Ribbing Seam in Back of Socks

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After making many, many circular socks on my flatbed knitting machines with ribbers, I decided that I like the seam of the ribbing to go up the back of the leg better than on the side like most sock patterns call for.  There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the side seam but I don’t like looking at mismatched stripes or fairisle patterns if I don’t have to.  If they mismatch at the seam, someone else can look at them from the back.  ☺

Use whatever ribbing configuration you want but I’ve used a 1x1 in this example.  

I’m showing you 2 different methods of turning your ribbing.  The first is by scrapping off, the second is using a multi-pronged transfer tool, very similar to the Decker comb used on Passap machines.  Check out my post describing the transfer tool here.  http://slisen.blogspot.com/2013/02/diy-decker-comb-revisited.html.  I much prefer using the transfer tool but I used the scrapped off method until I was enlightened about the Decker comb.  It's a great time saver.

So here’s what I do.  

1.  After completing the ribbing, I end with the carriage on the left (COL).  But which side you end on is totally your call and dependent on your pattern; you’ll just have to change my instructions to be worked on the opposite side.

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.  Transfer all the main bed stitches to the corresponding needles onto the ribber bed.  (Increase or decrease stitches to make an even number, if necessary.)  At main body tension, knit 1 row across to the right hand side.  Lower the ribber bed one notch.  Remove ribber weights and cast on comb and replace with 4 claw weights, evenly spaced across your work.  

Now it’s time to do the math.  Divide your total number of stitches by 4.  The middle 2 forths (half) will remain on the ribber bed.  The outer forths will be turned and rehung onto the main bed in a tubular fashion.  For this example, I’ve cast on 70 sts in my ribbing but disregard that.  For sake of ease, let’s assume that I cast on 72 stitches.  Divided by 4, leaves me 36 center stitches in the center and 18 sts on each side.  For my 70 stitches, I would have 18 sts on one side, 35 in the middle and 17 sts on the other side.  Never fear, 1 stitch off center up the back will not be a deal breaker.  Just make sure to have the same number of stitches on each bed.

 

3.  This is the scrapping off method.  I prefer to scrap off by hand but you may use your machine if you like.  Just remember to put non-scrapped off  needles back into working position, take your carriage off hold and reset the part levers before resuming circular knitting for the ankle.  Some ribbers don’t like to knit by themselves so proceed with caution here if you choose to use your machine to scrap off on the ribber bed to make sure everything is knitting properly.  So firstly, select and raise the 18 sts up into hold position.

 

4.  Then, manually knit and scrap off the 18 stitches for at least 8-10 rows.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.   Remove the stitches from the needles.  Turn and fold the scrapped off section between the beds and in front of the main bed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

6.  Rehang the scrapped off stitches to corresponding open needles on the main bed.     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7.  Be sure to have a weight on your work.  Raise that side of the ribber up into working position and make sure the stitches on the ribber bed are still intact.  You may need to realign the needles on the edges a bit. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

8.  Remove the scrap yarn when transfer has been completed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9.  Now we move to the other side with 18 sts that need to be removed from the ribber bed and transferred to the main bed.  You can scrap off as we did the other side but I’m going to show you how to use the multi-pronged transfer tool that I fondly call the Decker tool.   

With that side of the ribber bed still lowered, raise the 18 needles that need to be transferred and insert the prongs of the Decker tool into the needle hooks.  Keep slight upward pressure so your tool stays in place.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10.  Do a quick inspection to make sure you have

a prong into each needle hook, raise up each latch, push down on the 18 needle butts to transfer the stitches to the Decker tool, making sure there is a stitch on each prong.  Slightly lower the Decker tool so it can easily be removed from the needles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11.  With downward and backward pressure on the back bar of the tool, move the prongs of the Decker tool forward.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12.  Place a Scunci hair band around the tool in front of the stitches.  A heavy rubber band works too but they’ve been known to break easily.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13.  Move the Decker tool with stitches intact and let it flop between the two beds.  Turn it so it forms a circular tube, pick up the back of the tool and lift it so it lies on top of the ribber and in front of the main bed. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14.  Raise the ribber bed, remove the Scunci band and place the prongs of the Decker tool into open hooks of corresponding needles on the main bed.  Transfer the stitches to the main bed. This task is made a bit easier if you use your other hand to pull down a bit on the work between the beds.

