Ladder backing / Fair Isle tamed by the ribber

Machine types that can knit it

• Single bed (punch card) + ribber
• Single bed (electronic) + ribber
• Double bed with pushers (Passap type)

Steps

1. Knit stocking stitch to the band, carriage far left.
2. Attach the ribber; ribber slip both ways, H pitch.
3. Start the colour separation (card or KRC).
4. Bring every n-th ribber needle into work, working out from the centre; let the machine knit the first ribber row in the contrast (don't hang loops).
5. Alternate: background colour → ribber slip; contrast → ribber knit (or both colours knit on the ribber); 2 passes each.
6. After the band, hang the ribber stitches onto the main-bed needles *in front of* the main-yarn loops, then remove the ribber.

The full card

What it looks like

Face: the Fair Isle/DBJ motif with faint vertical lines where ribber needles tack the floats. Back: a "web" or ladder of floats caught at regular columns.

How it behaves

Close to single-bed Fair Isle in weight and drape, with protected floats. Lighter than full DBJ.

How it works

All main-bed needles pattern. Only every 2nd–4th ribber needle is in work, knitting each colour on its passes, so the floats are captured into a sparse backing. Industrial equivalents are "ladder back 1×1/1×2/1×3", which suit 4+ colours.

Machines

KH-821 + any ribber, with ribber needles selected by hand. A colour changer helps. On electronics, KRC handles the separation.

Parameters

ribber needle spacing 1-in-2 to 1-in-4; ribber tension much tighter than the main bed (e.g. MB 8 / RB 3 with 4-ply); yarn up to 4-ply on standard gauge (not possible with full DBJ); end with a ribber needle near each edge.

Steps

1) Knit stocking stitch to the band, carriage far left. 2) Attach the ribber; ribber slip both ways, H pitch. 3) Start the colour separation (card or KRC). 4) Bring every n-th ribber needle into work, working out from the centre; let the machine knit the first ribber row in the contrast (don't hang loops). 5) Alternate: background colour → ribber slip; contrast → ribber knit (or both colours knit on the ribber); 2 passes each. 6) After the band, hang the ribber stitches onto the main-bed needles *in front of* the main-yarn loops, then remove the ribber.

Charting

Backing chart: a single row repeat showing ribber needles in work (●) vs out of work (·); note the spacing "1/4".

Limits and common problems

Solid horizontal lines of one colour pull the work off (not enough ribber hold). Ladders show if the ribber tension is too loose (they appear after washing). KCII can strip work on large colour areas.

Combines with

plain stocking bodies (local motif bands); intarsia-like placed motifs [inference].

Related techniques

• Double-bed jacquard (needs ribber)
• DBJ with bird's-eye backing
• DBJ with striped backing (full and half)
• DBJ with plain (solid) backing
• Tubular and reversible double jacquard
• 3–4 colours per row in DBJ