when knitting magic loop, whenever i've finished one side, i immediately i slip the last two stitches i worked back to my left needle, then after rearranging the cable through to start again, i slip the two stitches back, then start working. I don't know where I saw this, I definitely didn't invent it, but it solved my ladders completely. This is pretty equivalent to the traveling magic loop thing, but I think its even more straightforward.
This totally worked for me! Thank you so much @sobbypup2145!! I have dreaded trying travelling loop because I thought it'd be so time consuming, but this is working wonders on the sock I'm knitting right now!!
It is absolutely *baffling* how you come through with exactly the video I need about 15 minutes before I go check your channel to see if you've got one. I'd swear you're psychic... (Also your sweater looks lovely and very cosy!)
Help me publish more knitting master classes like this one for free and support me on Patreon: www.patreon.com/nimbleneedlez Think of it as an honesty box :)
Hi Norman, beeing an english-knitter, I get so much benefits from this video. I have small hands so mini circulars are not hard, however like you've said it's way harder when knitting complicated stitches so I start with mini then switch to magic loop technic further down for socks or sleeves. I love all your tutorials and can use them even as an english-knitter. Thank you so much for your dedication and kindness. Enjoy the rest of your day 😊❤
Working with magical loop, I never let the loop to pull my stitches apart. If your loop looks more like “U” shape, just turn the loop half a turn, thus making the cable to cross itself and giving more “O” shape to your loop. The tendency to tear your stitches apart almost vanishes, because crossing cable keeps almost parallel to your fabric. If your loop is too small for this, you want to tighten the stitches and make more room for your loop, or change to longer cable. Even much dreaded stiffer cables are responding well to this little trick. Happy knitting!
Yeah, cable length definitely matters I didn't really go into this all that much because I kinda thought it would be "obvious" and the video was already too long 😅😅 Still, thx for adding it.
@@NimbleNeedles, your work is just impressive, thorougly educational and totally proffessional. It was a breeze to watch, I actually did not mind the length at all 😊, just contrary. Thank you!
Thanks for another great video. Even though I have never had problems with ladders, I still found it interesting. Maybe I don’t get ladders because I’m a tight knitter? I don’t know. What I really wanted to let you know is that I found your video from earlier this year on making gloves so helpful. I walk 4-6 miles (6-9.5 kilometers), 5 days a week, at a fast pace. This can cause me to get blisters on my toes if I don’t protect them. I used to have to wrap each toe individually with band-aids before my walk. Then about 15 years ago I found toe socks, and they solved the problem. However they can be expensive, and the fit is not perfect. Then I started knitting about 5 years ago, and thought maybe I could make my own toe socks 😂. I took a class at my LYS to learn how to make socks and made one pair of heel flap & gusset vanilla socks. Just when I was going to search on how to make gloves in order to get an idea on how to make the toes for my socks, you posted your videos (good thing I subscribe to your channel 😊). I used your instructions for making the fingers of the gloves to make the toes of my socks! They worked great! I can’t thank you enough. So after I post this comment, I am heading over to join your patreon. I feel I owe you at least the price of a great pattern. Thanks!
Tabi socks (that's what they are called). My partner loves them as well. Great to hear that you were able to figure things out yourself and my videos helped a little bit. Love such stories. thank you for sharing.
Very helpful! Knitting socks I accidentally picked up an extra stitch about 10 rows down because of a yarn split. I got rid of the extra stitch but to my horror the ladder looked huge. I used your method of evening out the stitches with a tapestry needle and the result is amazing. Thank you ever so much for all your fantastic tutorials.
I appreciate how you explain the why of a problem as well as how to fix them. I like how you have more than one reason that causes issues and many ways to fix them. You’re awesome! Many thanks my friend.
I know this video is few months old now, but I still want to thank you so much for it Norman. Your videos are always the best and most detailed explanation of knitting one can imagine. Really, thank you for sharing your expertise with us regardless if we have the means to support you financially. I tried knitting my first pair of socks (ever!) on magic loop and to be honest, they had two issues. Ladders and one had a small, but annoying hole in the side of boomerang heel. Now I understand what I did, I can also confidently start working on cardigan for my best friend's daughter again. I was kinda scared of sleeves on magic loop and I don't have DPNs yet. I can always try to make them on magic loop and then save up for DPNs if I'll fail. I've chosen the size accordingly to the amount of fails I predict happening, considering the first version of it where I've chosen wrong pattern for the yarn, way to big needles, picot edge was the only thing looking alright, sleeves were ladder-y mess.. I frogged it all. But with this one, so far so good. You can clearly see looking at it that I watched a lot of your videos since then 😂
heh! i also see comments from videos that are a couple of months old. and do answer them as well ;-) either way happy to hear that I can be part of your quite sucessful knitting journey
This helps, thankyou. I used to use magic loop but the ladders were terrible. I started using 2 sets of circulars and that helped. Then suddenly, ladders came back. I can now concentrate on whats actually causing it. Thankyou for your time. The longer I knit, the more I find I need to learn!