 

 

 

 

 

15.  Note that the stitches meet in the center of the bed but the yarn is in the middle of your work now, so unravel the yarn tail back to the carriage.   

 

 

 16.  Place the yarn back in the carriage arm and set the carriages for circular knitting.  The yarn is coming off the ribber bed stitch, so the next row knit should be on the main bed.  So flip the right part lever up on the main carriage and the left part lever up on the ribber carriage.  Make sure your tension is set properly, the row counter at 000, weights are hung and knit away.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I usually work a Bickford style seam to sew up the ribbing.  It's not totally invisible in a 1x1 configuration but it's not offensive either and gives a nice, flat seam with no bulk, as found in a mattress stitched seam.

 

 

Flat Seam in 2x2 Ribbing

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I normally use 1x1 ribbing in my socks but I’ve had occasion to use a 2x2 for slippers, caps or mittens so I worked out a seam that is totally reversible and pretty good to look at.  It takes advantage of one of the Bickford methods which I am so fond of.  This is a particularly great seam for items like hats, socks or sleeve cuffs that may be folded over.  You may want to practice the technique before using it in the real thing, however it’s not hard at all once ya get into the groove.

 

The needle setup for this example is below.  The outermost needle on both sides must be on the main bed.  So plan your cast on accordingly.

.    . .     . .     . .     .  (Main Bed)

  . .    . .     . .     . .    (Ribber Bed) 

First off, you must be able to identify the loop stitches and the knot stitches along the side.  This seam is worked from the public side, so fold over the ribbing edges into a tube or butt up the edges of a flat garment.  My sample is intended to be a circular sock cuff so this is how I set up the needles on each bed of my machine.  I used my SK860 midgauge machine and Caron Simply Soft in this sample so the stitches would be more easily seen.  

 

So let’s get going on the technique.  You'll be working with the stitches on the outermost edges of your fabric.  From the top down, insert your needle and yarn thru a knot stitch and pull through.  Do not pull your stitching too tightly.  You are trying to match the stitch size of your knitting and you don't want your seam to pucker.
 

 

 

Then on the other side of the fabric, insert your needle and yarn from the bottom of the corresponding loop stitch and pull up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the same side, insert your needle from top down through the next knot stitch and pull yarn through.

  

 

 

 

 

On the other side of the fabric, insert your needle and yarn from the bottom of the next loop stitch and pull yarn up.  Continue in this manner for the full length of your seam.

When you get comfy with this method, you'll be able to go down thru the knot on one side and up thru the loop of the opposite side in one step. 

 

 

 
 

This seam is particularly nice for items or garments with foldover cuffs because the back side looks just as nice as the public side, with no bulky seam.  You won't have to turn your work and seam from one side for the cuff and the other side for the main fabric.

 

 

 

 

 

 

'Blended' Ribbing

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This is a great ribbing technique that will give a ‘blended’ transition into the main fabric and it’ll keep the ribbing from flipping up where it joins the main fabric, like some ribbing can especially on shorter ribbed bands.  Most of the time, the flipping doesn’t irritate me that much but there are times when I want more of an edging rather than the typical ribbed effect with the definite line after the ribbed section.  This has been in my bag of tricks for just ages and I really don’t remember where I picked it up from but it has come in handy from time to time.   I used a 1x1 ribbing for this garment and I haven’t used it with anything other than 1x1 but I can assume that it would be just as attractive in other ribbing configurations too.  Give it a try and do some experimenting.

