I have been struggling with unsightly ladders between knits and purls for YEARS and had no idea how to fix it. I am so happy to have found this resource and see how easy the fix is!
I like this trick and will certainly be trying it on my next project. Who knew! Knitting for over 36 years and I still learn new things. Tha ts why I love knitting! Thank you, Staci.
It's been awhile since I watched you on this tip for tidier knit purl tension. I wanna say thank you for this little advice. Since I'm continental knitter, I had to try figuring out how to apply your technique, this isn't usually talked about for continental knitting; I do like you, bring the yarn back, but while the yarn is coming from the left hand, I use my right index to push down the yarn to bring the purl closer to the knit, thus tugging them, I tried tugging with the left but it didn't work, I think due to the direction, using the bare right hand to tug it rightward works magic! Thanks again to you, you're like my distance teacher! Thanks
I know you had a video on „laddering in (1x1) ribbing in the round on magic loop“, and I probably watched several of those made by different knitters and tried and tried all the different „loosen up“ or „tighten up“ advice, to no avail, but *this* video has actually solved the ribbing ladder problem for me (i‘m a continental knitter). Using this technique only on the last purl - before switching to the other needle to use as front needle and transferring to the first knit stitch (with just regular even tension, no extra tug or extra loosening-up) closes the gap for me. Because it has actually been formed between the next to last stitch and last stitch on the old needle for me - the last purl pulled over close to the new needle’s first knit - causing a ladder *before* the needle switch, and not between the two needles. Thank you for helping me solve my issue!
I think a lot of people would not understand the connection between how evenly spaced the active stitches are on the needle, to how they relate in the final product. Great illustration!
Thanks! Now to remember. Love your videos and podcasts. I always recommend your site to knitters who ask for help learning techniques or wanting to improve their skills.
I am so glad to have found this video. I have been trying to practice knitting and purling in the same row, but it was loose. Thank you for making this.
Thank you!! I'm a beginning knitter and was getting so frustrated because my transitions between knitting and purling were so loose. This is super helpful!
My ribbing actually looks like ribbing now instead of weirdly spaced apart. I was going crazy trying to fix this problem! I thought I heard this tip in another video...but I couldn't find it when I needed it. Thanks for another great video tutorial!
Oh my god, this saved my purl practice piece. My loops kept loosening and loosening and slipped off the needle. I'm gonna keep workin' on my stitches! Thank you so much!
Thank you Staci! I've just begun a knitted square for our guild afghan and the pattern calls for knits and purls in each row. Your technique will improve the look of my square, and keep it at 9".
thank you so much!! i've been knitting for about 6 years, and recently have noticed bad tension from my knit to purl stitches -- i can't wait to try your technique!!
Thank you so much. I'm not a very experienced knitter and tension issues are the worst for me. This was very useful for my current project knitting and pearling a hat that has to be sewn together when done.
Thank you for this video! This tip has changed the game for me. I have been avoiding ribbing because my knit stitches looked sloppy, it was so frustrating. This tip did the trick. Thank you. 🙂
Madam, you are a freaking genius, as always. After frogging three times before looking for your help, I now sincerely thank you. FYI, I *was* having tension issues on 2x2 rib, I suspect because of the yarn I was using with the size needles. I'm a tight knitter, so had to go up from a 5mm to a 7mm needle to get gauge for my pattern. Your technique sorted it right out.
Figured this out a while back when my lace work looked ghastly due to going from knit to purl stitches - holes way bigger going one way than the other! Thank you so much for validating this method. It's a huge help in ribbing for me as well. The only way to get rid of it I've found is to switch to continental knitting. I can do but so much slower than flicking.
Thanks Staci for the technique. It is so pertinent for me right now since I am knitting your basketweave moebus cowl. I noticed the gaps/looseness. I was pulling the yarn tighter at these points but I was not yarning back before pulling tight. I will starting doing this now.
I've just started the matterhorn scarf and I'm using baby yarn to make it and my stitches are wonky and uneven. Since I've only completed one round of the scarf, I'm binding off that portion and starting over to use this technique! What a perfect coincidence you came out with this video :) Thank you so much!
thanks for this great video! I also find this technique works very well when knitting cable knit hats. It completely eliminates the drag and laddering that happens in between the knit and purl stitches when cabling.
