I love the Knit-One-Below (K1B) technique. The book Knit One Below: One Stitch, Many Fabrics
by Elise Duvekot is phenomenal, and I highly recommend reading it or even buying it. I have designed a couple of patterns that utilize this technique: The K1B Baby Hat uses a single color, allowing you to reduce pooling with a variegated yarn. The K1B Beer Cozy uses multiple colors in a checkered stripe pattern, a great way to mix remnant yarns.I have decided that it is high time that I create some videos to help you with this technique. Introducing... How to Knit-One-Below!
Video 1: Knit-One-Below (K1B) - This video shows the K1B stitch repeated across one row. This is not how you'd generally use the stitch as you frequently mix the K1B stitches with normal knit stitches (see video 2).
Video 2: Knit One, Knit-One-Below (K1, K1B) - This video illustrates the technique used in some of the free patterns by ChemKnits; alternating knit stitches with K1B stitches.
Other Knit-One-Below Tips:
- The gauge of K1B fabric is looser than stockinette with the same yarn and needles. Make sure you swatch in the K1B pattern. Usually you end up needing smaller needles than you'd expect.
- You need to either knit in the round or use straight needles with this technique. (On straight needles you may need to purl-one-below, but that is not shown in these videos.)
