How to knit Ribbing in the round

Every knitting loop begins with a perfect knitting needle and follows the creative technique. Smooth stitches and seamless flow that's every knitter's dream, and ribbing can help you to achieve it. To add stretch, durability, and shape to your garments, ribbing is the practical technique to explore. You can create multiple projects, such as sock cuffs, hat brims, sweaters, mittens, etc. In this blog, let's go through the steps to knit ribbing in the round, why it's important, and the tips to make it unique.

Ribbing- A Backbone of Knitting

Make your fabric elegant with the ribbing technique, which involves alternating dance of knit and purl stitches. This produces vertical columns in the knitted pattern. Add elasticity, durability, and create endless, versatile projects, and give shape to your knitting. It's mostly suitable for cuffs, neckbands, hems, and edges.

Read the blog: BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO KNIT RIB STITCHES

Common types of ribbing methods:

1. 1x1 ribbing: With your wooden knitting needles, knit 1 and purl 1 stitch, repeated across the round, you get balanced, stretchy ribbing.
2. 2x2 ribbing: Start by knitting 2 and purling 2 stitches, repeated to create deeper ribs and slightly less stretch.
3. 3x1 ribbing: Knit 3 and purl 1 stitch; you get a decorative pattern with this.
4. Twisted ribbing: In this, create a variation by knitting through the back loop, producing a tighter and more distinct look.

Why Knit Ribbing in Round?

Ribbing stitches can be worked on flat fabrics using the straight knitting needles. And in round it creates neater and seamless stitches, which are perfect for socks, hats, and sweaters.

Benefits:

1. Enjoy a seamless finish, which means no bulky seam in your pattern.
2. In the ribbing pattern, you get an even distribution of stretch.
3. The technique is more efficient, and you can avoid long purl rows.
4. Every rib you add to your project will give a professional look.

Instructions to knit a rib in the round

Pick the yarn and best knitting needles from Lantern Moon, and let's check out the steps below:

Step 1:  Cast-on Stitches on your needles

1. Use the stretch or long-tail cast-on method, and cast the required number of stitches that you need in your project.
2. Your stitch count must be divisible by the ribbing pattern, for example: multiples of 2 for a 1x1 rib.

Step 2: Joining the round

1. When working on the round project, place a stitch marker, indicating the beginning of the round.
2. Before you join, check that your stitches are not twisted.

Step 3: Begin with the Ribbing Pattern

1. If 1x1 rib, then, knit 1, purl 1 all around.
2. If 2x2 rib, then, knit 2, purl 2 all around.
3. Till you finish the row, continue the pattern.

Step 4: Transition to main pattern

1. Once you complete the ribbing section, move into the stitch pattern on which you are working. You can even change to another needle size to make your project more elegant.

Step 5: Finishing and weaving the yarn ends

1. To prevent your project from unravelling, at the end, casting off, use a wool needle to weave the yarn ends.

Related link: HOW TO KNIT THE 2×2 RIB STITCH?

Tips to Knit a Perfect Ribbing Pattern in Round

Here are some suggestions that you can follow:

1. Always check your yarn tension with wooden knitting needles;  natural friction helps keep your stitches even.
2. Avoid twisting during the cast-on when joining in the round.
3. When using a knitting needle set, make sure, while changing needles, you get a smooth and consistent stitch to avoid tight stitches at joins.
4. Keep a count of stitches at the end of the first round. If you miss a purl stitch in a 1x1 rib, it creates a visual imbalance.
5. Try different types of ribbing patterns to see how the change will look on your knitted pattern.

The beauty of ribbing depends on the rhythm: knit, purl, and repeat. In the round, it is a foundational technique that every knitter must master. With its hidden strength, you get elasticity, durability, and beauty in knitted projects by producing timeless designs. When working with the right tools from Lantern Moon, like elegant wooden knitting needles and a knitting needle case, the ribbing technique can easily transform yarn into elastic poetry. Not only this, ribbing creates both texture and even tension. Knitting ribbing in the round is more than just switching between knit and purl stitches; it is about precision, rhythm, and the artistry of tools.