Thanks, Staci that was very helpful - much easier than the way I had been doing it. I was completing a knit, then bringing my yarn forward, giving it a good yank upward and holding it taut while I completed the purl. It helps, but your way seems to result in a much more even tensioning of the yarn, and is easier to execute so I'll be doing that from now on. Little tricks like that can make such a difference!
Oh, my goodness!!! Why did I not find this video BEFORE knitting my beautiful cable throw that has longer spaces between K and P stitches, and I had no idea why? Now I want to take it all apart and do it the right way (but I won't :) ) Thank you so much!!!
I LOVE turkey with cornbread dressing, but realize that what makes OH SO WONDERFUL is the gravy. This technique is absolutely the gravy and after 50 years of knitting will, I believe, take my knitting to the next level! Thank you so much Staci! AND I’ve been trying to decide which woolen wash to use and gift with knitted items. You are such an amazing help!!! Thank you so very much!
This tip is awesome Staci. Thanks for sharing. I've been teaching myself lever knitting and haven't noticed as much of the drag, but I do the tug anyway. I love cables, and this really helps them to look neat and tidy with less notice of holes that seem to result from cabling. My first pieces in cables all have noticeable holes, but not my latest piece, a stag horn cable ear warmer. The difference is truly amazing. Really lovely result using this simple but effective technique. Thank you!
I knit in a style very similar to continental knitting, and I rarely have this issue with tension between knits and purls. I knit all my knits by wrapping clockwise and all my purls by wrapping counter-clockwise, the only "issue" this presents is the stitches are not facing the same direction, which for some would lead them to twist knit stitches. But I like that this is a simple technique to fix a common problem :) Thanks for posting!
Never would have thought to do this but it definitely works, I thought I was doomed to sloppy looking k/p. I’ll be seeing soon how it works with cables
Oh wow, this is unbelievable! Just yesterday I was wondering if you had a video on this very subject, because I struggle with this problem all the time. There's always a huge drag-issue between my knit and purl stitches and it annoys the crap out of me. Thank you so much for this video! 😁
Omg. Thank you so much! I am trying to do a two sided pattern in two colors. I almost gave up because my purls are so much looser than my knits. It makes sense that when you pull on the yarn to purl, you are loosening the yarn! That tuck is the proper way to tighten a purl stitch.
Thank you so much! I am doing cables for the first time and it was a bit messy. Luckily I've only one about 2 inches of work so far, so the rest can be super neat!
I'm wondering if this would work with cables too. I always have a problem with little gaps between the knits and purls when I do cables. Definitely using this in the future!
Very Pink to the rescue once again! I have just frogged back to a lifeline (also learned from VeryPink!) I put in after the fact. Thankfully I remembered this tutorial and that there is a way to make my chevron pattern look better. I hope!
When I first saw this I really doubted I would bother all this forwarding and backward movement. But this has long been an issue for me with really really gappy stitches when switching to purl in a knit-and-purl row, so I thought I'd give it a try. It has made SUCH a HUGE difference to my work. I'm finding that occasionally if I'm feeling my second purl stitch is also a bit sloppy I'm repeating the snugging-up procedure for that stitch too. Thank you so much for all your videos - but for this one in particular. I'm off to check out any other tips you have on tension (especially lace where I seem to relax a little too much at times).
Thanks for this Staci! I'm currently working on a project called the "Byway Wrap", which has panels of moss stitch and then cables. It really helped neaten up my work, but now I'm looking back at what I already knitted.. it's making me decide whether I want to be a process or a project knitter lol!!!
This is quite interesting. My technique for firming up those sloppy purls, when they appear as a pattern on the right side, is to do a lazy purl. By that I mean I wrap the yarn the wrong way. I have to remember that the stitch is seated incorrectly on the next row, but Ii haven't found that to be a problem. Now i have another option. Thank you Staci. Your videos are always so helpful.
I'm about to try a project that ISN'T just garter stitch for the first time, and this is definitely good to know before I start getting better at purling and adding it into my knitting. Always better to learn this kind of method from the beginning instead of getting experience without it and having to incorporate it!
