Horizontal rib by whole-width bed swap

Machine types that can knit it

• Single bed (punch card) + ribber
• Single bed (electronic) + ribber
• Double bed with pushers (Passap type)
• Double-bed hand flat (V-bed)

Steps

1. Cast on, knit Rf rows all needles on bed A.
2. Transfer all stitches A→B.
3. On domestic push needles to forward working position; on V-bed do not (see transfer-knit-through).
4. Knit Rb rows on B.
5. Transfer all B→A.
6. Repeat.

The full card

What it looks like

Horizontal bands of alternate face. Small R (2 rows): pebbly garter-stitch-like ridges, purl bumps dominate. Medium R (4–8): distinct horizontal welts. Large R (16+): wide horizontal bands that stack like an accordion, each band rounding outward; with plating the bands alternate colour.

How it behaves

horizontal ridges → horizontal accordion fold as R grows; contracts in length, not width.

How it works

All stitches knit on one bed for Rf rows, then every stitch is transferred to the opposite bed and Rb rows knitted there; repeat. Knit stitches get pushed inward, exposing the purl bumps.

Machines

Double bed with full-width transfers (tedious by hand on wide pieces; use double-ended transfer tools / ribber transfer carriage if available). Single bed: garter carriage does this automatically; garter bar can turn a whole row; manual reform otherwise.

Parameters

Rf, Rb rows per bed (2–16+, can be unequal for asymmetric ribs); width W; repeat count. Rows are shorter than stitches are wide, so use more rows than you would stitches for a similar visual rib size.

Steps

1) Cast on, knit Rf rows all needles on bed A. 2) Transfer all stitches A→B. 3) On domestic push needles to forward working position; on V-bed do not (see transfer-knit-through). 4) Knit Rb rows on B. 5) Transfer all B→A. 6) Repeat.

Charting

Grid of full-width horizontal stripes, Rf rows grey, Rb rows white. Needle notation per step: one row all bars, other row all dots; between steps a row of vertical arrows (↓ or ↑) across every needle.

Limits and common problems

Stitches can ride up the needle after transfer; see transfer-knit-through. Very small R loses rib character (becomes garter look).

Combines with

vertical-rib (blocks), accordion-rib-jersey, plating stripes.

Pieces and assembly

Can be worked as an integrated placket/band at the edge of a panel instead of knitting and grafting a separate rib.

Related techniques

• Vertical rib (N×M)
• Pitch / half-pitch rib arrangement
• Knitting the first row after a transfer
• Travelling rib by edge-stitch transfer
• Travelling rib by shifting all stitches
• Mirrored / zoned travelling ribs