Hello - I’m a beginner knitter and I’m learning to do socks. So far everything is good, but where my double pointed needles join, there’s a long ladder up my sock where 1 stitch (between needles) is always looser. I’ve tried my best to pull it tight at that particular point every time - small improvement, but not perfect.
Any ways to fix this?
Could I do these socks, for example, on a circular needle? Would that make it better? But what would I do with the stitches I’m not working, for example, the instep stitches when I work the heel flap?
Any help would be appreciated Thanks!
Well, one quick google search solved that problem. For anyone who is interested, the bottom of this page has several suggestions: http://www.knitty.com/issuesummer03/FEATtheresa.html
I think for me the last tip applies most - I tend to insert the working needle above rather than below. I will have socks!
I’ve never knit socks…but I worked on dpn’s on several stocking hats this past winter. The final throes of the top of the hat required dpn’s.
Here is what I did to prevent the ladder or gap:
When I got to the end of (and finished all the stitches) on dpn #1…instead of picking a new blank dpn to start knitting the stitches on dpn#2…I knit three extra stitches onto the same needle with the stitches from dpn#1…I then just moved them/slid them onto the new blank as ‘already knit’ stitches.
You follow?
When we finish dpn#1 stitches…and they are on blank #1…we usually pick up a new blank #2 to begin knitting the stitches on dpn#2.
I don’t. I knit 3 extras, and then slide them onto the new blank #2…and finish up with the remaining dpn #2 stithces.
Kinda like jostling them back and forth. But no ladders or gaps can form. :eyebrow:
Yeah well maybe it is more time consuming, but I really did get fast at it. And, no gaps!
Before, I tried all those things. I tried the needle over and under the previous needle. I tried knitting extra stitches and sliding them back - all that accomplished for me was that the gap spiraled around and looked even worse than a straight ladder up and down.
Nothing worked until I realized I was knitting inside out (the point of the triangle away from me rather than towards). Some will say it makes no difference, but for me, it meant the ladder was there to stay. I’ve knit a few things on dpn’s since, although not socks, but when I understood to use the dpn’s the proper way, the ladder isn’t there, just with tightening the first and second stitches.
I tried the method of inserting the needle under rather than over… that didn’t do a thing. Hm. I’m getting a little discouraged.
What do you mean when the triangle faces away rather than towards?
But anyway, the gaps go away when you wash or block?
How does one go about blocking socks?
I’ll have to look that one up.
When I knit socks, I avoid ladders by knitting the first stitch on the needle then putting my needle into the next stitch and pulling the yarn tight (not TOO tightly though). I have never had a problem with ladders using this methods.
I use 4 dpn’s usually so it makes a triangle before I start with my empty needle. The 2 working needles should be towards you (so the knit sts are on the outside) rather than away from you. I was doing it the other way.
I do socks on one circular needle, the magic loop method, and I have never had a problem with ladders. There’s a video on this site for magic loop, and here is a cuff down ML tutorial, and here is a toe-up (two socks at once) ML tutorial. To answer your question- the instep stitches just hang out on the cable while you’re doing the heel flap on the needle tips.
Thanks to everyone who posted a reply… I’m a bit confused though.
Re: Knitgal: I’m sorry. What do you mean by knitting the first stitch onto the needle? Do you mean that you knit the first stitch onto the yarn carrying needle rather than a free needle, and then you insert the free needle - which then becomes the working needle?
Or do you simply mean knit the first stitch onto a free needle (working needle), and then put the same needle into the next stitch and pulling tight? I do that already (I think) but it doesn’t seem to work for me.
Re:Wenda: Thanks! I’ll have to try that… though I am finding it difficult to visualize.
Re: Abbily. I will have to try them on circular needles! It might end up being easier…
I use two circular needles to make socks. I’ve looked at the magic loop idea and decided it wasn’t for me. Having ladders is very common on dpn when first starting. When I first started using circulars I would occasionally get some minor laddering which was solved by knitting the first stitch normally and inserting the needle into the second stitch without completing the stitch and giving it a gentle tug and then continuing. Make sense? Too hard of a tug will eliminate laddering but will leave a gap like hole so be careful with your tugs.
The first time I knit on DPN’s I had the same problem. What you can do is schooch the stitches around on the needles. In other words, you just finish a round and then knit two stitches on #1 but push them back on #3. Then the first two stitches from #2 push onto #1 and the first two from #3 put on #2. Get it? You’re just schooching the first two stitches from each needle backwards. I did this about every 10 rows or so and it helped. I don’t need to do it anymore because I got better with the dpn’s and you will too. You will only be able to do it with the cuff of the sock though. Once you start the heel you will have to figure something else out.
I’m still a pretty new knitter. I also use the trick of knitting a few extra stitches from the next needle in the circle before I start using a new empty needle. I also try really hard to pull the first stitch on a new empty needle tight. I’ve never had ladders develop on things like hats, but I have been having trouble when I had a very small number of stitches cast on to make stuffed animals and small objects (ie, only six stitches divided among three needles).
Many people do knit that way Alyce. Maybe it would help to think of your circle of knitting as a cup, and you would keep your needle tips where you drink from. That would entail you flipping your work through the needles so it’s outside in, but if you’re doing okay the way you knit now, it’s not necessary to change.
I got it! I turned the work around so my sock is no longer inside-out when I knit. That seemed to have fixed the ladder, though I’m not sure why. Thanks everyone!
hmmm… When I knit from the “wrong side” of the circle (like the opposite side of a cup from where you drink), the stockinette is on the inside when it’s supposed to be on the outside. In that case, it matters because, we’ll your project is inside out.
If you can flip it at the end, I don’t suppose it would matter, but when it’s a sock, it’s crazy hard to figure out the heel flap and picking up for the gusset, etc. when it’s inside out and the wrong way…at that point, it all turns around so the different parts of the sock don’t match. [don’t ask how I know!:roll: ]
Are you knitting in the back look or in the front loop from left to right as sticking the right needle in the stitch on the needle from the outside edge of the stitch through to the right? The stockinette side should be on the outside … if the sock has the stockinette inside just turn the sock inside out and continue knitting …
[QUOTE=ArtLady1981;1089036]Here is what I did to prevent the ladder or gap:
When I got to the end of (and finished all the stitches) on dpn #1…instead of picking a new blank dpn to start knitting the stitches on dpn#2…I knit three extra stitches onto the same needle with the stitches from dpn#1…I then just moved them/slid them onto the new blank as ‘already knit’ stitches.
This is a BRILLIANT solution, I think. Can’t wait to try it out.
Thanks!
I will have socks!