As a side note, it would be interesting to see a video weighing up the different techniques for making tidy work on edges--you mentioned that you don't usually slip the first stich unless the pattern calls for it. What do you usually do?
My edges look sloppy too (a lot) & it gets even worse with patterns calling for slipped first stitch (used for an attractive & neater looking salvage edge that appears as though it was knitted on the side edge), but when I do it, it just looks like I need to adjust my tension?
Thanks so much! That explains a lot about my WIP. I'm doing a checkerboard design, and the squares seemed loose from each other. I'll know better next time.
I've been knitting a lace pattern and wondering HOW to tighten up my stitches when going from knit to purl. I just hate that gap! Thank you so much for this - can't wait to try it!!
Thank you for showing this! I've tried tightening up my tension when switching from knit to purl, but it never occurred to me to move the yarn to the back like that instead.
Wow. I am doing basket weave and really am noticing the gap between I don’t want to do it again but I think I’ll have to redo my square to make igloo better. Thanks so I h
A bit late but maybe someone will see this and it will help. You mentioned in another video (avoiding ladders in magic loop) how pulling too tight in magic loop will actually create ladders and not fix them, that helped me with this too. To avoid ladders between k&p in 2x2 ribbing (because it is a hassle to do this when you're going to bring the yarn in back in one more stitch, like you said) I will actually loosen up. While keeping my stitches on both needles close to the tips, when I go to yarn forward for a purl, I barely pull on the working yarn. When you pull the new stitch through, use the left needle to move the stitch as close as you can to the last stitch on the right needle, and slide the left needle out of the new stitch instead of using the right to slide it off the left. Then tighten the stitch. So hard to explain in text! Maybe I'll make up a little video to send to you so you can check it out. Probably nothing new lol.lovelovelove your videos x93736378292948
I have been struggling with unsightly ladders between knits and purls for YEARS and had no idea how to fix it. I am so happy to have found this resource and see how easy the fix is!
Flabbergasted that there is such a difference in measurements (width) 😳
Thank you for this technique.
The most sensible solution I've ever seen! Many, many thanks for sharing all of your knowledge and helping others. All the best
I like this trick and will certainly be trying it on my next project. Who knew! Knitting for over 36 years and I still learn new things. Tha ts why I love knitting! Thank you, Staci.
It's been awhile since I watched you on this tip for tidier knit purl tension. I wanna say thank you for this little advice.
Since I'm continental knitter, I had to try figuring out how to apply your technique, this isn't usually talked about for continental knitting; I do like you, bring the yarn back, but while the yarn is coming from the left hand, I use my right index to push down the yarn to bring the purl closer to the knit, thus tugging them, I tried tugging with the left but it didn't work, I think due to the direction, using the bare right hand to tug it rightward works magic!
Thanks again to you, you're like my distance teacher! Thanks
I know you had a video on „laddering in (1x1) ribbing in the round on magic loop“, and I probably watched several of those made by different knitters and tried and tried all the different „loosen up“ or „tighten up“ advice, to no avail, but *this* video has actually solved the ribbing ladder problem for me (i‘m a continental knitter). Using this technique only on the last purl - before switching to the other needle to use as front needle and transferring to the first knit stitch (with just regular even tension, no extra tug or extra loosening-up) closes the gap for me. Because it has actually been formed between the next to last stitch and last stitch on the old needle for me - the last purl pulled over close to the new needle’s first knit - causing a ladder *before* the needle switch, and not between the two needles. Thank you for helping me solve my issue!
I think a lot of people would not understand the connection between how evenly spaced the active stitches are on the needle, to how they relate in the final product. Great illustration!
Thanks! Now to remember. Love your videos and podcasts. I always recommend your site to knitters who ask for help learning techniques or wanting to improve their skills.
OMG… your technique makes this step SO EASY without having to do all that twisting in the front and back. Thank you so much!❤️💕❤️
Thank you so much! When I went searching for how to fix tension from knit to purl, I knew your channel would have the answer!
I am so glad to have found this video. I have been trying to practice knitting and purling in the same row, but it was loose. Thank you for making this.
It is always a pleasure to watch your videos. You are an excellent teacher. The needles are wonderful and would be very much welcome.
