Dear Anne
I’ve noticed you say on ribbed edges that it’s often easier to cast on with waste yarn, then pick up the stitches and hand knit the ribs downwards. Well, what do we ‘plus sizes’ do in tuck stitch patterns? It’s a great stitch for giving us the maximum width but tuck stitch patterns often have less stitches, so the ribs can be very tight and unwearable. Any suggestions please? Debbie in Northampton
Thanks for your query Debbie and here’s what to do.
Step 1 Knit the rib over the usual number of stitches required for your size. This will almost certainly be more than for the main tuck stitch garment.
Step 2 Transfer the stitches to the main bed, using main tension knit one row then remove the rib on waste yarn.
Step 3 Replace the stitches on the correct number of needles required for the pattern, decreasing evenly across, then continue to knit in pattern, as usual. This is also useful for anyone who doesn’t like a tight band of rib pulling in, say, the lower edge or cuff of a cardigan or jacket.