Knit neat 1x1 rib in the round with combination knitting

Today's upload is a highly requested tutorial showing my favourite way to achieve a neater 1x1 rib in your knitting.

I use a method called combination knitting, which combines elements of Eastern knitting with Western techniques.

For in-the-round knitting, I knit the knit stitches as normal, but complete the purl stitches in the Eastern method by wrapping the yarn in the opposite direction. This means that less yarn is used for the purl stitch, and this results in a neater knit stitch that sits next to the purl. This method re-orientates the purl stitch so that the back leg of the stitch is closer to your needle tip. I provide an explanation for the set up round and for subsequent rounds of your 1x1 rib in this tutorial.

If you try this method, I would love to know how you find it. Feel free to comment below, or reach out to me on Instagram

You can learn more about combination knitting by visiting some of these wonderful resources:

Happy knitting!

[lynnk]

Brilliant!! Thank you so much 🙏 I’ve always been dissatisfied with 1x1 rib looking sloppy…no longer due to your wonderful video!!

[Tanglethread]

50 years knitting and can still learn something new … brilliant

[daphnenugent]

Oh my gosh, this is a REVELATION. Not only is this an incredibly well-made instructional video, but you have saved my life: I seem to have fallen into the "backwards" purl combined with the western knit stitch on my own, not even realizing it wasn't "normal". Rib stitches were much easier, yes, but I was finding the purling after the first round of rib stitches was a struggle, those stitches were "tight", and I couldn't figure out why. I'm starting a sweater project for the first time (co-incidentally, it is and Anker sweater), with thinner yarn than I am used to using, and I just can't seem to make it work with those tight purl stitches. I've unraveled my first two rows (of 96 stitches) at least 3 times since I started. I was ready to give up last night, but woke up this morning and decided to do a you-tube search on rib stitch with combined knitting. Yours was the first video I found. I never realized you had to knit into the _back _of the purl stitch! I'm about to do a practice round on some scrap yarn, but then I will re-start my sweater project with a new enthusiasm. I cannot thank you enough.

[alexisroberts]

I like that it sounds like you are smiling. Thank you for the demonstration.

[Iluvmushrooms]

Amazing explanation by a lovely lady!!! ❤❤❤😊

[latitude]

Very nice video and techhnique. Nice, even stitches. This method can be employed wherever K turns to P. To reduce the larger last-K stitch, twist the 1st purl in a series as in this video. The edges of your cabling will look great, too. Just remember to pay attention to stitch mount on the next round. While working flat, Ktbl where you come to the back side of a twisted P, and twist the next stitch if a P

[BIGBANG]

I am amazed and how much difference this technique makes to my 1x1 ribbing!! Thank you SO much for sharing this!

[christinepersky]

Great! Thank you for this helpful tutorial! 🙏

[JennySimon]

I just got my chiaogoo interchangable set. I naturally was combination knitting the correct way. I thought I had to unlearn it but found as long as I knew about the leg position, the anatomy of the stitches it was fine. I wasn't following a pattern. Just trying out stitches and did some 2x2 ribbing. I've been crocheting a long time so that helps. I love it. I'm so happy. Now to scour my books and patterns I have saved for a pattern to try.

[kimsechrest]

This is exactly what I was looking for! Great tutorial. Thanks for sharing with us.

[NYKnitter]

Will try this, thank you. Finding this works well, even with the style knitting I was taught, knits and purls flow smoothly .

[soniasavage]

I’m so glad l found this video.My ribbing is atrocious😫l will give this a try, thank you so much😍

[glennspohn]

I was having trouble knitting a nice even 1 x 1 rib. I watched your video and started over using your technique. What a big difference. I have nice even columns now. You explained it well and went slowly making it easy to follow. Thank you so much.

[mandyleighton]

Thank you very much!
I agree 1x1 rib can be very squiggly so I avoid. This will go into my saved videos ready for my next sock, as I usually knit 2x2 for neatness. Thanks again xx

[chelseyummali]

I’m a new knitter and I was purling clockwise and didn’t even realize it. It felt so much more comfortable, I thought I was purling counter clockwise (not really looking at what I was doing obviously) I thought it was “wrong” and my purls looked so strange and I thought that was why so I fixed my purls by actually purling counter clockwise and saw that my purls finally looked right but super loose. Now I’m realizing it’s actually combination knitting and I was fine BUT I was always purling through the front and that’s why it was looking so weird instead of through the back. Thank you! Purling is sooo much easier in combination knitting. I did not know I had to do it through the back.

[melrose]

THANK YOU!!! My rib had previously looked so loose and sloppy but after adopting this technique my rib looks so much neater!! I'll definitely continue using this technique in the future!

[DDTV]

Thanks so much for this! I just tried it on a hat I was knitting, and it's fabulous.

[josephinealbert]

Great tutorial! 1x1 rib is such a nightmare for loose knitters like me, but this technique is a definite game changer. I’m currently using the technique on my top down sweater and the 1x1 rib is looking SIGNIFICANTLY better than my first attempt.

[terryannsweeney]

Great technique tutorial! Looks great...starting a sweater with ribbing thank you 😊

[Annascraftyamore]

Thank you Aleksandra, I love learning about new techniques... you showed and explained this ribbing technique very well 🙋🏻‍♀️💖