Ladders In Ribbing

[echan]

When I'm doing any ribbing, I get ladders at the switch from knit to purl, but not anywhere else. No ladders between needles, no ladders at the switch from purl to knit. This happens with any ribbing, 1x1, 10x2, any ribs I've ever knitted. Does this happen to anyone else? Are there any ideas or strategies for where it comes from and how to get

Comments

[notafraidtofrog]

You can also check out combined knitting (Annie Modesitt's description). I knit nearly everything combined/combination style now, and my tension is much more consistent.

[dragoncrafter]

I agree with this comment; combined knitting is what I like to do when I get this problem.

I've noticed it tends to be worse with less elastic yarns (cotton, alpaca) than with wool, and it also tends to be worse with multi-strand yarns. That might be part of it.

[zuiki]

However in combined knitting outer stitches in vertical rib columns (or even every stitch in 1x1 rib) tend to zigzag.

[billijean]

I have the same problem. It is solved, though, by knitting through the back of the first purl stitch. So whenever I switch from knit to purl, not just in ribbing and not just on the front - always - I purl through the back of the stitch for the first one. I don't even think about it anymore; it is totally automatic.

[luneray]

If the stitch pattern allows it, I make the first and last stitch on each needle purl stitches. Otherwise, I make sure that a purl stitch is either the first or the last stitch on the needle. I may still be making ladders, but if I am, they aren't noticeable.