2x3 Gathered Scalloped Rib

2x3 Gathered Scalloped Rib – A Variation - By Marge Parker

Text © 1999 MKDesigner

One of my grand daughters likes sleeve cuffs to be wide ribbing and have a bit of a ‘gathered’ or puffy look when the sleeve starts above that rib. I dug this pattern out of mothballs and she liked it. Originally, I’d developed this rib when doing those ‘mutton chop’ sweaters that were popular in the late 70’s. She didn’t want it quite so pronounced so we shortened the ribbing for her. This is my method of doing this instead of ribbing of perhaps 1x2 and then increasing stitches evenly across the work. I really hate doing that. By having an open stitch on either side of the latched up center stitch, there’s less bulk and more stretch to the ribbing in my opinion – and it makes the grand daughter happy.

Sample knit on Brother Convertible ‘Bulky’ 9mm mode – Yarn: Red Heart 4-ply

Basic Needle Setup: (X=In Work O=Out of Work)

XXX OOO XX OOO XX ….OOO XX OOO XXX

You have 3 Working Needles on each end of the piece.

E-Wrap cast on over the In Work (X) needles.

Knit as many rows as you want your ribbing to be high.

First latch-up: Go under 2, grab the 3^rd ladder, pull it under and over the 2 stitches. Go under 1 ladder, latch up the 2^nd ladder and continue to the top of the ladders.

Place stitch onto the center empty (“O”) needle. Continue doing the same across the work.

Go back to the first latched up ladder and put the purl bar from the closest right “X” stitch onto the right “O” needle. Put the purl bar from the closest left “X” stitch onto the left “O”
needle. Continue across the work.

Now all your needles are ‘in work’ and all have stitches. I personally prefer to do the central latchup first, let the work rest for a couple of minutes and then go back and fill in the other “O” needles from the purl bars. You can do it as you go across the work, this way is just easier for me. Knit rows for remainder of sleeve or whatever it is you’re making. The picture below shows the purl side of this ribbing.