I didn’t use a tight ribbing on this garment because I wanted the peplum to lay more flat rather than pulling in at the bottom.  The body is knit at T3 on my midgauge machine with this yarn so I knit the ribbing at T0 on both the main bed and ribber bed.  After completing the 10 rows of ribbing, I loosened the tension to T2 on both carriages.  Then I transferred every other stitch from the ribber to the main bed and knit 3 rows for the bottom edge and 2 rows on the sleeve edge.  Then I transferred every other stitch of the remaining stitches on the ribber bed to the main bed and knit 3 (and 2) rows again.  Then I transferred all remaining stitches to the main bed.  I took my tension up to the body tension of 3 and continued with my garment.  It looks and behaves just as nice on tighter ribbing too and doesn't leave the defined separation line and doesn't flip.

 

 

 

 

My Adventures with Lycra (Spandex)

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I’ve been contemplating purchasing a cone of Lycra to run a strand in the ribbing of my socks for quite a while but guess I didn’t want to part with the bucks for a whole cone.  It’s not real cheap and has many, many, many yards that I’d have to leave in my will.  Then there was a discussion about it on Ravelry and I knew I had to have some.  It came, I knit and I love it….should’ve gotten it years ago.  

(Click on photos to enlarge)

There’re a few ‘rules’ that need to be followed when using Lycra but they’re not show stoppers.  First off, it’s cobweb weight, 84,000 yds per 2.2 lb cone.  So a bit of patience is involved, mostly to keep it from getting tangled up and/or breaking.  I had a few hair pulling minutes when I lost the end and couldn’t find it again….that’s when the patience kicked in.   I ran the strand of Lycra through my yarn mast and spring but not through the tensioner.  It needs to be free flowing with very little tension.  Once knitting begins, everything went well.  

I found that loosening the tension dial by a full number higher than my main tension while adding the Lycra works the best and gives a nice hugging ribbing.  For example, if I use T5 in the main body of my sock, I'll use T6 in the section of ribbing where I added the Lycra.  Adjust tension to your liking.   And it doesn’t need to be added in the full length of the ribbed cuff.   I ran it in the full length in my first pair of socks but in the legwarmers I made, I only ran it in the top 30-35 rows or so and they stay up just fine.

After knitting is completed, Lycra must be heat set to activate its elasticity.  I used my steam iron and steamed the area heavily.  Another probably easier way is to run them thru the dryer on low heat after laundering but make sure to use superwash wool if you intend to put them in the dryer.  I use superwash wool sock yarn so I can’t say what steaming would do to acrylic sock yarns but I’d be quite hesitant to steam acrylic yarns for fear of killing the yarn.  I definitely would launder as usual and run them thru the dryer.  Just another note that fabric knitted with Lycra will shrink up a bit lengthwise but I didn’t notice any appreciable shrinkage widthwise.

I ordered the Lycra from http://theknittree.com/store/spandex-stabilizer-lycra-trademark-dupont-invista.  I also ordered the booklet with patterns and tips on using the Lycra.  I picked up lots of tips but the patterns are written for a Passap machine.  I’m not promoting this business or this specific product and I’m sure there are other places to purchase it.  A seller on ebay has several weights of Lycra listed now but are heavier than the cone I got from theknittree.  I don’t think I’d want it any heavier.  This is a nice weight for socks and I’m sure would work just fine in garments too.

So there’s my take on using Lycra in the knitting machine.  I like it!

Leg or Arm Warmers

(Click on photos to enlarge)

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We’ve been experiencing several Arctic blasts this winter and I’m cold!!  I normally don’t mind hibernating thru this time of year but we haven’t been so lucky this year to be able to stay in when we want to.  Sometimes there just aren’t enough clothes to keep a body warm but I happened to think of some leg warmers that I made a few years ago for others and seemed to remember that I had one pair left in my cupboard that just needed seaming up.  So I quickly seamed them and am a believer!  Oh my, no cold bodied person should be without them during the winter time in the upper Midwest.  I ran thru my stash and found enough yarn to make another pair so now I have 2 pairs.  I most undoubtedly will make another pair but these 2 pairs will atleast give me a pair to wear while one is in the laundry.  

