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Warning: there are different versions of the instructions for Mistake Stitch Ribbing, depending on the number of stitches that are cast on. This article discusses one of the easy versions: a one-row stitch pattern.

Mistake Stitch Ribbing makes a reversible knitted fabric, with a strong one-stitch-wide rib facing you, every four stitches. With the stitch pattern discussed here, the strong rib is on the second stitch from the right as it faces you. The knitted fabric has some width-wise compression. And it has an interesting texture between the ribs.

Here is the stitch pattern:

Cast on a multiple of 4 stitches plus 1.
Row 1: *K2. P2. Rep from * until 1 st rem. K1.
Rep Row 1 to desired length.

You will likely guess immediately that Mistake Stitch Ribbing is a lot like simple K2P2 ribbing. While you are knitting it, you might even think that you are working K2P2 ribbing. But the result is quite different. And the techniques that you use to keep track of where you are when knitting K2P2 ribbing don’t apply with Mistake Stitch Ribbing.

When you work ordinary K2P2 ribbing, you knit the knits and purl the purls. If you get lost, you “read the fabric”. If the next stitch looks like a Purl stitch, with a bump right up against the needle, then Purl it. Otherwise, Knit it.

Mistake Stitch Ribbing has a different technique for keeping track.

The reason is that the number of stitches on the needle is a multiple of four stitches PLUS one. This means that the Knits and Purls do not line up on top of each other as nicely as they do for K2P2 Ribbing.

And it is easier to get lost – if you have to set your needles down to deal with a toddler crisis in the middle of a row, it can be difficult to figure out what the next stitch should be after you have calmed the situation down.

So, what do you do if you do get lost in the middle of the row?

Look at the holding needle (usually in your left hand), and find the top of that strong single-stitch rib. It is on the SECOND of the two K stitches in the K2P2 pattern repeat. If that rib is the SECOND stitch on the holding needle, you are in luck: start the K2P2 pattern repeat. If that rib is the FIRST stitch on the holding needle, then the first stitch of the K2P2 pattern repeat is on your new or working needle, so finish the repeat by doing a K1P2.

Just keep checking that the continuity of that strong single-stitch rib is maintained.

Mistake Stitch Ribbing is an easy knitting pattern to follow.

For more information on learning to read knitting patterns

Check out the Read Knitting Patterns website, which is devoted to helping beginner knitters understand knitting patterns.

Author: Judy Obee
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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