Knitting Help - Avoiding Ladders
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- Опубліковано 26 сер 2024
- "Ladders" are the gaps between stitches that you'll sometimes see when you're knitting a tube with double-pointed needles or magic loop. Here are some tips to avoid ladders in your work, and how to get better tension throughout.
Links to things you'll see in this video:
The pattern for the green sock I'm knitting:
knitty.com/ISSU...
The yarn I'm using for the green sock, color "cedar":
www.whitebearfi...
The Ravelry page for the pink shawl I'm wearing:
www.ravelry.com...
My personal Ravelry page for that shawl (includes yarn details):
www.ravelry.com...
The Ravelry page for the green scarf on the mannequin:
www.ravelry.com...
My personal Ravelry page for that scarf (includes yarn details):
www.ravelry.com...
I just busted out laughing when I noticed that ladder with the "Avoid" sign on it in the background. you slay me, Staci! (Plus you teach me great stuff!)
I do pull tight so must loosen and wondering why I still get loose ladders. Nice lesson.
LOVE the literal ladder in the background
This 10-year-old video has changed my magic loop knitting. The image of you slightly folding the back section toward the front has made all the difference! This brings the stitches closer together and mimics the distance of any other stitches on the needlew.
The ladder in the back with the 'Avoid' sign is hilarious!!! :)
I have seen this video at least 4 times over the years, and this is the very first time I noticed the ladder in the background with the "avoid" sign on it. Nice touch! I laughed out loud at my desk!
You are my go to person, Stacey for all knitting technique videos. The way you demonstrate and explain it alongside is simply fabulous and removes all doubts from my mind. Thank you very much for all the help!
If you have one small area where the ladders are especially noticeable, then yes - I suppose you could duplicate stitch over that area. I don't, however, recommend that solution for a large area. Instead - I recommend washing and blocking your work (which should really diminish the ladders), and then with time and wear, the ladders should continue to diminish. Then work on better tension in your next project to avoid them in the first place. :) Hope that helps!
I am working on magic loop socks, and couldn't figure out why I was getting ladders when I was pulling the stitches so tight at the ends of the row--OMG you showed me why I was having trouble! Who'd have thought it was because I was pulling TOO hard. Thanks so much for you excellent videos, they help a lot.
I love your ladder "prop" in this tutorial, it made me laugh! Too funny. Thanks for the great lesson and the laugh. : )
Lol, i like when you make the voice "oh no, i dont want a ladder....." too funny!!! 😆😆😆
If you've already tried the tips I've presented in this video, the only other advice I can offer you is to keep practicing! I've found that good, even tension takes a while to get right. :)
That would be my producer's sense of humor showing through! That was his idea. :)
OMG THANK YOU! 😂 I’m knitting my second ever socks, for my beloved hunny, and they’re laddering so bad despite (now I know why) pulling tightly onto the cable 😂 I’m still on the toe so I’ll try loosening up and just pray to the Goddess of Blocking for the rest. Great clear friendly video as always ❤
That is just a tension issue, created by the "drag" on the yarn between knit and purl stitches, when you're yarning-forward to purl, then yarning-back again to knit. Before you work the first knit stitch after a purl, really give the working yarn a tug to lessen the drag. This is what I do - my hands do it automatically now!
HAHAAH when you started talking about PULLING SO TIGHT...I was like YUP THATS ME!! This is good to know :) I HATE those damn ladders! Thanks!!
I use DPNs all the time and I always get ladders. nothing as big as in your demo, but they're there. After every 5 rows or so, I take my free needle and take up the slack of a ladder and gently pull the loose yarn to the left, trying to subtly distribute the slack to the next stitches one by one till it's mostly gone. Then I will get the ladder above it and do the same toward the right. Kind of like how I would fix a snag. It's tedious, but until I can master my tension like Staci says, I do this trick to hopefully avoid frogging my socks.
Leslie - yes, I use magic loop in this video. I just released a video on the magic loop technique called "Knitting Help - Simple Magic Loop". You can find it by searching my channel page. Good luck!