Thank you!! I'm a beginning knitter and was getting so frustrated because my transitions between knitting and purling were so loose. This is super helpful!
My ribbing actually looks like ribbing now instead of weirdly spaced apart. I was going crazy trying to fix this problem! I thought I heard this tip in another video...but I couldn't find it when I needed it. Thanks for another great video tutorial!
I thought I had a gauge problem but I see now it is a tension on the purls issue. I can actually see the pattern now. Thank you so much.
You're an awesome teacher! Thanks sooo much for helping all the knitters!!
Oh my god, this saved my purl practice piece. My loops kept loosening and loosening and slipped off the needle. I'm gonna keep workin' on my stitches! Thank you so much!
Thank you Staci! I've just begun a knitted square for our guild afghan and the pattern calls for knits and purls in each row. Your technique will improve the look of my square, and keep it at 9".
thank you so much!! i've been knitting for about 6 years, and recently have noticed bad tension from my knit to purl stitches -- i can't wait to try your technique!!
Thank you so much. I'm not a very experienced knitter and tension issues are the worst for me. This was very useful for my current project knitting and pearling a hat that has to be sewn together when done.
Thank you for this video! This tip has changed the game for me. I have been avoiding ribbing because my knit stitches looked sloppy, it was so frustrating. This tip did the trick. Thank you. 🙂
It didn't even occur to me that I was doing anything wrong, but now you've pointed it out this makes so much sense!!!
Madam, you are a freaking genius, as always. After frogging three times before looking for your help, I now sincerely thank you.
FYI, I *was* having tension issues on 2x2 rib, I suspect because of the yarn I was using with the size needles.
I'm a tight knitter, so had to go up from a 5mm to a 7mm needle to get gauge for my pattern.
Your technique sorted it right out.
Figured this out a while back when my lace work looked ghastly due to going from knit to purl stitches - holes way bigger going one way than the other! Thank you so much for validating this method. It's a huge help in ribbing for me as well. The only way to get rid of it I've found is to switch to continental knitting. I can do but so much slower than flicking.
Thanks Staci for the technique. It is so pertinent for me right now since I am knitting your basketweave moebus cowl. I noticed the gaps/looseness. I was pulling the yarn tighter at these points but I was not yarning back before pulling tight. I will starting doing this now.
I've just started the matterhorn scarf and I'm using baby yarn to make it and my stitches are wonky and uneven. Since I've only completed one round of the scarf, I'm binding off that portion and starting over to use this technique! What a perfect coincidence you came out with this video :) Thank you so much!
thanks for this great video! I also find this technique works very well when knitting cable knit hats. It completely eliminates the drag and laddering that happens in between the knit and purl stitches when cabling.
GENIUS! I've struggled with this for years. Glad to finally find a solution.
Thanks, Staci that was very helpful - much easier than the way I had been doing it. I was completing a knit, then bringing my yarn forward, giving it a good yank upward and holding it taut while I completed the purl. It helps, but your way seems to result in a much more even tensioning of the yarn, and is easier to execute so I'll be doing that from now on. Little tricks like that can make such a difference!
oh! and here I thought i dreamed this technique up myself :) been doing it this way for a few years now. it makes a big difference.
Your expertise is amazing and inspiring. I bought my first knitting needles off a dinosaur but I always learn something from you. Thank you!
Oh, my goodness!!! Why did I not find this video BEFORE knitting my beautiful cable throw that has longer spaces between K and P stitches, and I had no idea why? Now I want to take it all apart and do it the right way (but I won't :) ) Thank you so much!!!
I LOVE turkey with cornbread dressing, but realize that what makes OH SO WONDERFUL is the gravy. This technique is absolutely the gravy and after 50 years of knitting will, I believe, take my knitting to the next level! Thank you so much Staci! AND I’ve been trying to decide which woolen wash to use and gift with knitted items. You are such an amazing help!!! Thank you so very much!
Wow! What a beautiful scarf! Thank you for all of your great tips!
