Whenever I try to do ribbing I get a large gap where I bring the yarn to the front to purl. Is there a trick I’m not getting?
Gap between knitting and purling stiches
When you switch from a knit stitch to a purl stitch, are you moving the yarn before inserting the right needle into the stitch? What you need to do is knit the knit stitch, then move the yarn from behind the needle to infront of the needle WITHOUT wrapping the yarn around the needle, then purl the purl stitch. If you’re going from a purl stitch to a knit stitch do the same, just move the yarn to the back without wrapping it around the needle.
If you wrap the yarn around the needle, you create a yarn-over, which creates a gap or hole.
Sometimes it’s just larger because the yarn has to travel a bit longer path. It helps to work ribbing with a smaller needle, and some of the gaps will close up when you wash or block the item.
I had the same problem and figured out a way to solve it. Please note the warning message before you choose a method though. If you’re knitting flat then choose the method for the link I have called “improved ribbing”, if knitting in the round my method works great as long as it’s not reversible.