Can you make your project stretch without ribbing?

[MiniatureKnitter]

Hi, I'm trying to knit this pattern:
http://theyellowjournalist.blogspot....ne-gloves.html

I don't like the look of the ribbing, would like it look like a basic garter stitch, but it still needs to stretch.

Is this possible to do this?

If so, what do I do?

The only thing I've thought of is elastic. If I wanted to use elastic in this pattern, how would I go about doing it?

Thanks for listening!

[Ingrid]

There's no law that you have use ribbing, though it will keep the glove on better. I have to admit that the ribbing on that glove doesn't look all that great, so maybe with your yarn it would look better. Worth a shot.

Knitting will stretch by nature, including garter, but it won't pull in and be as snug as ribbing. You can knit with a strand of elastic thread held together with your yarn and see how that works.

[knitasha]

Garter stitch is pretty stretchy.
The purpose of ribbing isn't really to make things stretchy -- it's to make a section of the sweater pull in (at the waist or wrists, for instance. You can omit the ribbing and just do the whole thing in garter. But it will change the look of the sweater, and it may look unfinished. You could finish the edges with a few rows of another stitch (seed stitch, maybe) or some i-cord.

ETA: Sorry, I didn't look at the link so I didn't know you were talking about a glove. Yeah, the elastic should work. Either do what Ingrid says and hold it along with the cuff stitches, or run a few rows of elastic through the cuff area when the glove is finished.

[imrachel]

I'm in agreement with Ingrid-- that photo is either not so hot, or the ribbing just doesn't look not so hot with that particular yarn. But it's done 1 X 1, and you could do a 2 X 2 or 3 X 1, which a lot of people like-- as there is only 1 purl st to 3 knit sts, it looks the least ribby. There are plenty of other options for the cuffs of gloves, including cabled, or sideways ribbed-- that is, if it's in the round, K 4 rows, purl 4 rows, until it's the length you want. Check out www.knittingpatterncentral.com and their mittens and gloves section and see what you like.

[suzeeq]

The ribbing was done with the same needle as the glove; it would look better when it's done on a size smaller.

K2, p1 ribbing is fairly stretchy, but looks more like stockinette. That may be an option to try.

[MiniatureKnitter]

Thank you everyone for your suggestions!

I tried the k2 p1 pattern.

Whatever I did, the k2 p1 pattern looked REALLY odd. (could be my yarn, I don't know)

I tried just knitting the cuff in garter stitch and it works great.

It fits and looks fine.

It's a LITTLE loose on my wrist but my palm keeps it there just fine. I may add elastic later, but for now its just fine.

You can knit with a strand of elastic thread held together with your yarn and see how that works.

How would I do that?

Also, how would I sew the elastic on the cuff once I'm done?



Thanks again for your help!

[suzeeq]

Just thread it onto a darning needle and sew through the purl bumps on the inside. That would be elastic thread, not a strip of elastic.

[MiniatureKnitter]

Ah, ok.

That makes sense.

Thanks!

[MiniatureKnitter]

This Question has nothing to do with ribbing, but its about the gloves...

(if I should post this question in another forum please let me know)

when the pattern says:
K 2 rounds plus 4 stitches in CC1

What does "plus 4 stitches" mean?

Do I cast on another 4 stitches?

Also, how do I "Place 14 gusset stitches on a holder or piece of scrap yarn"?

[suzeeq]

I would say you knit 4 sts from the next round in the CC before you switch to the next color.

There should be 14 sts that have been designated as the thumb gusset, put them on a stitch holder (which can be scrap yarn) to work on later.