Knitting up the Ladder

Sometimes you just need a simple stitch pattern to frame a fancier pattern, as on an Aran-style sweater that's full of a bunch of different textured stitches.

The stitch known as Jacob's Ladder, also sometimes called Ladder of Life or Cross-Rib Stitch, is a good choice for those times when you need a border but you don't want the border itself to get a lot of attention.

You could also use this on the sides of a blanket (give the same look to the top and bottom edges by knitting Stockinette for a few rows, then throwing a row of purls on the right side) or even a washcloth.