I think I always pull the first stitch rather tightly when knitting from the cord onto the first needle. Another thing that minimizes the ladders is to pull the SECOND stitch (on the new needle) very tightly. It seems like it won't help, but by pulling the second stitch tightly, you also help to tighten the first stitch. This minimizes the gap between the first stitch and the cord.
Brad T Casali yes super
You're welcome! Glad I could help.
Thank you for this! I've finally eliminated the fine lines I was getting down the sides of my socks. I think what made the difference was knitting the first stitch with my RH needle under the cable so that both sets of stitches were snug together, as you showed.
Thank you for this. I know no what I was doing incorrectly. Pulling teach to tight.
Your videos, tips, and types of stitches are very helpful! I love the ladder in the background with "avoid!" On it..very cute!
If you hold the cord close to the stitch when knitting the first stitch on front needle, no ladder will develop. I do this all the time in knitting when using Magic loop method.
It took me a little while to understand the ladder in the background with the sign. BUT I GOT IT. AND I LOVED IT XD
Thank you for this video, I’ve been pulling the stitch at beginning of row much too tightly!
Thank you for this. I followed your advice and it worked!! I have tried other suggestions ... such as giving the first and second stitches a good tug, but still ended up with ladders. Your way is so simple and practical ... not too tight tension and not too loose tension. Thanks again.
Too tight!! Thank you, I didn't realize ladders were a thing until I tried this for the first time. I'm glad there's a name for it ha! So glad I have found all your wonderful videos
In this video I use both Addi Turbos and Knit Picks Options (an interchangeable needle set). Both brands are very nice, with smooth joins and flexible cords. Good luck!
Oh my gosh, thank you so much for all of your videos! I had just started a baby hat on circular needles, which I have never used before, ever. I had thought that ladders would be a problem, but didn't know what it was called or how to stop it at all, but then, as I was re-watching your simple magic loop video, I saw this and was wondering what it was so I watched. It was exactly what I was wondering earlier! Thank you so much again for having all these great videos. you are a great teacher! :)
I use dpn's and I just transfer the first two stitches to the next needle to close up the gap. I find it works well for me.
Thank you for the video about ladders. This was the most frustrating thing from the moment I start knitting with the magic loop! Hope I can do it from now on in the right way. I am from the Netherlands, so excuse me when I am making mistakes in the language
i Never thought that pulling to tight will create that gap thank you for sharing
Thank you :) This is helpful for the next pair of socks I'm planning to do.
Your videos are very good. Most are in less than 5 minutes, you get right to the point and are very clear. Thanks so much for putting these on.
Thanks! I didn't know what I was doing wrong. Now I know.
Thank you so much for this tutorial. Wish I'd watched it before attempting my first sleeve and frogging it.
someone said you can try blocking to get the ladders out. That never worked when i had a small case of them.
Prices vary. Please do a google search for those needles to find a local seller, or an online retailer who will ship to your area. Both brands are very nice needles.
First of all, Thanks for answering so soon, I was expecting the answer in about a week. You are very kind to give answer to my question so quickly. Where I can get these needles? Because in my local store, definitely they don't have any of those. And are they expensive? And which one of the two you used in the tutorial; Do you like best? Thanks again. Love, Light and Peace. Areli
Great video! Using Norwegian Purl also takes care of this problem. Nice and tidy result.
Just finished my first sock Laddering put me off to knit second one now looking forword to try this teqnique thank you take care
This little trick works for me: When doing magic loop, Slip a double point needle in that corner troublesome stitch so that you have something to tighten against. Works like a charm.
I was just going to email you with this problem, but apparently you already answer it. Thank you thank you thank you....
Hi Stacy. I can't tell you how helpful so many of your tutorials have been for me as a new knitter. Thank you. In fact, the ladders that appear when I knit a sock on dpns was what drove me to find the magic loop method. Somehow I have no trouble at all with ladders when I use magic loop. If I could make one request? Even with a white background the stitches don't really show up well when you use a darker yarn. Medium to light colors work best!
