Leigh see my email!!!! As for your entry..... I have the same issue, but I am not fussing as I am getting gauge too! I think is is a gauge thing.

I always thought that it had to do with the way the yarn is spun. For example, in my knitting, this is always most evident when I knit with Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride.

You, perfectionistic? Say it ain't so! We *need* some laidback chickies in this world and I was really counting on you! *teehee* Maybe it has to do with knitting continental? I've noticed that the yarn is pulled in a slightly different way when I hold it with my left hand. It looks just fine so I wouldn't worry about it. As my mother-in-law would say, "that's what makes it SPECIAL." ;)

Leigh, that happens to me too. Once I've washed a sweater once or twice, I usually don't notice it anymore, and it doesn't bother me in any event. Maybe fluffa would know the whys, technician that she is.

I think Kerstin may have the key - It may be a continental thing...I knit continental and I think Claudia does too.

I remembered an article from Cast-On about problems with stockinette. The picture they published which illustrates nice stockinette shows this little ridge. The bigger problems are things like inconsistancies between knit and purl rows, etc.

Technicians? I'd recommend Nannette(http://knittingincolor.blogspot.com/) or Annie Modisette(http://www.modeknit.com/blog/index.html) - they both seem to have amazing talent and experience with the technical aspects of knitting.

Ah, but it's the whole back already! Meanwhile NYKnits only sent me six balls of blue DB, not eight, so I'm gonna keep the brown and return the blue; hope to shop locally for it in NC next weekend -- not that I'll start it yet, what with gift-knitting!

Wow, the whole back! It looks great. My stitches look like that sometimes, english or continental. I too have always thought that it's more about the spin in the yarn. I've seen plenty of pics of sweaters in pattern books where the stitches look like that. I think that those are perfect stitches for that yarn.

Hi Leigh, I have been reading your blog for a couple of weeks and I love your work! I read once that the stitches look like that when you use a single ply yarn, does that make sense? It turns out that way for me when I use Lamb's Pride too. Thanks for sharing your knitting......
Emily (mom to 2 preschoolers, knitting and quilting outside Chicago)

Its the single ply yarn - I've seen it happen time and again. I think its caused by the twist inherent in the stitch.

It may be exacerbated by continental knitting, as well. I knit continental, and have seen it in my knitting.

Hi guys, I knitted wrappy in the english method... It probably is the yarn... Down to my last sleeve and then the band!! It's been fun knitting this!

FYI:
I have warned Leigh about this... If you are making the largest size, you may need one more ball of the main color. I have nine balls of yarn (calls for 8) and I know I will be using the 9th for the last sleeve and to seam. I think you'll be okay with the other sizes, but just keep it in mind.

Hey girl,

Thanks for posting the picture! I didn't realize how short the bodice was so I have now re-thought where to place my extra rows (I'm making it longer, my daughter is a string bean). Unfortunately this meant I had to rip back to the first decrease row, but better rip now than displeased later.

I think the unbalanced stitches have something to do with the spin of the yarn.. this happens a lot with singles, but since the DB is not a single it must mean (I _think_) that there is not enought plying twist to really balance the yarn. That might also account for the splitting thing.... Anyhow that's my best guess. The Rowan W/C I am using does not seem to suffer from the same problem.

Got an extra skein, but Rose's post is making me think I may need 10.... Rowan has a little more yardage to the ball so maybe I will luck out.

I agree with the above. Mostly due to the single ply, maybe made a little more pronounced by continental knitting. But it looks so uniform.... like that how it's meant to be.

I think the issue with the stitches is from knititng continental. I knit continental, and I don't let this bother me when knitting flat. However, when I knit part in the round and part flat (i.e. sleeves in the round, back and forth on the body for a raglan cardigan), not only do I get this same appearance, but also a noticable difference in gauge. My solution to make my flat knitting gauge match the (smaller) in-the-round gauge: do the purl rows with a needle one size smaller. It works. I have read of other knitter doing this, too, back when Threads still included articles on knititng.

I have been making bags from Lambs Pride, and have noticed the same thing! I am also a spinner, and believe that it is due to the yarn being a single. When a yarn is plied (two or more yarns spun in 1 direction, then then the yarns are spun together in the opposite direction, or plied), the twist "balances" itself. I think that with a single, this energy has not been released by plying, so that it translates into your knitting. I have always knit with plyed yarns, and the Lambs Pride is the first yarn that I have noticed this with. Until I saw your picture, I didn't even think about other knitters experiencing the same thing! I love being able to trade ideas like this! Happy Knitting!

Hi. All of my flat knitting has those ridges. If you purl looser or tighter than you knit, I think that is the cause of lines or ridges. They never bother me (even though I tend to be perfectionistic).

I just discovered your blog and I love the DB dress you are working on. Your knitting looks great.

It's because it's a single ply. Imagine that you are twisting a section of your hair. (Or I guess you could actually do it..) Twist it a couple of times so it forms a loose rope. This is singles yarn. Now, if you twist it a little more, as you do when you wrap to form the tight side of your stitches, and the single becomes more narrow and tighter. The other side of the stitch (because it is heading in the opposite direction) is looser. Nothing you can do about it, except avoid singles yarn where the tendency is most obvious...but it's not like you are making a mistake in the knitting. Your knitting is actually lovely and flawless!