Ribbing in the crotch of a soaker

[pageta]

Anyone tried this? I'm thinking of trying it on my next soaker. I'm making a small soaker so my narrowest point will be 24 sts wide. I was thinking of doing stockinette for 3 sts on either side and then ribbing in the middle. I still haven't decided if I'm going to do just 18 sts in the middle of ribbing or if I'll make the ribbing go to the edge all the way around (from the split in front/back). Also, I haven't decided if I'm going to do k1p1, k2p2 or k3p3. Any thoughts?

[pamelamama]

I've done it in a couple of my EWS soakers! Works great :) I can't remember exactly what way I did it. I'll check my notes and get back to you. xoxo :D

[pageta]

One more thought...if I'm doing ribbing, can I still do the kirchener or is there a twist to that as well?

[ravingcutie]

:irked I've wondered this as well!

[littleturtlemama]

my new wrap has ribbing in the crotch, makes for a nice trim fit but will stretch to fit longer. I just decrease down to about 2/3 of the original stitches, and knit in 2 x 2 rib. Just make sure you've got an uneven # of ribs so that you begin and end with knit 2, othersie the side than ends with the purl would flip inwards.

[pageta]

So I have 124 sts in my soaker. If I go down to 2/3, that's 42 sts approx. Usually I go down to 28 or 30, and then the crotch is never wide enough to cover the diaper. I plan to do the ribbing on smaller needles like the waist band. Will the 42 sts give me better coverage? It's ribbing so it will look narrower than 42 sts of stockinette, but it will also stretch. Will it stretch more than 42 sts of stockinette? Should I go down to 38 perhaps?

Then I want to do p2 *k2, p2* rather than k2 *p2, k2* because the p2 recedes and the k2 steps forward so I want p2 on my edges, right?

Also, do I reduce and then start the ribbing or start the ribbing with stockinette on the edges where I'll reduce until it's gone, or do ribbing all the way across and just reduce part of the ribbing? How does ribbing behave? I think k2p2 pulls in more than k1p1, but how does k3p3 compare? Theoretically I could start at k3p3 and reduce to k2p2, but if k3p3 pulls in more, perhaps I'd rather start out with k1p1 and then once I'm down to 38 or 42 sts, change it to k2p2? Or would that just be weird?

I'm trying to think all this through before I get there. I'd rather avoid having to do a bunch of swatches and use voices of experience instead. Thanks!

[littleturtlemama]

So I have 124 sts in my soaker. If I go down to 2/3, that's 42 sts approx. Usually I go down to 28 or 30, and then the crotch is never wide enough to cover the diaper. I plan to do the ribbing on smaller needles like the waist band. Will the 42 sts give me better coverage? It's ribbing so it will look narrower than 42 sts of stockinette, but it will also stretch. Will it stretch more than 42 sts of stockinette? Should I go down to 38 perhaps?
Ribbing stretches infinitely more than regular stockinette, so your 42 stitches should be enough, and it will definitely give you better coverage than 28 or 30. I'd use smaller needles as well.

Then I want to do p2 *k2, p2* rather than k2 *p2, k2* because the p2 recedes and the k2 steps forward so I want p2 on my edges, right?
Actually, I like the k2 on each edge, becuase the p2 curls in and gets caught inside the thigh and has a tendency to pull the whole edge in and get stuck under the diaper, LOL.

Also, do I reduce and then start the ribbing or start the ribbing with stockinette on the edges where I'll reduce until it's gone, or do ribbing all the way across and just reduce part of the ribbing?
Not quite sure what you mean here. I would just decrease all on one row, then next row start the ribbing.

How does ribbing behave? I think k2p2 pulls in more than k1p1, but how does k3p3 compare? Theoretically I could start at k3p3 and reduce to k2p2, but if k3p3 pulls in more, perhaps I'd rather start out with k1p1 and then once I'm down to 38 or 42 sts, change it to k2p2? Or would that just be weird?
The smaller the rib, the more it pulls, generally. so, k1 p1 will pull in more than k3p3. So, I'd start with k3 p3, then go down to k2 k2, then k1 p1 at the very bottom of the crotch so it's narrow in between the legs.

I'm trying to think all this through before I get there. I'd rather avoid having to do a bunch of swatches and use voices of experience instead. Thanks!

SWATCH!! it's the only way you'll every really get this stuff figured out on your own ;) If you don't work it all out in your own head, you'll always be depending on someone else, and it's so much more fun when you can do all the designing/tweaking on your own :bigups: