I’m knitting my first pair of socks, top down, aran weight yarn, on size 8 DPN’s. My last stitch on each needle stretches way out when I attempt to purl it. I mean [B]way out[/B]. The ribbing still looks good, but what am I doing wrong?? I’ve tried pulling that last stitch [B]super tight[/B] but it happens even then. Any help would be appreciated. The pattern is Dorm socks.
ETA: I noticed the same thing when I did my decreases on the hats I made, when I switched from circs to DPN’s, but not this bad.
Hey Janis,
Are you getting laddering in your work where you move from one needle to the other? If not, then no worries on the last stitch looking wonky. If so, you can try a few things to help out.
Hold the needles close to each other when transitioning from needle to needle.
And you can always knit a couple of stitches from needle 2 to needle 1 to help close the laddering. I mark the needle with the extra stitches so that I know where they are.
Pulling super tight can make that last stitch look worse. It’s overcorrecting.
I’m gonna upload a couple pics here in a second, Charlotte. I’m not noticing any laddering, but my first sock has a hole where the ribbing meets the gusset and I’m wondering if it’s because of the wonky stitches?? I’m holding the needles as close as humanly possible, lol.
The first pic is the hole in the first sock. The 2nd one, with the stitch marker shows the last purl stitches on the needle. I’ve got the ribbing stretched over my fingers. The 3rd pic is unstretched.
I wonder if you are getting laddering as Charlotte mentioned and when you purl that last stitch, you’re pulling up the extra yarn from the ladder on the previous row? Snugging up the first stitch on the new needle just a bit (not overly tightly) may help this or maybe purling into the back of the stitch to twist and tighten it.
For the loose stitch (at the gusset?) it may help to either twist that stitch or pick up one extra stitch along the heel and k2tog here. Or is that not the corret place?
You could also try the Fleegle heel. I’ve used it on toe-ups but I’ve read that it works when you do top-downs too.