How to Knit the Rib Stitch

Step 1

I'm back with some knitting theory. 🙂 Today I want to tell you about knitting basic ribbing. They are used everywhere—cuffs, garment hems, cowl collars, hats... There are hundreds of types of ribbing, without exaggeration! We'll master them step by step. 😉

Simply put, the "rib" pattern is an alternation of knit and purl stitches. Most often, patterns call for 1x1 and 2x2 ribbing.

The principle is simple: cast on 20 stitches for a swatch, then alternate 1 knit and 1 purl to the end of the row.

Turn the work, and knit over the knit stitches and purl over the purl stitches. Work several rows, and you'll get neat, fine vertical ribbing. Here is what it looks like:

Step 2

2x2 ribbing is worked using the same principle, but here you need to alternate two knit stitches and two purl stitches. Once you knit to the end of the row, turn the swatch, and then knit over the knit stitches and purl over the purl stitches. Here is what the result looks like:

You can always experiment with the width of the ribbing—that is, increase the width of the rib (not 2, but 3 or even 4 stitches)—however, this is only appropriate with bulky yarn. Even then, not always—everything in moderation! 😉