Thanks for this video, I just finished my first pair of socks and they have ladders in them (am hoping that after washing they won't show). I now know my problem is pulling too tight
Thank you, I'm going to practice my to tight of tension on the last stitch of the dpn, I think that's what it is =)
I really enjoy your videos they are so helpful. Also I like your background where there's a sign that says "AVOID" on it and it is stocked on a ladder
Thank you for this video, very well the best thing I've seen online in quite some time. Now, to practice, practice practice......
Thanks again!
I am trying to make mittens with double pointed needles but am not loving all the moving parts. Are the circular needles you use on this tutorial - magic loop?- designed for projects with a small number of stitches? Thanks. I would like to do more of these projects. Leslie
What brand of circular needles are you using in your tutorial? Because I notice that the cables are very flexible. And that's a great advantage, when knitting small amount of stitches. Thank for your Tutorials, I realy love them, and I have learn so much. Best wishes.
Thank you. Super easy to follow!!
That ladder in the background had me dying. LMAO! 😂
Thank u so much ♡.♡ this is unbelievably true and helpful! I was really convinced pulling tight would help my work!
Instantly subbed for more to learn!
I tightened too hard. Thanks for clearing that up. I wish I could figure out an easy way to let the needle parting shift, like I do on double pointed needles, to completely avoid having to worry about the ladders.
Once again thank you so much. This seriously helped me out a lot !!! 😉
huh..thats funny.. you said don't knit at the edges too tightly.I
just read on a website on how to avoid ladders and it said
to tighten your knitting..lol. I think what you said makes more
sense.
Bluulotus tea - too tight OR too loose will create ladders. Trust me, I've been knitting for over 40 years and I've made all the mistakes so you don't have to! :)
Hi! I am making leg warmers on circular needles using the magic loop technique, but when I switch from knits to purls for double ribbing, I get ladders. Not when I switch back to knits, though, which is weird to me. I and fairly sure I'm knitting the same tension throughout, as I don't change much and I don't get ladders at the end of each section, just within the section. How could I fix this? It has happened for a few projects.
What would you do to fix ladders after they have concerned .... Besides the obvious ripping out and starting over. Duplicate stitch?
See my problem is when the number of stitches is anything greater than the 20's, thats when I run into laddering the most. The more stitches, the harder i find it is to control, ive no idea if that makes sense. Ive cast on like 12, 13 stitches and did the magic loop and ive had no laddering but anything bigger and i get so much laddering especially when doing ribbing.
Thank you!!!!
Good advice! I pull super tight! That may be my problem. (Love the ladder. Lol)
Am I the only one that gets ladders to the left of my cables in my knitting?
Cherilyn H nope
Hi! I love your videos and refer to them whenever I have a knitting issue, but I'm struggling to find one on how to avoid ladders when purling. I'm knitting a garment on DPNs. This was initially in the round, so all knit stitch, but now there is a neck opening that will have buttons, so I'm having to go back and forth doing RS (knit) and WS (purl) rows. My RS rows are find but the WS has terrible ladders no matter what I do. I've tried pulling extra tight on the few purl stitches after changing DPNS, also tried shifting the join a few stitches along each time. I'm using cotton so it's very unforgiving, and I fear the ladders will remain after blocking. I just read online that ladders are inevitable when purling on DPNs so I don't know what to do. Please help!!!
My issue isn't my tension but the pull of the cord where they join. Not sure how how counter that.
Did you make your shawl.. love it😘
love the video! but the prop in the background, hahahahahaha. terrific
Hi could you please tell what I am doing wrong on the magic loop every time I knit the wire is way about my knitting
No matter what i do i get ladders. I’ve tried both ways. Is there a way to fix the ladder once you have knit all the rounds?
Can i fix it without undoing rows?
