5 Ways to Fix Knitting Errors

Last week I a shared with you 9 Questions to Ask Before Frogging Your Knits. You can read it on my blog if you missed it. Today we’re hoping back Into the Frog Pond to talk about a few ways to fix knitting mishaps.

In case you haven’t guessed, probably because I forgot to tell you, Into the Frog Pond is going to be a tutorial series. Today’s post will list some knitting fixes you can try. Very soon you will be able to watch instructional videos and see exactly how to do each method.

After you’ve decided you want to frog your knitting, you need to think about how. Keep these questions in mind as you consider each of the knitting methods to fix your knits.

1. What’s the easiest way to fix this mistake?

2. Is this way of doing it going to give me the neatest result?

3. Is this quicker than other things I can do to fix my knitting?

4. Is this knitting fix a method I really want to try?

Sometimes the quickest and easiest method can result in a fix that looks worse than the original knitting error. Ugh. Raise your hand high if you’ve done that too! In that case I suggest trying that method again, or try a different one.

No matter which method you chose, you will be improving your knitting skills. To be honest, I get a cheap thrill out of fixing my knitting. Okay, at first I have a tantrum just like all knitters do. But then I start fixing my knitting mistakes and that makes me feel so damn smart and accomplished.

Want my advice on becoming an amazing knitter? Screw up your knitting. Then learn all the different ways to fix it. The added bonus is that you’ll become a fearless knitter too.

5 General Ways to Fix Knitting Mistakes

There are many ways of fixing the oodles of errors we create in knitting. It’s valuable to point out that they all have a few things in common, you’ll be either knitting, purling, making yarn overs, or doing some combination of them.

In future blog posts I will be creating knitting videos showing you how to fix specific and common knitting blunders. Below are the 5 general methods for fixing our slip-ups.

1. Unravel rows or rounds of work until you reach the knitting mistake. This is the most drastic and consuming method. It’s also scary to most knitters. Sometimes thought it’s truly necessary.
   
   New knitters frequently resort to this method because they are unaware of #2 below or can’t exactly pinpoint where the mistake is. Believe it or not there is a right way and a wrong way to unravel the rows or rounds of knitting.
   
2. Drop down or unravel one stitch or two until you reach the knitting error, then correctly work the stitch back up to the needle. This one is generally called tinking. This is best done with a crochet hook. This works well when you know exactly which stitch needs a make over
   
3. Drop down or unravel several stitches that make up a section of knitting until you reach the knitting mistake. Then correctly work the stitch back up to the needle. 
   
   This is similar to and can be more complex than just fixing one or two stitches. This is good for pattern repeats, sections of lace, and cables. Fixing a section of lace is a great challenge and excellent skill builder. This is best done with a crochet hook.
4. Use duplicate stitch – even for cables. A tapestry needle is required. This method can be done before or after all the knitting is finished. It’s a great option to the methods above when you have already castoff your knitting project.
   
5. A repeatable error is just a pattern. This one doesn’t require frogging or tinking down, but rather duplicating your error on purpose.
   
   Write down the error and number of stitches needed to make up a repeat of your error. Now just repeat it. You can use your new pattern across the row, up a column, or diagonally. Be sure to think about the available space and decide if your pattern will fit. In other words, is there enough knitting left to do to make your repeat a few times?

We all have different skill levels. So what works for one knitter may not be the best solution for you today. I say today because your future knitting skills and ability to fix your knitting will increase over time. So be adventurous and try out knitting fixes that didn’t work before or try out new ones.

What was your worst knitting disaster that you were able to fix?