Sideways Ribbing 3 Ways Compared

There are many different ways to crochet a ribbed fabric: you can work the fabric flat or in the round with many different types of stitches for various effects. In this video, Brenda K. B. Anderson compares and contrasts her three favorite ribbed stitch patterns for working flat (in turned rows).

The first example Brenda shows us is a slip-stitch ribbing. This stitch pattern is by far the most elastic ribbed stitch pattern; it has a large amount of stretch and springs back into shape easily. Working through the back loops in each row gives this ribbing it’s stretch and the classic ribbed look.

Next, Brenda demonstrates a yarn-over slip stitch ribbing, worked through the back loop only. This is a variation on the slip stitch ribbing and has just one small difference of working a yarn-over before making each slip stitch. The extra yarn-over creates the distinct “v” lined ridges, and also makes this stitch less likely to be worked too tightly compared to the regular slip stitch ribbing.

The third swatch Brenda works up is made with a half-double crochet worked through the back loop. This is probably the most common of all of these stitch patterns, and is very quick to work up. This is a great pattern for those new to crochet since it is so simple and many people are already familiar with the half-double crochet stitch.

At the end of the video, Brenda compares and contrasts each of these three stitch patterns, sharing the pros and cons of each. She also gives us some extra tips for working those slip stitches that tend to get so tight as we work our rows. If you are looking to learn some ribbing techniques, or just wondering which one is right for your project, stitch along with Brenda and make a swatch of each version so you can test them out yourself!