Picking Up Dropped Stitches

Hello everyone,

Here is yet another awesome excerpt from the always usefule "Beginning Knitters Guide" Let me know if you like it.

Common Problem #2: Dropped Stitches

Unintentionally dropped stitches are one of the most common and frustrating problems in knitting. While they happen less often as you become experienced, they will still happen from time to time. There are several ways to deal with dropped stitches depending on what type of stitches you are using and where you are in your piece.

Some patterns will actually call for you to drop stitches from time to time, allowing you to create lacy patterns. Those dropped stitches are much less frustrating.

Dropped Knit Stitch: If you find that you have dropped a knit stitch in the row below take care of it right away. While you can fix a dropped stitch even after you are several rows away from it, it is always easier to fix it right away.

· Start off by knitting across the row to the place where the stitch was dropped.

· Insert the RH needle from front to back. Make sure that you insert the needle both into the loop of the dropped stitch and the horizontal piece of yarn stretching above the top of the dropped loop.

· Take the LH needle and insert it from back to front into the loop of the dropped stitch, then lift the loop up over the strand of yarn on the needle. (If you think it sounds a bit like binding off, you’re right, because it is the same action).

· Slip the corrected stitch from the RH needle to the LH needle.

· Continue knitting.

Dropped Purl Stitch:

The process is not that different from a dropped knit stitch:

· Find the dropped purl stitch and purl across the row until you come to it.

· Insert the RH needle from front to back into both the loop of the dropped stitch and the horizontal piece of yarn above the stitch. The strand should be positioned to the left of the stitch on the needle.

· Take the LH needle and insert it from back to front into the lop of the dropped stitch, then lift the loop up over the strand on the needle (Yes, like binding off…).

· Slip the corrected purl stitch from the RH needle to the LH needle.

The Unnoticed Dropped Stitch:

Unfortunately dropped stitches are not necessarily noticed right away. Don’t fret. They are still fairly simple to fix, and you don’t even need to unravel your project.

· Find one of your handy crochet hooks (it goes much faster this way and is less frustrating).

· Take the crochet hook and insert it front to back in the stitch you dropped.

· Catch the horizontal piece of yarn just above the dropped stitch, and pull the piece through the loop.

· Continue working up through the ladder of the yarn until you reach the top.

If you dropped a purl stitch further down you can follow the same instructions, but just insert the hood from back to front. Also, if you are working in a garter stitch you will need to alternate the knit and purl instructions. When you are on a bumpy row, use the purl technique. When you are a smooth row use the knit technique.

You can also fix your “unnoticed” drop stitch using knitting needles and the techniques listed earlier, but you will find that a crochet hook will save you a lot of time and frustration.

Hope it helps!

Brad

P.S. There is a link on my blog to this books website. There is a special offer on the book now that you wont believe. Go to the website and check it out. Look on the right hand side of the screen and find the link to the book.

Knitting, helping people quit smoking?

Hello everyone,

I am back from camping with my family and just found this cool article from Australia. Let me know what you think.

Knit and Quit classes aim to help smokers kick the habit (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

MARK COLVIN: Tobacco smoking remains the single biggest cause of preventable death in Australia.

   

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