Aw..thank you! Every little bit helps, a like, a comment, and watching the video to the end definitely does. Actually not sure if I earn more or less if you watch the ads, lol. Maybe? 🙈🙈
This video was amazing. Thank you. I must’ve watched every video on RU-vid about how to prevent ladders and still haven’t managed to. I’ve just finished knitting one sock using your beginner’s tutorial and avoided the problem by shifting stitches. I’ll try out these tips on the second sock 😊
OMG. I just got it!!! A week ago I learned how to move my stitches around to avoid ladders. But I NEVER got why they happened in the first place. Like I was pulling SO TIGHT on the yarn but still got those damn ladders. Now I get it. You explain so well!!!! Thank you!
@@NimbleNeedles Have you or would you consider having a zoom tutorials. I would pay for the opportunity to pick your brain live time. I have several zoom knit togethers: Canada and London in which it is so interesting to listen to knitters from other countries. The US has a such a (in my opinion) slanted view of fiber arts. Y tube markets you to death and then you pay extra for no commercials then the podcasters have paid promotions that have nothing to do with knitting. I fully understand the time and monies you expend on your content but you do not seem to follow the same path as others. I would love to support you and your channel and learn something new at the same time. FYI I am from Northern California and not only do we not have very many knitters and knit shops left. Thanks Norman
@@lynellerobertson2295 well the problem I see is that it will be very difficult for me to show my face and my hands at the same time with my current setup. Also, in all honesty, a live zoom meeting would be quite expensive for me to make sense. So, the lowest feasible cost per hour would start at 50$ but that would barely cover the opportunity cost. A realistic price per hour that makes sense would probably be closer to $100-150. So, no I really haven't considered it.
This is the million dollar video I have been looking for! Ladders are my number 2 biggest problem with my knitting. The best fix I could come up with is to do the shuffle. I put special stitch markers to mark where my needles would be when making socks. That makes it easier to follow patterns. I went right to Patreon to sign up in thanks and gratitude. :)
When I first started knitting socks, I also had the idea to shift two stitches so the wobbly bits wouldn't be in a direct line. Unfortunately, my tension was so horrible, that I simply transformed my ladder into a spiral staircase. 😅 Thank you for the video, it was very helpful. Especially since, as you said, once you stopped getting ladders and then they start popping up again in one project, it's really hard to problem solve.
spiral staircase, love that. I am actually quite amazed when someone comments that they always do that and it helps them. I still, to this date, don't know how it could really help but apparently it does for some. Weird. Either way, glad this video was able to give you some pointers
Thank you so much!! I've been waiting for a video like this for a while, and it's just as good as i'd hoped! Now I have an excuse to knit some new socks
I'd say consistent tension actually comes first. Once you've mastered that the rest is details...at least I found it so ^^ (easy to say for me, i know :P)
Thank you for this informative video. I have made several pairs of mittens in the past and while they turn out good, I was never satisfied with the cuff because of the ladders. My laddering was snug and I couldn't quite figure out why or what to do about it. This video explains the why. And as I watched your video I am finishing a pair of mittens. They are the best yet!
This is a fantastic video. I use dpn’s for socks or small projects and I knew some of what you showed but didn’t know why. Now I understand it thanks to your very clear and thorough explanation. Well worth the small amount of money to support your work. Thank you for the video.
I joined your Patreon just because of this video. Wow, analogy of a stitch and all it does and all that affects it! I’ve only been knitting for a month and this is the thing that should be taught first. Impossible to figure out what you’ve done wrong if you don’t know what the heck your doing in the first place! Thanks so much! Happy New Year!
heh. yeah the sweater turned out beautiful. And it was rather cold (and rainy on that day). Because it's so warm, I didn't even have to turn on the heating that day
no. Knitting needles depend on so many factors and the needles I like most have a 95% chance of being downright horrible for you because ur hands have a different size, you prefer different project, yarns, etc.
Omg, so i just let RU-vid play whatever in the background after watching your latest, and i missed the side comment on being accused of witchcraft while knitting a sock on a limited number of dpns, before counting to ten.. how did i miss that the first time?? Lol 😆 🤣
Can you make a video on the best ways to manage knitting with more than one color depending on style of knitting? I am an English knitter, and I don't really want to learn continental knitting to hold two yarns in two hands. But I struggle holding two yarn colors in my right hand with a yarn ring, and the yarn slipping around or off the ring, etc. Any thoughts or ideas on this would be appreciated! ❤
no, i don't think I can do that. I already have a video on Fair Isle knitting. Since I am a Continental knitter, my channel is all about continental knitting. Asking me to teach you English knitting is like asking you to "simply switch to continental knitting".