This tip is awesome Staci. Thanks for sharing. I've been teaching myself lever knitting and haven't noticed as much of the drag, but I do the tug anyway. I love cables, and this really helps them to look neat and tidy with less notice of holes that seem to result from cabling. My first pieces in cables all have noticeable holes, but not my latest piece, a stag horn cable ear warmer. The difference is truly amazing. Really lovely result using this simple but effective technique. Thank you!
Wow, such a simple thing to do, yet a big difference. Great tip!
Eucalan is so lovely! Lavender is really nice.
Brilliant. Tried it and it works well. Thanks staci
Great (and simple for such a drastic change) tip. Thanks!
thank you for all the help you offer in my knitting challenges. Cindy
One of the best tips.... I'm knitting a pattern that I was able to use this and it works awesome.... thanks Staci
Thank you! Simple yet elegant and intuitive. Can't wait to try this.
Brilliant, and so simple! Explains a lot about one of my attempts at complex knitting....
I knit in a style very similar to continental knitting, and I rarely have this issue with tension between knits and purls. I knit all my knits by wrapping clockwise and all my purls by wrapping counter-clockwise, the only "issue" this presents is the stitches are not facing the same direction, which for some would lead them to twist knit stitches. But I like that this is a simple technique to fix a common problem :) Thanks for posting!
Never would have thought to do this but it definitely works, I thought I was doomed to sloppy looking k/p. I’ll be seeing soon how it works with cables
Oh man! I am so excited to try this! I've always had that problem and thought I was the only one. THANK YOU!!!
Really like this video and technique. I will definitely be using this one the time with more than 3 purl stitches after knitting. Thank you so much!
Oh wow, this is unbelievable! Just yesterday I was wondering if you had a video on this very subject, because I struggle with this problem all the time. There's always a huge drag-issue between my knit and purl stitches and it annoys the crap out of me. Thank you so much for this video! 😁
That's an awesome trick. Thanks for sharing!!!
Fabulous tip! Thanks, Staci! I just started doing this in the middle of a project and the difference is visible and fantastic.
I Already commented on the other social media sites, the yarn stitch pattern combinations is amazing. Love that scarf. So beautiful.
Omg. Thank you so much! I am trying to do a two sided pattern in two colors. I almost gave up because my purls are so much looser than my knits.
It makes sense that when you pull on the yarn to purl, you are loosening the yarn! That tuck is the proper way to tighten a purl stitch.
Very helpful videos you are so clear explaining these hints very noticeable w your examples
Oooo I learned two things from this video! How to do the tension thing AND that the Eucalan I bought at a small yarn shop was probably a good idear :D
So simple but so clever! Thank you! Can't wait to try this.
Great tip. I will definitely be using that from now on. Really enjoy your videos. Thank you a bunch.
I recently learned how to knit and I am loving it. I have crocheted for many years. It's just getting expensive getting all the tools.
Thank you so much! I am doing cables for the first time and it was a bit messy. Luckily I've only one about 2 inches of work so far, so the rest can be super neat!
I have been searching for a solution to this problem for years. Can't wait to try your technique. Have tried so many others but nothing worked.
I'm wondering if this would work with cables too. I always have a problem with little gaps between the knits and purls when I do cables. Definitely using this in the future!
yes, this is exactly what I do after a cable twist, switching to purl stitches.
Very Pink to the rescue once again! I have just frogged back to a lifeline (also learned from VeryPink!) I put in after the fact. Thankfully I remembered this tutorial and that there is a way to make my chevron pattern look better. I hope!
When I first saw this I really doubted I would bother all this forwarding and backward movement. But this has long been an issue for me with really really gappy stitches when switching to purl in a knit-and-purl row, so I thought I'd give it a try. It has made SUCH a HUGE difference to my work. I'm finding that occasionally if I'm feeling my second purl stitch is also a bit sloppy I'm repeating the snugging-up procedure for that stitch too. Thank you so much for all your videos - but for this one in particular. I'm off to check out any other tips you have on tension (especially lace where I seem to relax a little too much at times).
Thank you for sharing this technique. As a fairly new knitter, even the simplest hints on techniques are very useful to me :)
Thank you!! this is like one of the only videos i can find that answer this
Thanks for this Staci! I'm currently working on a project called the "Byway Wrap", which has panels of moss stitch and then cables. It really helped neaten up my work, but now I'm looking back at what I already knitted.. it's making me decide whether I want to be a process or a project knitter lol!!!
this has been a massive area of opportunity for me, thanks!
