Rib/moss stitch GrraaaAARRRGGGHHH

[needasilverlining]

Cannot fucking do it. At all. If I need rib it comes out as moss, if I want moss it's fucking RIB.

I have the RAGE as I've just realised the last two rows of 175 farking stitches are wrong. Tried to convince myself it's only the button band but I know really I'll have to unpick which is the ONE knitting thing I hate more than moss/rib.

I can count to two, usually. WHY CAN'T I DO THIS?

Have a and unpick, it'll be worth it!

I've no idea on how to improve your counting to two - I seem afflicted with the same thing. I wonder if our knitting gene is slightly off kilter

When you look at the stitches on the needle they will either look like they are wearing a scarf or a choker. They do I promise.
Anyway the ones that look like a scarf are knits (you knit a scarf) and the ones that look like a choker are purls (you wear a pearl choker).

So.....
If you are ribbing, you knit the scarfs and purl the chokers. And if you're doing moss purl the scarfs and knit the chokers.

I know that sounds loopy but it works. I shall google to see if I can fin pics to illustrate.

might help

Look at the last row you did. With the work facing towards you you will have stitches that look either like "Vs" or horizontal bars.

For rib: you want straight lines of "Vs" and bars continuing up your work. Therefore if your next stitch is a V from the previous row then you knit. If it is a bar you purl.

For Moss: you want alternating Vs and bars. So if your next stitch was a V then you purl. If it was a bar you knit.

It's all to do with whether you have an even or odd number of stitches in a row. I discovered this after similarly grrr moments. If you remember that when you're doing rib, whatever a stitch is on one side (e.g. purl) it has to be the opposite on the other side. So if your last stitch of your row is purl, you must start with a knit stitch on the next row. It makes sense to me anyway...

The really annoying thing is, I know all this in theory and it still goes wrong.

Yesterday's wrongness happened while dh was in hospital and I was trying to distract myself - think it's a concentration thing, really.

I finished it! All the tips were useful but Woollybackswife, the visual clues were what clinched it for my wandering attention span so THANK YOU.

When I've completed my backlist (two stegosaur hats and a sweater for DS2) I might even give something in moss stitch a try...

If anyone fancies a brilliant virtually seamless toddler hoodie pattern, let me know. I like it again now the bloody button band's out of the way...

Ooh yes please!

Assuming you're knitting flat (not on the round) for rib if you finish on a knit, you start on a purl.

For moss if you finish on a knit you start on a knit.

And I'm doing a whole (toddler) hoody in moss stitch. Its driving me around the bend.

Oh you are welcome.

After nearly 40 years of knitting I am fine with rib but I still chant "knit on top of knit, purl on top of purl" when doing moss stitch. These days it is mostly under my breath

I am a fairly good knitter now but still find moss St a PITA. Just so anti-intuitive. I always want to knit the knits instead.

Once you get the hang of reading your knitting its a bit easier though.

I always seem to get out of sync too. I tend to force myself to check them every five stitches or so - that way it is easy to correct. Just check where the wool "tail" is hanging to see which stitch you previously completed.. To the back for knitted stitch and to the front for a purled stitch.