Great advice - thanks! I've been really struggling with a scarf, stranded colour work knitted in the round. I've been using magic loop rather than DPN's, to avoid the problems of carrying floats across the DPN joins, but I'm still finding a lot of puckering at the two joins of the magic loop. Do you think travelling magic loop might work better? I've had a go using mini circulars - 25cm - but my hands are XXXL... 🙄
When I’m knitting with DPNs, I tug at the first 2-4 sts tightly causing my last needle I knitted from to fit tightly next to the needle I’m knitting from. I have no problems with ladders this way. But I’ll look at my knitting to see how this affects my knitting 🧶
Thank you so much for this video Norman! I am new to sock knitting and I keep getting a 'seam' through the length of the sock because I am using magic loop. I really like the travelling magic loop technique but if the pattern calls for X amount of rows how do I know where the beginning of the round is?
I'm a continental knitter, but I hold my yarn in a Scandinavian fashion (with the left index finger on the work). I can't actually call it "Scandinavian knitting," because I have no idea if there is such a thing. All I know is, in the videos I've seen from Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, they hold the yarn the same way as I do. I bring this up because I've never had a problem with ladders, and that may be one of the advantages of how I knit. Holding everything closer together, I guess the chances of ladders forming are greatly decreased. Even when I ventured into stranded colorwork in the round, no ladders. You should see the mittens I'm coming up with lol...I'm still afraid of attempting a Latvian braid, but that's all right, there's time (I hope)...
A latvian braid is suuuuper easy and actually nothing to be afraid of. If you've ever woven in ends as you go, then you already know how to do it (i have a tutorial on my second channel regardless). I am a bit hesitant to attribute your lack of ladders to the way you tension your yarn. Rather, I would attribute it to you being very comfortable with that technique. Ease of knitting is the number one factor here, if you ask me. Course I could be wrong but that's just my observation.
Dear Norman, Thank you so much for this extensive, precise and clear tutorial. If I could impose on you with a question: I'm an experienced knitter but a beginner regarding everything to do with knitting on the round. I'm currently practicing knitting socks with the magic loop. The ladders have improved since I've started, but it's been a while and I can't seem to make them disappear altogether. I don't mind practicing as much as needed, I was just wondering if, having watched your video, I'm still doing something wrong, or whether it's indeed a question of practice. I tried the travelling loop technique, but that resulted in an uneven fabric altogether. I would say I'm knitting my 6th sock now. Does it make sense to you? Many thanks again!
well, I can't really tell you what you are doing wrong with that description. I am sure there are things you could improve. Probably the way you hold the needles and the way the end of the cables exist your magic loop (they should be crossing) could be one of them. Since you said you are on your 6th sock, I wouldn't blame it on practise. That should be plenty. Now, when in doubt, change tools, try different knitting needles, maybe even dpns. sometimes that's what it takes. But without actually seeing you, that will be difficult.
NORMAN I am desperate to solve my guttering problems. I’ve been trying everything to correct the tension between my knit and purl rows. I can’t figure it out no matter what I do. My purls are bigger than my knits. I’m a continental knitter. Please explain what I’m doing wrong. Thank you. I love your explanations and videos.
Have you tried knitting with two different needle sizes yet? Other than that, I don't think I can explain anything without seeing it. And well..i typically don't do custom one-on-one consulting :(
@@NimbleNeedles no because it seems like such a pain in the neck to switch but I’ll try. So many sweaters have you knitting flat on the top then joining in the round after yoke. Thanks
yes, I have seen that before but totally discarded the idea for my personal knitting. It's just anoying as hell. I mean, if you just knit 3 rounds okay...but 100 rounds with 2mm needles? I am not so convinced :(
Maybe I'm overthinking this, but on magic loop once you've knit those three stitches how do you get back to normal? I wound up tangling my cord in a way I didn't know was possible and completely lost my place 😂
Damned, didnt fix my problem. for some reason, I keep having so much slack that I basically have to tighten after every needle (Im knitting 5 double ended, to make socks) I have no idea how this happen but it is making it take ages as I am doing so much extra work
I would definitely say that sounds like a problem with your general knitting style and tension and not necessarily knitting in the round in and by itself.
certainly not. This is a very common problem and most beginners (and even intermediate knitters) see ladders ever so often. That's nothing to worry about in and by itself. And now you hopefully know where to start in order to fix them
@@NimbleNeedles *this would be me in thus sweater in blizzard snow yelling while hysterically laughing, "I can't feel a thing! It's -20°c and I'm all sorts of toasty warrrmmm!" Life saving bear hugging woolen knits are the best!!
>.< What you can try to do is...at the beginning of each new needle, slip the last two or three stitches from the previous over to the next. That's the dpn equivalent to traveling magic loop.
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