Wow - such a simple thing but I can clearly see the difference!
thank you, had this issue with a chain of hearts pattern beautiful scarf by the way
Great info and technique! I'll be using this technique going forward. Thank you, Staci!
This is quite interesting. My technique for firming up those sloppy purls, when they appear as a pattern on the right side, is to do a lazy purl. By that I mean I wrap the yarn the wrong way. I have to remember that the stitch is seated incorrectly on the next row, but Ii haven't found that to be a problem. Now i have another option. Thank you Staci. Your videos are always so helpful.
This is so simple and just what I needed for my current project. Thank you!
GREAT tip - thank you so much for sharing!!
wow I can't believe how fast you knit, I just started knitting but I'm about 20 times slower than you. great video!
Amazing, just the video I needed while I work on 3x3 ribbing!!
I'm about to try a project that ISN'T just garter stitch for the first time, and this is definitely good to know before I start getting better at purling and adding it into my knitting. Always better to learn this kind of method from the beginning instead of getting experience without it and having to incorporate it!
A great solution to a common problem---thank you!
Brilliant and so simple! THANK YOU!
Thank you so much! I've been so disappointed in the body of my WIP sweater because of the gaps. Gonna frog and use this technique!
Great little trick!
I'm a new knitter. 2mos in 🤭thank you for this! It makes alot of sense why my projects come out looking janky 🤣
haha, I say "wonky", but "janky" is a good word, I'm going to start using it! :)
I love these helpful hints - thank you!!
As a side note, it would be interesting to see a video weighing up the different techniques for making tidy work on edges--you mentioned that you don't usually slip the first stich unless the pattern calls for it. What do you usually do?
I agree! My edges always seem so sloppy. I would love to see how Staci keeps her edges so tidy. :)
My edges look sloppy too (a lot) & it gets even worse with patterns calling for slipped first stitch (used for an attractive & neater looking salvage edge that appears as though it was knitted on the side edge), but when I do it, it just looks like I need to adjust my tension?
Thanks so much! That explains a lot about my WIP. I'm doing a checkerboard design, and the squares seemed loose from each other. I'll know better next time.
I love this pattern. Thank you
One word: Brilliant!
I've been knitting a lace pattern and wondering HOW to tighten up my stitches when going from knit to purl. I just hate that gap! Thank you so much for this - can't wait to try it!!
I’m so glad I found this! This is making a HUGE difference in my knitting. THANK YOU!
Thank you for showing this! I've tried tightening up my tension when switching from knit to purl, but it never occurred to me to move the yarn to the back like that instead.
wonderful tip! thank you!
Definitely doing this going forward. Thank yoy!
Wonderful tip ❤ thank you so much ❤
This was so helpful! Thank you so much!
Thanks for the great videos!
thank you thank you thank you! this is exactly what i needed. i love your videos! they're always so helpful and informative. :)
Great tip, thank you!
This was very helpful. Thank you!
Just finished a summer tee with a front st st panel in between reverse st st body.....this would have cleaned up the left side of the panel...thx
Thank you, very useful information. x Jane x
Wow. I am doing basket weave and really am noticing the gap between I don’t want to do it again but I think I’ll have to redo my square to make igloo better. Thanks so I h
A bit late but maybe someone will see this and it will help. You mentioned in another video (avoiding ladders in magic loop) how pulling too tight in magic loop will actually create ladders and not fix them, that helped me with this too. To avoid ladders between k&p in 2x2 ribbing (because it is a hassle to do this when you're going to bring the yarn in back in one more stitch, like you said) I will actually loosen up. While keeping my stitches on both needles close to the tips, when I go to yarn forward for a purl, I barely pull on the working yarn. When you pull the new stitch through, use the left needle to move the stitch as close as you can to the last stitch on the right needle, and slide the left needle out of the new stitch instead of using the right to slide it off the left. Then tighten the stitch. So hard to explain in text! Maybe I'll make up a little video to send to you so you can check it out. Probably nothing new lol.lovelovelove your videos x93736378292948