How to Fix Knitting Mistakes: 3 Stress-free Solutions

Learn How to Fix Knitting Mistakes Yourself

If you want to become a better knitter, the best thing you can do is learn how to fix knitting mistakes yourself.

Too many beginner knitters give up because they don’t know how to fix a problem, or the problem seems too difficult or overwhelming to fix.

They don’t have their “knitting buddy” there when they need them. So, they put the project down, and never pick it up again. They lose momentum and confidence. And eventually abandon knitting altogether!

My #1 Stress-free Tip for Finding (and Fixing) Mistakes

Obviously, you should strive to avoid making mistakes in the first place. But, if it’s too late for that, then the next best thing you can do is detect the mistake early on.

My #1 tip for finding and fixing mistakes is super simple: Stop regularly to check your work.

By doing so, you’ll (hopefully) notice a mistake soon after you’ve made it (within a row or two), and you can easily go back and fix it, without wasting too much time.

Trust me, it’s a lot less daunting to go back and fix a problem two rows back, than 100 rows back.

To “check your work,” just stop every couple of rows and look – really look – at your knitting. Inspect your stitches and scan for anything that just doesn’t look right.
For example,

• Is a stitch twisted?
• Does a stitch look “funny” or out of line?
• Is there a hole or a loop of yarn that shouldn’t be there?
• Do you have the same number of stitches you started with?
• Is your gauge correct?
• Are you cables crossing the right way?

The most common beginner mistakes are easy to fix. And with experience, you will be able to notice (and fix) them almost immediately.

How to Fix Knitting Mistakes: 3 Simple Solutions

Once you have identified a mistake, you’ll need to decide how you’re going to fix it. Depending on the nature of the mistake (and where it is), you will generally choose from one of these options to fix it:

1) Unknit (Tink)

When a mistake is not too far away (say, a few stitches or rows back), one option is to unknit back to the problem.

This is a low-stress solution, because you unknit one stitch at a time and the stitches are always secure. You don’t have to take your knitting off the needles, or worry about your knitting unraveling.

For example, let’s say that you are approaching the end of the row and then notice that you made a purl stitch a few stitches earlier, but it should have been a knit stitch.

No problem! Just unknit (tink) back to the problem stitch (unknit the problem stitch too), and then re-knit it the correct way.

Here’s how to unknit:

1. Insert the left needle tip into the stitch directly below the one on the right needle.
2. Slip the right needle out of this stitch and pull on the working yarn.

The newest stitch will unravel, and the stitch from the row below will be secure on the left needle. Continue doing this across your knitting until you reach the mistake.

TIP: To make step 1 easier, pull the working yarn up and away from you to open up the stitch. You’ll be able to see better where to insert the needle.

Want to see a video? Liat Gat demonstrates how to unknit in this great video:

2) Drop Stitches for a Vertical Fix

Now, let’s say you notice the same mistake (a purl stitch that should have been a knit stitch), but a few rows down.

No problem!

How to drop stitches for a vertical fix:

1. Identify the mistake and which column of vertical stitches it is in.
2. On the row you are currently knitting, knit to (or unknit to) to the point where the first stitch on the left needle belongs to that column of stitches you identified in step 1. In other words, the stitch on the left needle is directly above the mistake several rows down.
3. Slip that stitch off the needle and let it unravel down to the mistake (it will look a bit like a ladder).
4. Fix the mistake (in this example, turn a purl stitch into a knit stitch)
5. Work the stitch back up the ladder to the needle again.

TIP: The easiest way to do this is with a crochet hook.

How to pick up dropped stitches…

…To make a knit stitch:

1. Insert the hook into the (dropped) stitch from the front (make sure the ladder strand is behind the stitch).
2. Grab the strand of yarn that forms the bottom rung of the ladder
3. Pull the strand back through the stitch (you’ve just created a knit stitch!)
4. Repeat steps 1-3 for each rung of the ladder, all the way back to the top
5. Place the final stitch back onto the left needle
6. Continue knitting as usual

…To make a purl stitch:

1. Insert the hook into the (dropped) stitch from the back (make sure the ladder strand is in front of the stitch).
2. Grab the strand of yarn that forms the bottom rung of the ladder
3. Pull the strand back through the stitch (you’ve just created a purl stitch!)
4. Repeat steps 1-3 for each rung of the ladder, all the way back to the top
5. Place the final stitch back onto the left needle
6. Continue knitting as usual

Want to see a video? Below Michelle from Knit Purl Hunter demonstrates how to pick up dropped stitches:

If you don’t have a crochet hook, Liat Gat demonstrates how to pick up dropped stitches using your knitting needles.

3) Unravel

In some cases, you may find that you can’t fix the problem using either of the above methods, and the easiest (and sometimes quickest) option is to unravel your work back to the problem and re-knitting from there.

To do this, you simply slip your knitting off the needles and carefully pull the yarn to unravel your stitches, row by row until you reach the problem area. Then carefully put the “live” stitches back on the needle.

TIP: It’s easier to pick up these stitches using a smaller needle size, then transfer them back onto your working needle.

If the thought of unraveling your work in this way terrifies you, or you don’t like the idea of picking up all those sneaky live stitches, check out this super trick by Theresa Vinson Stenersen, and then take a deep breath and go for it!

Don’t Worry About These Two Things:

1) Dropped stitches

No need to worry if a stitch slips through its loop and unravels to the row below. Now you know how to bring that stitch back up to the row using a crochet hook (see #2: Drop Stitches).

2) Twisted stitches

You can easily fix these when you come to knit them by simply turning them the right way.

Watch this video by the fantabulous and endlessly inspiring Liat Gat to learn how to correct twisted stitches.

Mistakes are a Valuable (and Inevitable) Part of the Process

Remember, we all make mistakes. But the main difference between beginner knitters and more seasoned ones, is the confidence and the knowledge that experienced knitters have to tackle their mistakes.

There is also a patient acceptance that mistakes are a valuable part of the process.

If you’re going to knit, you’re going to make mistakes, so you may as well learn to deal with them!

Instead of getting frustrated and upset, look at it each new mistake as an opportunity – to learn, understand and ultimately become a much better knitter!

By studying your knitted fabric and understanding your knitting, you will be able see where you have gone wrong and will be able to face any problem with greater ease and confidence.

Good luck

Peace, Love & Knit Om
xo