Whether we use double-pointed needles, two circular needles or one circular needle and the magic loop method, we often notice that the strands between every two groups of stitches in our seamless project are longer than the strands between stitches within the fabric.
These longer strands form a vertical element that resembles a ladder.
That’s why this imperfection is called “laddering”.
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We’ve already discussed a sure way to prevent this issue from happening. If you need a reminder, follow this link. This way works every time, but it is a bit fiddly and time-consuming.
Recently, I’ve discovered an easier and quicker solution that keeps our projects (even small ones) ladder-free without any need to move the beginning of the round, or rearrange the stitches in any other way.
Let’s see how this method works for seamless projects worked on double-pointed and circular needles.
I’ll show you how to do it with the working yarn in your right hand (the English knitting style) and with the yarn in your left hand (the Continental knitting style).
The reason why we end up with “ladders” in our projects is the fact that the fabric gets a bit or quite a bit folded as we move from working with one group of stitches to the next one.
The more folded the fabric is, the longer the strands become between two groups of stitches, resulting in a wider and more noticeable “ladder.”
This means that if we keep the fabric flat as we move to the next group of stitches, “ladders” will never visit our projects again. This is the logic behind this simple trick.
Here’s how we apply this logic to working with double-pointed and circular needles.
WHEN MOVING TO THE NEXT GROUP OF STITCHES USING DOUBLE-POINTED NEEDLES
If you hold yarn in your right hand, slide the stitches that you plan to work with closer to the right tip of the needle and take this needle (let’s call it the “new” needle) in your left hand. Take an empty needle and the yarn in your right hand.
Then use your left thumb to press the needle that hosts the previous group of stitches (let’s call it the “previous” needle) to the fabric at the bottom of the left needle.
Insert the right needle into the first stitch on the left needle and wrap the tip of the right needle with the yarn as you normally do when you knit or purl a stitch.
Continue to press the “previous” needle with your left thumb to keep the fabric between two groups of stitches flat.
Pull the yarn wrap through, knitting or purling this stitch depending on the stitch pattern used in your project, then slip the original stitch off the left needle.
Work another stitch still pressing the “previous” needle to the fabric underneath the left needle.
Release that needle only after you work two to four stitches, then continue to work the rest of the stitches on the left needle until it is time to move to the stitches sitting on the next needle.
Then repeat the same process to make sure no “ladder” creeps in between the next two groups of stitches.
If you hold yarn in your left hand, then as you move to the next group of stitches, take the yarn and the “new” needle in your left hand, hold an empty needle in your right hand, and use your left thumb to press the “previous” needle to the fabric at the bottom of the left needle.
Hold that needle as you insert the right needle into the first stitch on the left needle, wrap the tip of the needle with the yarn and pull the wrap through forming a new stitch. It could be a knit or a purl stitch depending on the stitch pattern you follow.
Because the left hand is busy dealing with the yarn, you might find it easier to use your right thumb to press the “previous” needle to the fabric, or even hold both the current right needle and the “previous” needle in your right hand as you work the first two to four stitches of the current group.
Try both ways and see which one is more convenient to you.
Remember that the whole point of this exercise is to keep the fabric flat, so no matter which way you choose, make sure the left needle and the “previous” needle stay parallel. Then the transition between every two groups of stitches will be fully invisible.
WHEN MOVING TO THE NEXT GROUP OF STITCHES USING CIRCULAR NEEDLES
The process is the same for using two circular needles, and for using one circular needle and the magic loop method.
We are going to keep the fabric between two groups of stitches flat, and we’ll do it by holding the cable of the needle just as we were holding the “previous” needle in the first section of this tutorial.
First, rearrange the needles for working with the next group of stitches.
If you usually hold yarn in your right hand, take the needle with the “to-be-worked” group of stitches in your left hand, and hold an empty needle tip and the working yarn in your right hand.
Keep the fabric flat as you find the cable coming out at the left side of the previous group of stitches, and press it with your left thumb to the fabric at the bottom of the left needle.
Continue to press that cable as you knit or purl the first stitch on the left needle.
Don’t release the cable until you work two to four stitches.
Then work the rest of the stitches in this group knowing that there are no “ladders” forming in your project.
If you prefer to hold yarn in your left hand, take the working yarn and the needle with the next group of stitches in your left hand, an empty needle tip in your right hand, and keep the fabric flat by pressing the cable of the circular needle to the fabric underneath the left needle.
If you feel that these are too many tasks for your left hand, hold the cable with the “previous” group of stitches together with the working needle in your right hand while keeping your right thumb on the cable that comes out at the left side of the “previous” stitches.
After you work two to four stitches, let go of the “previous” group of stitches and the cable of the needle, and work the stitches of the current group holding the needles and the yarn in your usual manner.
As is the case with any new method we learn, you might feel a bit awkward as you use this trick for the first time.
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Don’t get discouraged. After a few rounds, the process of unfolding the fabric and holding the “previous” double-pointed needle or the cable of a circular needle will come naturally to you.
You will develop a micro habit that will make sure none of your projects will ever feature unsightly vertical “ladders” running through the fabric.
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This and 36 other in-depth tutorials are part of Knitting Collection #7.