I used my g-carriage for the pairs I made previously, probably because I was busy with other things and the g-carriage can run while I’m doing other fun stuff.  But this year, I used my KH965i and ribber and I think I like them better.  Ribbing with the g-carriage doesn’t seem to retain its memory like a machine and ribber but that may be just a matter of adjusting to a tighter gauge with the g-carriage.



(One each warmer from 2 pairs, slouched)

I used superwash wool sock yarns, except for a couple pairs that I made with acrylic sock yarn for my sister who is allergic to wool.  They are so simple and easy to make, just a rectangle knit to desired length and seamed up.  They can be adjusted for size by adding or subtracting stitches and rows.  They can be worn slouched or pulled up to knee for maximum coverage.  One 100 gram skein of sock yarn will make a pair but I found that by adding more length, the top can be rolled down to make a cuff and they are extra toasty and seem to stay in place better. 

Gauge will vary with yarns as not all sock yarns are created equal.  As with socks, sock yarn will stretch with wear so be mindful of this when you chose your tension.  The warmers are best if they fit snugly but not tight.  If you want your warmers to slouch, use a loose gauge.  A tight fabric will not be as warm as a looser knit fabric, so do some experimenting with the yarn you’re using.

So here’s my take on easy, peasy leg warmers.

Machine:  Standard gauge machine with g-carriage or ribber
Yarn:  Any superwash wool/nylon mix or sock yarn of choice
Tension:  6 to 7, depending on yarn and size
Size:  Will fit woman’s medium and will be about 16” unstretched
               (Add or subtract stitches and rows depending on size desired)

Start with dividing a 100 gram skein in half.  A postal scale is invaluable for weighing ounces.



(Made with acrylic sock yarns)

1.  CO 90 sts, with closed CO of choice.  (With the g-carriage I like to use a double needle e-wrap.  With the ribber, I like to e-wrap CO the main bed, knit 1 row across, then transfer stitches to the ribber bed in desired ribbing pattern, hang CO comb and knit away.  I prefer 1x1, 1x2 or 2x2 ribbing.)

2.  Knit in ribbing for atleast 170 rows, more if you want foldover cuffs and if you have enough yarn.

3.  Loosely bind off.  I like to end with the carriage on the left and do a back stitch bind off, which will give a nice flexible BO.

4.  Seam with mattress stitch or I prefer to use a Bickford seam, which gives a nice flat seam and makes the legwarmers pretty much reversible.

Think outside the box and make arm warmers using the same theory as for the leg warmers; knit a ribbed rectangle in width and length as needed for size.  Leave an opening in the seam a couple inches below the edge for the thumb to fit through.

E-wrap Cast On for Ribbing

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In search of a nicer looking cast on for ribbing, I ran onto this e-wrap cast on.  It looks really nice, as close to a hand knit cast on as I’ve seen and is just so easy and simple. If you can e-wrap, you can do this ribbing cast on.  It doesn’t flare, has elasticity to match the ribbing, goes back into shape after stretching and the back side looks as nice as the public side.  My first sample was knit with a lightweight worsted roving type yarn on my midgauge machine.  I think this cast on method will lend itself nicely to any ribbed band.  The second sample shows sock ribbing with sock yarn.

1.   E-wrap desired number of needles on the main bed.

2.   With ribbing tension, knit 1 row across on main bed only.

3.   Raise ribber and with a double eyed ribber transfer tool, transfer EOS to the ribber bed for 1x1 ribbing or for your desired configuration, i.e. 2x2, 1x3, 2x3 etc.

4.   Hang the cast on comb and evenly spaced heavy ribber weights.

5.   Knit desired number of rows at ribbing tension.

An afterthought....I should note that any e-wrap cast on should be preceeded by several rows of waste yarn and ravel cord.  This will give the e-wrap more stability and allow weights to be hung to give a nice even cast on.  Your carriage will love you for it and you will like the results.