1x1 Rib Bobble Stitch Knitting Pattern: Bobbles Right on Your Border
Take plain knit-one-purl-one rib and pop little bobbles into it, staggered every six rows. If you can knit and purl, you can make this.
This one turns ordinary 1x1 rib into something special: small bobbles sit in the rib, staggered like a scattered pattern. Beginners can make it easily, because it's nothing but knit and purl. The back looks neat too.
Stitch count
Multiples of 8, plus 5. I made my sample on 21 stitches.
What you'll need
- Any wool or yarn. A smooth wool or merino makes rounder bobbles
- Knitting needles to suit your yarn
Making and closing a bobble
- Make 5 (1 stitch into 5): Knit the stitch but don't drop it, wrap the yarn over, knit into it again, wrap again, knit again, then drop it.
- Close 5 into 1: Slip the first 3 stitches of the five, knit the next 2 together, then pass the 3 slipped stitches over it (all together or one at a time, whichever is easier). A little knot forms.
The 12-row pattern
- Row 1 (RS):right side
Slip 1, then purl 1, knit 1 across the whole row (1x1 rib).
- Row 2 (WS):wrong side
Slip 1, work the stitches as they appear.
- Row 3 (RS):right side
Slip 1. *Purl 1, make 5 in the next (knit) stitch, then purl 1, knit 1, purl 1, knit 1, purl 1, knit 1.* Repeat. With 4 stitches left: purl 1, make 5, purl 1, knit 1.
- Row 4 (WS):wrong side
Slip 1. *Knit 1, purl the five stitches one by one, then (knit 1, purl 1) three times.* Repeat, ending with purl 5, knit 1, purl 1.
- Row 5 (RS):right side
Slip 1. *Purl 1, close the 5 into 1, then (purl 1, knit 1) three times.* Repeat, ending with purl 1, close 5 into 1, purl 1, knit 1.
- Rows 6–8:
Slip 1 and work the stitches as they appear. Plain 1x1 rib, no bobbles.
- Row 9 (RS):right side
Slip 1. *Work 5 stitches in rib (purl 1, knit 1, purl 1, knit 1, purl 1), make 5 in the next stitch, purl 1, knit 1.* Repeat. Rib the last 4 stitches.
- Row 10 (WS):wrong side
Slip 1, work as the stitches appear, purling each of the five separately.
- Row 11 (RS):right side
Slip 1. *Work 5 in rib, close the 5 into 1, purl 1, knit 1.* Repeat. Rib the last 4 stitches.
- Row 12 (WS):wrong side
Slip 1, work the stitches as they appear.
Repeat these 12 rows. The second set of bobbles sits halfway between the first, so they end up staggered across the fabric.
Where to use it
It's lovely right on a border, so the border itself becomes the design. It also works allover on children's sweaters, caps and mufflers.
- bobble stitch
- 1x1 rib
- rib pattern
- textured knitting
- beginner knitting
- knitting stitch pattern
- hand knitting
- wool
