Tutorial: Fisherman’s Rib

Looking shifty in a cowl

To make my super nifty cowl cast on 40 (size small, 12″ circumference)  50 (15″ circumference), 70 (20″ circumference) stitches with a bulky yarn and size US-10.5 needles, place marker and join in the round, being careful not to twist.  Shown here: Large, when I should have done a medium.

Round 1: Knit 1, Purl 1; repeat around.
Round 2: Knit 1 into stitch below, Purl 1; repeat around.
Round 3: Knit 1, Purl 1 into stitch below; repeat around.

Repeat rounds 2 & 3 to desired length, bind off.

I know Brioche Stitch is all the rage.  Fisherman’s rib looks pretty much the same, and has fewer steps!  By knitting into the row below, you get a thick fluffy ribbing.  Although fisherman’s rib is typically worked flat over an even number of stitches (so that every row begins with a knit), I’ve also added pictures for purling into stitch below, this way, you can work it in the round!

So, let’s start with knitting into the stitch below.  The target:

(You’ll want to have actually worked to the knit stitch.  I was recycling photos.)

So, normally (working flat) that would be it – when you cast on an even number of stitches, every row will begin with a K1below.  But to make the super nifty fisherman’s cowl, you’ll need to alternate rounds knitting into stitch below or purling into stitch below.

So to purl into the stitch below:

It may be helpful to glance at the back of your work and see if you are inserting the needle into the “V” below, as you did for the knit-into-stitch-below.  After all, a purl on the right side is just a knit on the wrong side.