Monday, February 23, 2015

Beautiful & Neat Ribber Cast On

This ribber cast on is similar to a more common one where you cast on on with WY and ravel cord then knit a zig zag row and drop the ribber stitches.  I've tried that one and thought the edge was a bit too loose.  This one I really like.

I am not the creator of this, a friend sent me some notes she made years ago.  We both had to try it out and I think it's terrific!  No bulky edge, no split "Y's" on the edge, it lays flat, nice stretch and so simple to do.

I took some photos today on the bulky so you can follow along.  I have a description under each step by step photo.  Give it a try.
Park MY in between beds on left side.  T0/0 cast on with ravel cord from right to left - hang ribber comb and weight as usual - remove ravel cord from ribber arm and replace with MY.

Set ribber carriage to hold.  On my Brother 260 it is the silver tabs down.

Place all ribber needles to E position (hold).

With MY knit one row left to right.  Only the main bed will knit, ribber will place yarn around needles in hold.

Take ribber carriage out of hold and set main bed to knit circular right to left and ribber carriage to knit circular left to right.  Knit one row right to left (ribber will not knit).

Knit second circular row left to right (only ribber bed will knit).

Set tension on both beds to your ribbing tension, set machine to knit rib (cancel any part buttons) and away you go!

Just off the cast on comb.

Ravel cord removed.  Look at the nice edge stitches!  Snug and flat.

Here is the swatch stretched out over the gate pegs.
Note:  To do this on 2x2 (2x1 arrangement), follow the steps for cast on and knitting first row left to right.  Before you take ribber out of hold and knit the first circular row, place all of the main bed needles that are out of work into B position.  Knit the first row right to left then drop the stitches on the needles you just put into work and place needles out of work.  Continue as above.

13 comments:

  1. Definitely going to try this. What a neat edge.

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  2. Looks like a great result. Is the picture correct for the first right-left row? The text says the ribber will not knit, but in the picture the ribber has knit the MY through the WY?

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    1. Hi, yes, Shiny, it is correct. Give it a try and see how that happens!

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  3. Hi Tom, thank you so much for this tutorial. It's working wonderfully for me on a 1x1 rib setting. I just get confused when it comes to your 2x2 instructions.
    Do you start as usual for the 2x2 tubular cast on (with a pitched set up on H4)? Or do you mean that I should cast on for 1x1 and then transfer all the stitches to a 2x2 setting as soon as the first circular row of the MB has knit? Also I'm not quite sure I understand the instruction where I then " drop the stitches on the needles you just put into work and place needles out of work" after the first circular row. Thanks for helping me out here.

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  4. Hi Tom! I just tried your technique for 1x1, and it worked beautifully!
    But as someone else commented, I am confused when it comes to your 2x2 instructions. Hoping to hear from you soon!

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  5. Hello Tom, thanks for the description of this technique! I really want to do the 2x2 rib also but at the point 'drop the stitches ....out of work' I lost more stitches than wanted....Can you explain what I do wrong?

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  6. Hello Tom can you send me details of how to do this for a 2 x 2 rib on asilver reed srp60

    I am doing this in 4 ply cotton and its not working well

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  7. Hi Tom, thankyou so much for this tip!!! Cant wait to try it, could you also put pictures & explanation of 2x2 & 2x1 please ! would be so helpful.

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  8. This is great! Can you show how to transfer to the ribber to create a neck ribbing after working in stockinette stitch on the regular knitting machine. I want to make sure I have the transfer/drawing up down. Thank you.

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