How to Knit a Rib Stitch Top on the Sentro Knitting Machine

Materials needed:

48 pin circular knitting machine (e.g. sentro, addi etc.)
4mm crochet hook
Scissors
Tapestry needle
Waste yarn
1 skein of James C. Brett Shhh DK or equivalent

Yarn information:

Brand Name: James C Brett

Yarn Name: Shhh

Yarn Weight: DK

Ball Weight: 100g

Length: 550 metres

Recommended Needle Size: 4mm

Pieces to knit on the machine:

Front panel
Back panel
First sleeve tube
Second sleeve tube

Information:

Size XS-M (UK 6-10)
Please note for the panel setting the maximum number of stitches you can knit is 45. The first two pins and the white pin on the machine will be dropped as you begin knitting after cast on. Therefore you will be working with the 3rd pin to the 47th pin (the one directly before the white pin)
You will be using waste yarn to cast on and off from the machine and then you will single crochet along the ends so ensure the waste yarn is visibly different to project yarn.
If you have any questions, feel free to message me and I'll try my best to help <3

Watch the full video tutorial on my youtube channel:

Instructions:

Step 1: Make the front & back panel.

Front & Back Panel.

45 pins by 110 rows - knit bottom to top.

1) Cast On:

Use panel mode on your 48-pin knitting machine and the waste yarn.
Useful videos: How to Cast On/Off of the Sentro Circular Knitting Machine by Quinn Bender, How To Knit A Flat Panel On The Sentro Circular Knitting Machine by Katieree, Waste Yarn Explained! | Why You Should Be Using Waste Yarn On The Knitting Machine by Katieree)
Begin casting on from pin 1 up to pin 47 (stop 1 pin before the white pin) and then feed the yarn through the yarn feeder and tension guide (hole closest to the machine).
Note: The first two stitches (pins 1 and 2) will drop as you start knitting. This will leave you with 45 working stitches in total.
You will be cranking the machine back and forth in different directions to create this panel.
I would recommend also holding the yarn with your hand to keep the tension even whilst cranking.

Video 1: Keep cranking up to pin 48 to secure the stitch on pin 47. After wrapping the yarn behind the 47th pin, feed the yarn through the yarn feeder and tension guide. Continue cranking in the same direction until the yarn passes beneath the ridge between pins 47 and 48 and then crank in the opposite direction to begin knitting.

2) Knit 5-10 rows with the waste yarn.

After finishing the waste yarn rows, remove the waste yarn from the yarn feeder and switch to the project yarn. Leave a long tail of the project yarn as you can use this to single crochet the ends later on.

3) Knit Rows 1-49:

Knit 49 rows normally with the project yarn.

4) Row 50 (Ribbing Row):

To create the 2x2 ribbing, you will manually drop stitches and reform 'purl' stitches
Knit the first 2 stitches, then drop the 3rd stitch for ribbing, then *knit 2 stitches and drop 2 stitches for a 2x2 rib look*
Repeat from * to * until the end of the row. You should end on a knit 2.

How to drop a stitch and reform it as a purl stitch:

Carefully drop the stitch off the needle using your crochet hook or loom pick and unravel it down to the first row of the project yarn (the last stitch before the waste yarn)
Use a crochet hook to pick up the loops, reforming them as purl stitches (hooking from back to front).
Repeat this for each purl column to create a ribbing pattern (2x2 ribbing).

Video 2: How to drop a stitch and reform it as a purl stitch

5) Knits Rows 51-110

Knit 59 rows normally.

6) Switch to Waste Yarn:

Remove the project yarn from the yarn feeder and place the skein in the middle of the machine. Do not cut the yarn from the skein, as you will use it again later.
Replace the project yarn with waste yarn.

7) Knit 10-15 rows with the waste yarn.

After finishing the waste yarn rows, remove the yarn from the yarn feeder and crank the machine until your project comes off the machine.

Video 3: How to cast off using waste yarn

8) Finish the Edges:

Using the project yarn, single crochet along each of the project yarn stitches still attached to the waste yarn using 4mm crochet hook (You should have 45 stitches in total).
Fasten off the yarn to secure your work.
Repeat for bottom edge.

Video 4: Single crochet along each of the bumps.

9) Repeat for back panel.

Step 2: Make the sleeves

Sleeves.

48 pins by 25 rows

1) Cast On:

Use tube mode on your 48-pin knitting machine with the waste yarn.
For the tube mode, you will be casting on all 48 stitches and cranking in the same direction for the whole piece.

Video 5: Cast on in tube mode with waste yarn, knit 5-10 rows and switch to project yarn.

2) Knit 5-10 rows with the waste yarn.

3) Knit Rows 1-24:

Knit 24 rows normally with the project yarn.

