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This is part 2 of our beginner knitting series. In this post, we're going to create knit 1, purl 1 ribbing and then how to do a knitted cast off.
Ribbing
Knitted ribbing is a great way to begin a lot of different projects, like a hat, the edges of a sweater, or even a blanket. It can also be the foundation for the seed stitch, knit 2, purl 2 ribbing, and watch for a future post about a neater ribbing, but let's first get the hang of standard ribbing.
So start by casting on with your method of choice, using an even number of stitches. For a simple beginner level, knitted cast on, check out this post.
Row 1: Knit 1, then bring your yarn between your needles to the front, purl the next stitch, then bring the yarn back to the back, continue knitting and purling each stitch.
If you have to stop in the middle and you're not sure what stitch you stopped on, you can definitely count from the beginning of the row, knit, purl, knit, purl, etc. or you can look at your stitches, knit stitches look like the v-stitch, and purl stitches look like a bump.
When you turn your work around to go back, continue knitting and purling as you did in the first row. At this point, you can follow a pattern for the length of your ribbing, or if you're making a hat, usually 1.5-2" is a good length to move into the body of your hat. So use your measuring tape or ruler and measure up from the bottom of your work.
This picture, at left, I used a 2x2 ribbing, so I casted on a multiple of 4 stitches, then the pattern is knit 2, purl 2 around. Because this hat was a newborn hat, my ribbing is smaller, around 1". Then I knitted each row, until the hat measured 4". Check out this post, for a hat size guide. It includes the circumference of the bottom of the hat and the crown size. This will help in determining when to start your decreases. If your hat length is longer, it'll be slouchy but shorter means it probably won't cover their ears, so I'd recommend adding an extra inch or 2 before decreasing so it's not too short.
A Couple of Tips/Recommendations
My first recommendation is to make your knitted circumference about an inch smaller than the head size of the person you're making it for.
Second, many patterns will recommend using a smaller needle size(about .5- 1mm less) than the recommended on the yarn package, just for the ribbing, as it tends to stretch out, and using a smaller needle keeps it together a little better.
Swatches
When choosing how many stitches to cast on, you can make a small swatch, with the yarn and needles you're going to use, or use the gauge written on your package, using the same size needles it recommends. This can vary a bit depending on your tension, but it's a good place to start. To create a swatch, I will cast on about 20 stitches, and knit in stockinette for 10-15 rows, and then measure. Ideally, measure 1-2" and count your stitches. You only want to use the number within 1", but if its an uneven number, you want to use the half. Then, multiply by number of inches needed to get to the size you're looking for. The same goes for the number of rows. If you made 6 rows to get to 1", but your pattern or gauge says 5 rows, you'll need to keep that in mind when working your rows. You'll need to add rows to get to the required length.
If you want to create your own hat, not using a written pattern, then the following sections can help. Because I have made a lot of hats, I have a whole bunch of small balls of yarn with no labels anymore. I'm usually good about knowing my yarn weights, so I can usually pair them up pretty easily, but it's hard to know how many stitches to cast on without a swatch.
For example, your swatch tells you that you need 62 stitches to get the correct size, but you are going to start with 2x2 ribbing, you'll need a multiple of 4 stitches, so you'll actually want to cast on either 60 or 64. If you're not sure which to choose, go with the slightly larger. It also may help to know what your doing after the ribbing.
In the hat example, knowing how many stitches you need for the body of the hat, can help you determine how to round out your stitches to make it work. For example, a braided cable needs a multiple of 3, either 6 or 9 stitches, plus 1 for the purl between the braids, so lets say each braid needs 10 stitches (3x3x3 for the strands of the braid, plus the purl to separate them). So, create 2x2 ribbing over 60 stitches, then moving into the braid requiring 10 stitches for the repeat, works perfectly.
TIP: I've also worked my ribbing over 48 stitches, and then increased by 2 on the first row of straight knit before starting the body of the hat. So, you can adjust after the ribbing as well, but, I don't recommend going more than a few stitches, no more than 4-6, to get to your body because it'll throw off the fit. Also, spread the stitches out over the row, so increasing by 2, I'll increase 1 at the beginning of the row, and 1 around the other side.
Casting off (Binding off)
Taking your stitches off you needles at the end of the project, is called casting off or binding off. There are many different ways to cast off but, for this tutorial, I will show a common and simple cast of suitable for a beginner knitter.
So, when you get to the end of your work, and you're ready to cast off, knit or purl your first 2 stitches, depending on your pattern, then take the first stitch your needle, off by inserting your left needle into it, like a knit stitch, and lift it over the second stitch and off the needle. Continue working in this manner, lifting your second stitch over the first, until you get to the end of the row. Then cut your yarn and pull on the loop until the tail comes through. Then I will tighten the tail, and wave in my ends. Watch this video for a great idea of how to do it.
Finally, if you'd like some help with materials to get you started, check out the below links for some great products that I use as well. To get started, choose a good worsted weight yarn, or bulky, for your first project so you can get a feel for how knitting works. Don't be discouraged if your work isn't perfect the first time you make something. I've been making and giving away hats for about 7 years now, and I think I was able to understand what I was doing because I've been crocheting for a looooong time. This doesn't mean it will take you a long time to get really good at knitting, but there definitely is a learning curve.
Also, start with something small like a hat, scarf, or a pair of slippers, for your first project. Something big like a blanket, or sweater can be too daunting, and if you make a mistake can discourage a lot of new knitters. Also, ask questions!!! Please! Either in person, if you have a friend, or in any of my comments sections, here or on YouTube. I'll answer!
Knitting Needles: Bamboo Set, Double Pointed Set.
Check out our store for an easy knitted hat pattern.
Thanks for hangin' out with me!
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