Broken Rib Hat and Scarf
Faith Schmidt
This hat and scarf is a fun and
easy variation of the basic rib
stitch. By shifting the
wrapping pattern one peg to
the right every five rows and
then back again, the ribs
stagger back and forth across
the knitting, appearing to be
broken. The pattern is subtle
and shows up best if using a
solid colored yarn. The hat
can easily be adjusted to any size by changing the number of stitches cast on
and rows knitted. Give it a try today!
Materials
Knitting Loom: Small gauge double sided knitting board with at least 48 pegs
(youth/average adult hat), 58 pegs (large adult hat), and 18 pegs (scarf). The 10”
and 28” Authentic Knitting Boards set at standard (1/2”) spacer setting were used
in the sample.
Yarn: 150 yards (youth/average adult hat), 216 yards (large adult hat) and 286
yards (scarf) of chunky/bulky weight yarn. Plymouth Encore Chunky was used in
sample.
Notions: Tapestry Needle, Knitting tool, Crochet hook
Gauge: 12 stitches by 12 rows over a 4 x 4 inch swatch in the ribbing stitch.
Abbreviations: Cast on—CO, Bind off—BO
Pattern Notes:
For the first five rows, the hat or scarf is wrapped with the normal ribbing stitch.
This is what is referred to as the 1 to 3 ribbing stitch. To wrap the 1 to 3 ribbing
stitch, after wrapping up to the 1st peg on the back board, wrap down to the 3rd
peg on the front board. Continue wrapping every other peg. The last two pegs
will be wrapped consecutively. Wrap directly across the board at the end, and
then wrap back down the board, covering all the empty pegs. The last two pegs
will again be wrapped consecutively. See http://65.61.171.117/stitch_ribbing.pdf
(This is a PDF file of the ribbing stitch with step by step pictures.) The next five
rows are wrapped in what is referred to as the 1 to 4 ribbing stitch. To do this,
after wrapping up the 1st peg on the back board, wrap down to the 4th peg on the
front board. Then, wrap up to the 4th peg on the back board. Continue wrapping
Copyright © October 2007 by Faith Ann Schmidt. All rights reserved.
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every other peg, taking the yarn directly across to the back board at the end and
wrapping back down the board, making sure to cover all the empty pegs. This
picture shows a close up view
of how the Broken Rib pattern
will look when knitted.
This hat can easily be adjusted
to any size by changing the
number of cast on stitches and
rows knitted. If you adjust the
number of rows, keep in mind
that you want to be able to
divide the rows evenly so that
both the 1 to 3 ribbing stitch
pattern and the 1 to 4 ribbing
stitch pattern will both have an equal amount of rows in them. The number of
rows in each stitch pattern doesn’t have to be five. Feel free to experiment with
different combinations of rows to get the effect that you desire.
Instructions
Hat Instructions
Finished hat sizes are youth/average adult and large adult.
1. CO 48(58) stitches using the stockinette cast on, leaving a long tail for
sewing up the seam later.
2. Knit 5 rows in the 1 to 3 ribbing stitch. Then, knit 5 rows in the 1 to 4
ribbing stitch. (See pattern notes on how to wrap the ribbing stitches.)
Continue alternating the two wrapping patterns until 30(35) rows have
been knitted.
3. Decrease half of the stitches. Do this by lifting stitch 1 onto needle 2 then
stitch 3 onto needle 4. Repeat for the whole board, both front and back.
You will end up with every other needle being empty. Wrap the row with
the stockinette stitch, skipping the empty needles. Knit the bottom 2
stitches over the top stitch. You should now have 1 stitch on every other
needle. Shuffle all the stitches together so that there are no empty
needles.
4. Knit 1 row in stockinette stitch.
5. Repeat step #3, except you don’t have to shuffle all the stitches together
after decreasing.
6. Lift the stitches from the back board to the needle directly across from
them on the front board. The back board will now be empty and every
other needle on the front board will have two stitches on them. Knit over
the stitches so that each needle has one stitch on it. Cut the working yarn,
Copyright © October 2007 by Faith Ann Schmidt. All rights reserved.
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leaving a long tail for gathering the top. Thread the yarn tail onto a
tapestry needle and slip the stitches from the board onto the tapestry
needle. Remove from the board.
7. BO the cast on edge. This is the bottom of the hat. Make sure to BO
loosely so that the edge will have some stretch to it.
8. Turn the hat inside out. Run the needle on the yarn tail at the top of the
hat back through the slipped off stitches again, and pull tight. If you find
that you have a hole at the top of the hat, you may want to run the needle
around the top of the hat again about ¼”- ½” from the center and pull tight,
or stitch the hole closed from the inside. Secure the top.
9. Turn right side out. Using the yarn tail at the bottom of the hat, sew up the
side seam with the Invisible Seam Stitch. This is done on the right side
(outside) of the hat. (See http://www.knittingboard.com/stitchinvisible.pdf
for step by step pictures of this technique.)
10. Weave in loose ends, turn up brim, add pom-pom if desired, and you’re
finished.
Scarf Instructions
Finished size is approx. 6”x 50”
1. CO 18 stitches using the stockinette cast on.
2. Knit 5 rows in the 1 to 3 ribbing stitch. Then, knit 5 rows in the 1 to 4
ribbing stitch. (See pattern notes on how to wrap the ribbing stitches.)
Continue alternating the two wrapping pattern until the scarf measures
approx. 50” (160 rows) or desired length, ending on row 5 of either
wrapping pattern.
3. BO both edges. Weave in any loose ends. Add fringe if desired.
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Faith is a home schooling mom of seven. In the summer of 2006 she picked up
a one dollar spool knitter. From there, she graduated to the larger round looms,
and then double sided knitting boards, her favorite type of loom. At the beginning
of 2007, she began designing her own patterns, which she finds very rewarding.
When she’s not loom knitting, she also likes to read, crochet, and knit with
needles.
Copyright © October 2007 by Faith Ann Schmidt. All rights reserved.
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