Ribbing is often added to the collar, cuff and waistband of a garment, the brim of a hat or the cuff of a sock. It can also be added to bring structural integrity to items such as cushions.
But what if you don’t want to add a crocheted rib to your crocheted fabric? I have the alternative and it’s to add a knitted rib instead.
I am not trying to do crochet down at all with this blog post. Crocheted ribbing works really well, but not for everyone and not for every yarn! I have just completed the super fluffy ‘Ducky Fuzz’ crocheted tank top seen below and there was no way I was going to attempt crocheted ribbing for that.
After years of knitting and crocheting ribbing I have found that sometimes I prefer to knit ribbing on my crocheted fabric because it’s faster to create. I know that lots of people feel this way too, so I wanted to provide some details on how to go about it.
There are three main ways to combine knitted rib on a crocheted project:
- Knitted ribbing first, then crocheting off the knitted rib stitches. This is most likely going to be done in the round (garments, socks, hats).
- Crocheted fabric first, then knitting ribbing off the crocheted stitches. This is most likely going to be done in the round (garments, socks, hats).
- Crocheted fabric in rows, joined to create a round piece (or not), then knitted ribbing is added to the sides of the crochet row ends. This is most likely going to be added to garments with vertical rows and sleeves.
I love the mix of crochet and knitting and see no reason why the two cannot be combined in projects. You just need to make sure that the number of crocheted stitches for your fabric can be divided by two for a 1×1 knitted rib, or 4 for a 2×2 or 3×1 knitted rib, etc.
Knitted Ribbing Options Covered In This Post
In this blog post I show you:
- How to crochet on to rounds of knitted rib stitches
- How to knit ribbing off of rounds of crochet stitches
- How to knit ribbing in to the side of double crochet rows (sc in US terminology)
- How to knit ribbing in to the side of half treble rows (hdc in US terminology)
- How to knit ribbing in to the side of treble rows (dc in US terminology)
If you have never attempted crocheted ribbing, take a look at this blog post from Michelle at Dora Does. She has created a directory of crocheted ribbed stitches.
Crocheting On to Rounds of Knitted Rib Stitches
The technique of crocheting onto knitted rib stitches can be a little tricksy given that you are most likely dealing with two needles (If you are working in the round) and a crochet hook.
It gets easier after the first few stitches when all three tools aren’t so close together.
Even if your pattern doesn’t use double crochet (sc in US terminology), I would still use double crochet for the initial set-up round and then move onto whatever stitch the pattern calls for. This gives a solid base from which to move into your required pattern, with a relatively short stitch that works well as a transition from knitting to crochet.
How To crochet On to Knitted Rib
- With all stitches on the circular needle and a crochet hook (size required for your project), loop the working yarn around your hook, keeping it tight.
- *Place the hook knitwise through the first stitch on the needle, yarn round hook and pull up a loop, slip the knitted stitch off the needle, yarn around hook, pull through both loops on hook. This makes a double crochet (sc in US terminology) onto the first stitch of the knitted rib round.
- Repeat from * until every knitted stitch is off the needle and a full round of crocheted double crochet (sc in US terminology) stitches has been made.
- Continue with your pattern.
Both samples have 60-stitch rounds of 1×1 knitted rib with 60 stitch rounds of double crochet added. The difference between the two is the needle size used for the knitted rib.
Which Needle Size to Use For Crocheting On to Knitted Rib?
With the samples shown in the image above, the left sample is 1×1 knitted rib made with a 4mm circular needle, then crocheted onto with a 4mm hook.
The right samples shows 1×1 knitted rib that was made with a 3.5mm circular needle, then crocheted onto with a 4mm hook.
My recommendation is to match the needle size for the knitted ribbing with the hook size that you will crochet the rest of the project with. The tension is more even between the knitted and crocheted stitches and it doesn’t create a puckered ribbed fabric that is much wider at the crocheted rounds.
Knitting Rib Off Of Rounds of Crochet Stitches
This is an easy technique to do, especially if you have previous experience of picking up and knitting stitches. The only differences are the way you handle the first stitch of the round as you move rom a live crochet loop, and making sure the needle is placed through both loops of each crocheted stitch.
How to Knit Off Of Crocheted Stitches
The next samples show 60-stitch rounds of double crochet (sc in US terminology) with 2×2 knitted rib added:
- 1 double crochet (sc in US terminology) into first stitch of rib round, remove hook and place needle through the yarn loop and tighten. This is your first picked up stitch. Alternatively you can do this on the last crocheted stitch of the previous round, but it will move your beginning of round 1 stitch to the right.
- Continuing with same working yarn, pick up and knit remaining crocheted stitches by placing needle under both loops (front an back loops) of the stitch, yarn over needle and pull it through. This is very similar to picking up and knitting stitches on knitted fabric. The main difference is making sure the needle is placed through both loops of the crocheted stitch.
- Place mark the beginning of round and work in whichever rib pattern you require that fits with the number of crocheted stitches.
The two samples in the above image show 60-stitch rounds of double crochet with 2×2 knitted rib added.
The sample on the left shows an initial crocheted fabric made with a 4mm hook, then ribbing knitted with a 4mm circular needle and 2×2 rib.
The second sample shows an initial crocheted fabric made with a 4mm hook, then ribbing knitted with a 3.5mm circular needle and 2×2 rib.
Again, my recommendation is to match the needle size for the knitted ribbing with the hook size that you will crochet the rest of the project with to create good tension between the two stitch types.
