl the knits.

If you ended with P2 you start with K2.

Lisa R. · 02-07-2008, 05:45 PM

If you look at your stitches as if they were little heads on your needle, a knit stitch looks like it's wearing a scarf and a purl stitch looks like it's in a noose.

When ribbing, remember to knit the knits and purl the purls.

You turn your work and look at the stitch. If it has the bump like it's wearing a noose, purl it. If it the yarn goes behind the stitch like a scarf, knit it.

Once you're clear on how the various stitches look, it's much easier.

Likesyarn2 · 02-07-2008, 06:22 PM

Got it, tysm
There is so much to learn with knitting. I have crocheted for years, but this is taxing on my brain.

suzeeq · 02-07-2008, 06:43 PM

A purl st is a knit stitch on the back and vice versa. However, it's better to learn what each st looks like on the row you're doing than try and remember what you did to it on the previous rows. There's a lot of pattern that say knit the knits, and purl the purls. They mean as you're looking at them.

Jan in CA · 02-07-2008, 07:58 PM

The most important thing you can learn is what the stitches look like. It will help you for the rest of your knitting career.

Each stitch has two sides. One side is a knit stitch the other is a purl. So if you knit two stitches and turn your work you'll see two purl stitches.

To rib you knit the knit stitches and purl the purl stitches as they face you. As they face you just means when the work is in your left hand and you are ready to start knitting again. If you ended with two purls when you turn your work you'll see two knit stitches so you knit them.

If you were to knit the purls and purl the knits you would get seed stitch.

suzeeq · 02-07-2008, 08:24 PM

Yay Jan and her picture!

knittingymnast · 02-07-2008, 10:13 PM

Yay Jan! That pic makes ribbing so understandable to a newbie!