Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Double Rib, English Rib, Fisherman's Rib Oh My!

My daughter asked me to make her a really warm variegated gray colored scarf.  Well, being the holidays I jumped on that.  I remember making myself a super warm scarf a few years ago using a Diana Sullivan video.  It really me got me to thinking did I make Fisherman's Rib or not.  What exactly is Fisherman's Rib.  My manual talks about English Rib and Double Rib.  I made a few phone calls and got all my knitting friends confused, but everyone got to investigating.  I watched several of Diana's videos and we all figured it out about the same time.

Double Ribbing is knitting on every needle on both beds.  Verses 1X1 ribbing where you use every other needle.

English Ribbing (or Half Fisherman's Rib is tucking in one direction on one of the beds.  Doesn't matter if it's the main bed or the ribber.  This is what I did for the scarf.  I can directionally tuck if I use my ribber on my Studio 155.  I might be able to tuck with the main bed, but I'll need to experiment with the stitch dial.  I've been told it can't be done.

Fisherman's Ribbing is tucking in opposite directions on both beds.

When I was confounding my friends with my ribbing questions they both suggested I just make a 2X2 ribbed scarf.  Though lovely in it's own right the English Ribbed scarf I made is so thick, soft and luscious comes to mind.  So, thick, soft and luscious that I don't want to give it away! 
I wondered the first time I made this scarf if a tensioning error created the different look of the knitted stitch on the back of scarf.  No that's English Rib.  Since it's tucking in one direction it creates the different look on the back.  It is quite beautiful too.
I used Red Heart Medley in the Urban color.  The scarf is all washed up and ready to be wrapped.  Every time I walk by it I pick it up and bury my face in it.  It's so soft and warm and smells so good.  If it wasn't going to my daughter I might have had to wash it again.
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6 comments:

  1. ShirleyDAugust 9, 2017 at 2:11 PM

    Thank you! I have a vintage pattern that says to use "double rib" which thanks to you I now know is the same as "full needle rib."

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  2. eldorinDecember 5, 2017 at 12:19 PM

    To directionally tuck on the main bed, you set the dial to tuck and the side levers on the main carriage determine if it tucks or not. If the level is towards you (the circle) it will tuck, if it is away from you (the triangle) it will knit.

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    Replies
    1. Elena QuinnOctober 18, 2019 at 1:36 PM

      I know this is an old thread, but I have a KH230 and there are no buttons, only the change lever. So how do tuck in one direction with that?

      Delete
    2. CraftquirerJune 24, 2020 at 8:34 AM

      Hi eldorin. This works well on my standard gauge Knitmaster machine, but when I use the same setting on the 155 chunky, the main bed doesn't tuck. Is that normal?

      Delete
  3. jpdesignJanuary 14, 2019 at 4:07 AM

    Thank you, thank you. Finally getting it straight.
    ??? Want to do a 3 or 4 x 1 or 2 rib on Brother 260, in english rib. manual says to cast on as for one by one. Or should I try the directions for five x five.

    ReplyDelete
  4. CraftquirerJune 24, 2020 at 7:53 AM

    Hi, thanks for this post. I am getting to know my Knitmaster mod 155 and I've been told that it's basically the same as the Studio 155. I tried the fisherman's rib. It works fine on my standard gauge, but on 155 I've found out that the main bed doesn't tuck when the ribber arm is on :(. Did you manage to do the fisherman's rib on yours? Is there something wrong with my machine?

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