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Racked ripple

Ripples that step sideways as they go, in slanted or zigzag bands across the fabric. A ripple knits extra rows on one bed. Racking between those rows, or before each ripple, pulls them sideways.

Machine types that can knit it

Demo swatch

Drawn for: Double-bed hand flat (V-bed)
Approximate preview worked out from the bed chart, not a photo.
Bed chart
15101520253035→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←+1+2+3+4+3+2+10+1+2+3+4Front bedBack bedBoth beds (double jersey)Slip+1Rack to this position before the row (0 = home)1 square = 1 stitch × 1 row · read from the bottom · Hand flat (V-bed), 36 needles, half pitch
Needle notation, first steps
1. Rack the back bed to 1 needleright of homebackfront2. Rows 1–2: knit 2 rows6×6 rib · slip 27 · rack +1carriage →backfront3. Rack the back bed to 2needles right of homebackfront4. Rows 3–4: knit 2 rows6×6 rib · slip 27 · rack +2carriage →backfrontShowing needles L12–R12 of 36; repeat across the working area.

Carriage settings on a Dubied

Racked ripple with buttsHandle all the way up (left).
RearFront
  1. rearfront11½½
    1. Knit 8 rows, racking 1 needle right every 2 rows. Rack before knitting the rows.
  2. rearfront1111
    2. Knit 4 rows. Repeat both settings, alternating the direction of the rack.
Set-up and welt, then transfer the rear stitches to the front as set out and push the empty needles out of action. Front bed tension tighter than the rear. Make sure the selvedge needles do not drop their stitches.
Racked ripple with needles outHandle all the way up (left).
RearFront
  1. rearfront1111
    1. Transfer stitches as set out. Loosen the tension for the row of 1×1 before the single-bed rows if needed. Carriage on the right. Knit 2 rows.
  2. rearfront1100
    2. Knit 3 or 4 rows. Rack 3 needles right (down). Repeat from the first setting, alternating the rack.
How to read the cross
  • The four quarters are the carriage: top rear bed, bottom front bed, left moving left, right moving right.
  • Corners, knit/miss cam: 1 knits; ½ knits on high butts only and misses low butts; 0 is out of work.
  • Diamond, tucking cam: 0 no tuck; ½ low butts tuck, high butts knit; 1 all needles tuck. An empty diamond is all 0.
  • Numbers on the line are tension dials, 0 tightest to 20 loosest. A + means looser than your usual size.
  • Set-out: long tick high butt, short tick low butt, dot out of action.
Racking handle: up moves the rear bed left, down moves it right, up to 6 notches. Rack only with the carriage clear of the needles.

Steps

  1. Handle up.
  2. Set-up, welt.
  3. Transfer stitches to the set-out.
  4. Knit the ripple rows, racking as given.
  5. Knit the rows on both beds.
  6. Repeat, alternating the direction of the rack.

The full card

What it looks like
Ripples that step sideways as they go, in slanted or zigzag bands across the fabric.
How it behaves
Strong relief. The ridges lean with the rack.
How it works
A ripple knits extra rows on one bed. Racking between those rows, or before each ripple, pulls them sideways. With butts: on the front bed the K/M cam at ½ knits only high butts, while the rear bed knits on, and the rack steps along. With needles out: a ripple on the rear bed, then a big rack of 3 needles.
Machines
Dubied. The butts version needs a mix of high and low butts.
Parameters
Handle starts all the way up. Rack 1 needle every 2 rows over 8 rows, or 3 needles after each ripple.
Steps
1) Handle up. 2) Set-up, welt. 3) Transfer stitches to the set-out. 4) Knit the ripple rows, racking as given. 5) Knit the rows on both beds. 6) Repeat, alternating the direction of the rack.
Charting
Bed chart with the rack position on the rows.
Limits and common problems
Selvedge needles can drop their stitches. Front tension tighter than rear in the butts version. Loosen the tension on the 1×1 row before the single-bed rows if the stitches will not form.
Combines with
ottoman-basic-rolls, racked-cardigan.
Pieces and assembly
Textured panels and trims.

Written in our own words from machine manuals, knitting references and swatching. Knit a test swatch before a whole piece.

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