Thinking when ribbing?

tigersagg · 11-15-2008, 11:43 PM

Oh, I'm so frustrated with myself!

Okay, first I should say I'm a very new knitter. Hello!

Tonight, I started on my third knitting project...a very easy beanie-type hat.

The hat is ribbed for the first bunch of rows, so Row 1 is k2 p2...
And row 2 is p2 k2...

Somehow, while watching the hockey game, I got my rows turned around and I didn't notice until I was about 20 stitches in.

I looked and looked and I couldn't find anywhere that would show me how to tink (is that the right word) my ribbing so I could get back to the start of the row and do it right.

I see how to knit back, but not how to purl back or how to go back when doing both.

I had to rip it all out and now have to start over, and I was 8 rows in (which is about 3 hours of work for me! :( )

Can someone point me in the direction of how to go backwards when ribbing so this doesn't happen again?

Thank you so much in advance!

suzeeq · 11-16-2008, 04:56 AM

It's the same principle really whether it's a knit stitch or a purl stitch. Insert your left needle into the stitch below the one on your right needle and slide the right needle back so the tip pops out and you can pull the yarn out. Then the stitch will be on the left needle.

Jan in CA · 11-16-2008, 05:20 AM

Learn what your stitches look like! That makes it very easy to rib because ribbing is just knit the knits and purl the purls as they face you. This means that when needle with the work is in your left hand you look at the side facing you. Here's a sample of what the stitches look like.

Sue explained how to tink back. Here's a link with pictures if you need it.
http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter03/FEATwin03TT.html

tigersagg · 11-16-2008, 05:22 AM

Oh my gosh, thank you!

I was trying to insert the left needle into the stich ON the right needle, not the one BELOW it!

*sighs* I'll get the hang of all this, one day.

tigersagg · 11-16-2008, 05:27 AM

Thank you, Jan.

I'm still getting the hang of what the different stitches look like when they're still on the needle...if that makes sense?

That was the exact site I looked at to try to find my way back, but I couldn't see that her needle was in the stitch below the needle and not on.

Thanks so much for the quick replies.

I'm sure I'll be posting MANY more questions in the very near future!