4) Row 25 (Ribbing Row):

To create the 2x2 ribbing, you will manually drop stitches and reform 'purl' stitches
*Knit the first 2 stitches, then drop the next two stitches for ribbing for a 2x2 rib look*
Repeat from * to * until the end of the row. You should end on a 'purl' 2.

How to drop a stitch and reform it as a purl stitch:

Carefully drop the stitch off the needle using your crochet hook or loom pick and unravel it down to the first row of the project yarn (the last stitch before the waste yarn)
Use a crochet hook to pick up the loops, reforming them as purl stitches (hooking from back to front).
Repeat this for each purl column to create a ribbing pattern (2x2 ribbing).

5) Switch to Waste Yarn:

Remove the project yarn from the yarn feeder and place the skein in the middle of the machine. Do not cut the yarn from the skein, as you will use it again later.
Replace the project yarn with waste yarn.

6) Knit 10-15 rows with the waste yarn.

After finishing the waste yarn rows, remove the yarn from the yarn feeder and crank the machine until your project comes off the machine.

7) Finish the Edges:

Using the project yarn, single crochet along each of the project yarn stitches still attached to the waste yarn using 4mm crochet hook (You should have 48 stitches in total).
Fasten off the yarn to secure your work.
Repeat this along the other edge.

Video 6: Single crochet along each of stitches 'bumps' and remove the waste yarn

8) Repeat for second sleeve.

Step 3: Seaming the Pieces Together.

1) Shoulders

Seam the shoulders to form the neckline using a 4 mm crochet hook.
With the right sides facing together, slip stitch the front and back panels, leaving an opening in the middle for the neckline. Seam approximately 14-15 stitches on each side.

Neckline Fit Tip:

Before seaming, check that the neckline fits comfortably by using stitch markers.
Place the first stitch marker 14 stitches along the top edge of the front panel on the left side, and another 14 stitches from the right side.
Count the same number of stitches (14) on the back panel to align with the markers on the front panel, and attach the markers at the corresponding points.
Try on the piece and adjust the markers until the neckline feels comfortable or reaches the desired width.
Once satisfied, seam between the stitch markers.

Video 7: How to seam the shoulders and create the neckline

2) Sleeves (skip to step 4 if you haven't made sleeves)

Attach the first sleeve by slip stitching it to the front and back panels. Use the long tail from the sleeve to slip stitch and as the starting point for the sleeve.
Begin at the midpoint where the front and back panels meet (the shoulder seam).
With the long tail from the sleeve, slip stitch two stitches of the panel to one stitch of the sleeve as you work along the left panel.
Continue slip stitching until you reach the halfway point of the sleeve / the stitch marker (see Tip below).

Tip: Count 24 stitches from the long tail of the sleeve end. Attach a stitch marker to this 24th stitch (this is half way along all stitches on the sleeve edge (48 stitches in total) and marks where you will crochet up to).

Repeat this process along the right side of the panel until you reach the same stitch marker.

Video 8: Slip stitch sleeve onto body panels

How to slip stitch the sleeve to the panel for a neater edge:

For the Left Side of the Panel:

Instead of inserting your hook through both loops of the sleeve stitch, insert it into the front loop of the stitch and the horizontal bar below it.
Next, insert your hook into the corresponding stitch on the panel.
Pull the yarn from the long tail through both stitches and then through the loop on your hook to complete a slip stitch.
Insert your hook into the same sleeve stitch (using the front loop and horizontal bar again), then insert it into the next stitch on the panel and slip stitch them together.
Remember you will be joining two panel stitches to one sleeve stitch so that the arm opening isn't too tight.

For the Right Side of the Panel:

Attach the yarn to the shoulder seam on the panel and begin your slip stitch seam.
Unlike the left side, you will first insert your hook into the stitch on the panel.
Then, insert your hook into the front loop and horizontal bar of the corresponding sleeve stitch.
Pull the yarn through both stitches and then through the loop on your hook to complete the slip stitch.
For the next stitch, insert your hook into the next stitch on the panel, then into the same sleeve stitch (using the front loop and horizontal bar again), and slip stitch them together.

Video 9: Tip - For a neater edge, insert your hook into the front loop of the sleeve stitch and the horizontal bar below instead of the two loops.

3) Seam the body panels (see video 8)

Once you reach the stitch marker, continue slip stitching along the body and ribbed section as usual, working 1 stitch to 1 stitch.

4) Seam the body panels (no sleeve)

Place the panels right sides facing each other.
Start slip stitching from the bottom of the panels, working 1 stitch to 1 stitch upwards.
Continue seaming until you reach your desired armhole size.
For reference, I typically leave 30-33 stitches for the armhole, but I recommend trying it on to ensure a comfortable fit.