Mock Rib Stitch

Mock Rib Stitch
Originally uploaded by brittunia

So a little background on my title photograph. The upper set of stitches is mock rib stitch and is the predominant stitch in my first major project for myself - a sweater. My first couple years as a knitter, I suffered from the chronic condition that plagues most newbies and their friends and family: knitting everyone you know a scarf, hat or potholder. No one wants to admit they are new knitters or that they did suffer from such unspeakable maladies, but honeys, I did! So, the above swatch is my first stitch child, done in beautiful Twilleys Freedom Spirit wool in colorway Air. The colorway reminds me about all the things I miss about my native Washington state and Seattle: the sometimes blue and often stormy skies, lush tree lines and abundant foliage like ferns and moss, ceder, mist, fresh marine air, Pike Place Market and mountain-dominated urban skylines. 

I have finished up the back and the sleeves. Unfortunately my sleeves are not resembling what any person would deem a sleeve. I am assuming this normal for all new sweater knitters. So, I have thrown all caution to the wind by knitting on and will assume that I correctly followed the pattern (Cap Sleeve Vest, KnitSimple Winter 06/07) correctly until I get to shaping the neck. To my dismay, there were very few Ravelers who had undertaken and finished the same project. In fact, most attempts at this jumper had either been frogged, in hibernation or radically modified beyond my tender knitting skills. Yes, I may be a relative greenhorn, but I am nonetheless a Taurus. I am bullishly charging on and knitting the front of the sweater now. It is hard not to when my wool smells of  the wonderful Lush soap hiding in my stash drawer. Yum....Honey I Washed the Kids. I splurged and bought some bomb beechwood needles from Brittany to replace the wrecked plastic needles I inherited from Grandma Margaret. Yes, yes, I must have sensory stimulus while knitting (Taureans always do whatever the activity). Do you? Please leave your comments!

Mock Rib is texturally interesting while oh so easy to make. Try it out sometime:

Mock Rib Stitch - Started on an uneven number of stitches:

Row 1 (RS) P1, *wyib, sl 1 purlwise, yarn to front, p1; rep from * to end. Row 2 Purl.

So, off to do some more swell sweater stitching.

Enjoy. Visit again. Knit well and knit often.