This knitting stitch looks complicated but is really very simple. It's just knit 2, purl 2 rib on an odd number of stitches. That means that one stitch of each pair aligns with the previous row while the next does not. It gives a 'deep rib' that is very elastic and completely reversible. My neighbour Irma calls it 'mock fisherman's rib'. As with fisherman's rib, the knit column appears very prominent, but this is easier because you don't need to knit into the row below. I think it would be less likely to droop than fisherman's rib too.
The pattern where I first encountered this stitch was a scarf, or perhaps a cowl, from Interweave Press. It had narrow garter stitch borders. When I 'converted' the pattern into a sleeveless pullover, I kept the garter stitch edges. They form an edging to the armholes, so that when I've finished knitting back and front, I just have to sew shoulders and side seams and knit a neck band. This gives a very neat finish to the armholes.
Oh yes, this is so much easier and quicker than having to knit through back loop or the lower stitch , with an equally nice visual effect ! And the texture and 'thickness' would make it so much warmer .
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this, Jane. :-)
Gosh - this is an interesting new technique for me - doing a ribbing on an uneven no. of sts. For the 'fisherman ribbing' I did on my Aran sweaters that I made many years ago, I followed the instructions of simply knitting into the back of the stitch on all rows (even number of sts)., and using a k1, p1 pattern. I don't remember going to the stitch below. I thought it was just for the visual effect of the 'twist' and not for extra stretch. I've been out of the knitting loop for awhile, so new techniques always come along!
ReplyDeleteI guess terminology differs, but I'd call yours 'twisted rib'. As I did 'fisherman's rib', you knitted into the knit stich of the row below the 'normal' one. Purl the next stitch normally, I think. This makes the knit column very prominent.
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