Lace Rib
vertical columns of eyelets separated by purls, a simple openwork lace that behaves like a stretchy rib
Lace rib, one of the faggoting family, turns a plain rib into openwork by replacing a knit column with a repeating yarn over and decrease. A common repeat is (purl one, yarn over, knit two together) across, so each knit column becomes a vertical line of little eyelets where the yarn over adds a hole and the knit-two-together removes the stitch it added, keeping the count constant. The purl stitches between hold the columns apart and give the fabric the vertical stretch of a rib, which is why lace rib is popular for sock legs, cuffs, and the bodies of light tops where a plain lace panel would have no give. It is a good first lace because the yarn over and decrease pair up on every patterned row, so the stitch count never drifts and mistakes are easy to see as a missing or extra hole. Block it firmly to open the eyelets. It uses less yarn than a solid rib for the same width because of the holes.