Please please could you do a tutorial on how to FIX not prevent ladders on socks. I cannot find anything to help. I knit on 2 circular needles and occasionally discover ladders AFTER I've finished the whole sock, or after I've done the gusset. Am desperate! 🙏🙏🧶
Hi Carolina - there is no real way to fix ladders, but washing the socks - especially several washes - will make the ladders disappear.
I get ladder stitches right after I cable... between the cable and the next purl stitch. Would your advice in this video help there as well?
This video should help you: ua-cam.com/video/IR1-ga90l50/v-deo.html
thank you so much!
other than washing the work is there a way to fix the ladders if they're already there specifically if they're small but still noticeable enough
+Emma Clark - not really...but with multiple washings, the ladders should diminish. Best to work on your techniques to avoid making them - it's worth it!
I'm curious if anyone has noticed that the ladder issue is more likely to happen when using the continental style of knitting (as opposed to English)? I have tried pulling tight, keeping it loose, and everything in between and though my ladders are quite small, they absolutely drive me crazy (it's the not knowing why they exist that's the problem). In every online tutorial I've seen about avoiding them, the knitter used the english method, so I can't help but wonder if holding the working yarn in my left hand is part of the problem...?
It happens regardless of the hand you use to hold the yarn, trust me! I'm getting little ladders right now on some socks I'm knitting, but I find that if you can get control of the worst of the ladders (as explained in this video), narrow ladders disappear after washing/blocking.
Stacy can you make one category for cotton knitting and put all the video involving cotton yarn there?
I don't really have videos specific to cotton yarn, except one on weaving in ends in cotton yarn. Every technique I demonstrate is appropriate for all fibers - the only one I can think of that is not is Steeking. Here is the video on weaving in cotton ends: ua-cam.com/video/j4iOwsf4smQ/v-deo.html
thankyou!
If I am knitting double pointed needles in round and my tension is good and my stitches are right up close next to each other why would I still be getting ladders ?
Same here. The first stitch no matter what I try is always wider :/
I made my first sock (yay me!) I've made lots of things using dpns and have not had this problem before. I have ladders on the bottom of the sock where I have stitches on needle 1 and 3. I don't think I was pulling tightly...I actually think I was doing the opposite. Can you offer any suggestions? Thx!!
+Samone Swift - I think I explain this in the video, sometimes you can make ladders by not pulling enough. Just keeping an even tension is the key.
I was taught, when knitting socks on DPS, if the needle you're knitting of of, is sitting on top of the next needle, all the way around, you will not have ladders!
Good idiya
I'm doing a project on magic loop and I can't seem to find a balance :-( when I tighten, I can't get my stitches back on my needle from the cord and when I loosen, I get ladders, I hate DPNs, and I'm at lost. Any advice, please?
Also, I'm really scared you will find me annoying for asking a lot of questions on many videos :-/ (anxious girl here), but I don't know anyone who knits, your videos help me so much!!!!
+bellevanilla - even though you dislike DPNs, you'll benefit from using them...not only to solve your tension issues, but they'll also act as "training wheels" to give you a feel for how much to tighten, and you can use that practice when you go back to using magic loop.
+VeryPink Knits - I have done a few projects using DPNs, before I discovered magic loop. I have no tension issues whatsoever with them and never get ladders. I just really don't like the feel of working with them. The project I am working on is a project that requires the magic loop method combined with Judy's Magic Cast-On. I have no issues with the cast-on, thanks to your great video. Since I have no tension issues with the DPNs, I don't know how to transition to magic loop without encountering the issues I'm currently encountering.
bellevanilla - like you said in your initial question, you have to "find a balance" between too tight and too loose. I sincerely believe that practicing with DPNs and really paying attention to the tension you are using will be good practice for finding your tension balance in magic loop. If not, you just need to really focus on tension when you're using magic loop, and keep experimenting with it until you find what works for you.
+VeryPink Knits - thank you for the responses, I will keep practicing
When I switched from 4 dpns to 5, the laddering problem went away.
Amei! 👏👏👏😱😍🇧🇷