Archive of Thread: Full needle rib Back

4 years ago
Hi
I have been looking at flat ribs and also a great book by Charlene Sscaffer. The basis for all seems to be full needle rib. I have followed my manual instruction which tells me to cast on at tension and then do the circular rows at tension 1. My result - the carriage gets stuck a and I've bent a few needles. I nearly always knit in 4 ply. Does this mean that I can't really do any of the great ribs in this yarn or is there a way round it?

4 years ago
[QUOTE username=Margaret Walker  Margaret Walker userid=6442225 postid=1310785297]Hi
I have followed my manual instruction which tells me to cast on at tension and then do the circular rows at tension 1. My result - the carriage gets stuck a and I've bent a few needles. I nearly always knit in 4 ply. Does this mean that I can't really do any of the great ribs in this yarn or is there a way round it?[/QUOTE]

I am not experienced and do not have whatever you need to do ribbing. When I do knit, I hand form the rib needle by needle. My disclaimer of knowledge! LOL

Now, my thought. Could the instructions say to, or should the instructions be saying to (sometimes there are errors):

Cast on at tension. DECREASE tension by 1

I say this because I always thought ribbing was better a little tighter than the main article, be it a sweater, hat, or whatever. 

Just a thought from someone who is really just learning. When I hand knit, I use a size smaller needle for ribbing.

4 years ago
Although an experienced knitter, I am very undaventurous with the ribber, so I have very rarely done anything in Full Needle Rib, but I would think that using 4 ply yarn to do it on a standard gauge machine is really too much of an ask.  I would suggest trying following the instructions with a 2 or 3 ply yarn and if that works well then you have your answer.

Jenny 

4 years ago
[QUOTE username=Margaret Walker  Margaret Walker userid=6442225 postid=1310785297]Hi
I have been looking at flat ribs and also a great book by Charlene Sscaffer. The basis for all seems to be full needle rib. I have followed my manual instruction which tells me to cast on at tension and then do the circular rows at tension 1. My result - the carriage gets stuck a and I've bent a few needles. I nearly always knit in 4 ply. Does this mean that I can't really do any of the great ribs in this yarn or is there a way round it?[/QUOTE]

It does sound like the yarn is too heavy for your machine.  Please try it with a different yarn

Also, you need to "listen" to your machine.  If tension 1 is too tight .... try a looser tension.  By experimenting, you'll learn what works for you.