Knitting Rib In To the Side of Crochet Rows
Knitting ribbing in to the row sides/ ends of crochet is a little more difficult. It isn’t physically difficult to do, but you have to make decisions on how many stitches you will add for each row, which rib ratio to use (1×1 or 2×2 etc.) and what needle size you are going to use.
I have created lots of examples to help you make these decisions and split it down to the basic stitches of double, half treble and treble crochet.
How to Knit Rib In To Side of Double Crochet Rows
The samples show 48 rows of double crochet (sc in US terminology) joined to make a tube.
- Decide how many stitches you are going to pick up for each row end – see sample swatches.
- Pick up and knit along the crocheted row ends by placing needle through the row where there is an obvious gap and at least two strands of yarn will be trapped, yarn over needle and pull it through as if to knit.
- Place mark the beginning of round/row and work in whichever rib pattern you require that fits with the number of crocheted stitches.
Depending on the project you are making or effect required, you may want to use different needle sizes and pick up more or fewer row ends to knit.
The two images above show the how different choices create different 1×1 ribbing styles when knitted in to the sides of crocheted rows.
- Needle size – for me, keeping the needle and hook sizes the same gives a neater rib that is better matched to the crocheted fabric.
- Stitch numbers per row – 1 stitch per row end/ side creates the same slightly pulled in ribbing that you get when you move down a needle size for ribbing in knitting. Given that ribbing is normally used to pull in part of the structure of a garment or accessory, this is a good ration of stitches to row ends.
- Rib ratio – I like both. The 2×2 rib (see images below) is more obviously ‘ribbed’ and so the texture is visually different from the crocheted rows. The 1×1 rib blends into the crochet rows, so might be a better option if you want don’t want the knitted rib to be obvious.
The next two images above show the how moving to 2×2 ribbing creates a completely different look.
- Needle size – again keeping the needle and hook sizes the same gives a neater rib that is better matched to the crocheted fabric. The image on the right shows how a 3.5mm needle matched with fewer picked up stitches per row creates an overly stretched rib that doesn’t look good.
- Stitch numbers per row – 1 stitch per row end/ side creates the same slightly pulled in ribbing that you get when you move down a needle size for ribbing in knitting. Moving to 1 stitch every two rows creates a very open rib that could be helpful for specific projects like the top of a hot water bottle cover.
Where To Pick Up & Knit Stitches in Double Crochet Row Ends
It is best to try to pick up stitches through pre existing holes within the crocheted fabric. This makes it easier to pull the yarn from the back of the work. through to the front and decrease the risk of splitting the plies of yarn.
Here is where to place your knitting needle for picking up stitches in double crochet (sc in US terminology).
How to Knit Rib In To Side of Half Treble Crochet Rows
Here’s how 1×1 ribbing looks when knitted in to half treble crochet (hdc in US terminology).
As with the double crochet swatches, sticking the same needle and hook size is a good idea.
However, because half treble crochet stitches are taller than double crochet (sc in US terminology) stitches, a 1 stitch per row ratio doesn’t look as good. Moving to 3 stitches every two rows creates a better looking rib.
If you wanted even less distinction between the rib and the crocheted fabric, you would pick up and knit 2 stitches for every row instead.
Where To Pick Up & Knit Stitches in Half Treble Crochet Row Ends
It is best to try to pick up stitches through pre existing holes within the crocheted fabric. This makes it easier to pull the yarn from the back of the work through to the front and decrease the risk of splitting the plies of yarn.
Here is where to place your knitting needle for picking up stitches in half treble crochet (hdc in US terminology).
How to Knit Rib In To Side of Treble Crochet Rows
Here’s how 1×1 ribbing looks when knitted in to treble crochet (dc in US terminology).
Sticking to the same needle and hook size continues to look better.
Treble crochet stitches are taller than double crochet (sc in US terminology) and half treble (hdc in US terminology) stitches, so a 1 stitch per row ratio will not work. Picking up and knitting 3 stitches every two rows is okay, but 2 stitches every row/ 4 stitches every two rows is even better.
If you wanted even less distinction between the rib and the crocheted fabric, you could try picking up and knitting 5 or 6 stitches for every two rows instead.
Where To Pick Up & Knit Stitches in Treble Crochet Row Ends
It is best to try to pick up stitches through pre existing holes within the crocheted fabric. This makes it easier to pull the yarn from the back of the work through to the front and decrease the risk of splitting the plies of yarn.
Here is where to place your knitting needle for picking up stitches in treble crochet (dc in US terminology).
Conclusion
That was a lot of information to take in, so here are some quick thought to pull it all together.
If you aren’t going to do a lot of swatching, a general rule is to use the same needle and hook size throughout.
Both 1×1 rib and 2×2 knitted rib look good against crocheted fabric. 1X1 knitted rib is less obvious and 2×2 knitted rib makes a bigger statement, especially against double crocheted fabric (sc in US terminology).
The part that makes a huge difference to the final effect of knitted ribbing on crocheted fabric is the ration that you pick stitches up and knit them. It’s easy if the piece was already in the round because then you just work 1 stitch fr every existing stitch.
It’s a little more detailed when you are picking up stitches in the sides of crochet rows. Here is teh ration is usually choose:
- for double crochet (sc in US terminology) I like to pick up and knit 1 stitch for every crochet row.
- for half treble crochet (hdc in US terminology) I like to pick up and knit 3 stitches for every 2 crochet rows.
- for treble crochet (dc in US terminology) I like to pick up and knit 4 stitches for every 2 crochet rows.
I hope you found this information helpful. Let me know if you need me to cover anything else.
Fay
