Fixing Knitting Mistakes

Chances are, if you knit or crochet, you have ripped out rows and rows of your work to fix a mistake.  I have anyway.  I have actually ripped out an entire sweater and reknit it. WHY? you ask, well, I didn't do a gauge swatch, hahaha, and it was too big.  It would've fit the jolly green giant.  I tried to find someone big enough to wear it and there was no one, seriously. NOW, my motto is "Do a gauge swatch." 

Well, that is off track and I wanted to show you what I did to fix a mistake so that I didn't have to rip out rows and rows and rows and rows and rows. 

This little tool has been out for a while, and I put off purchasing it because I thought it a bit pricey at $18.  I mean, I can use a crochet hook and use that money to buy more yarn and fiber.  LOL! So, as I have been helping people fix their knitting issues, with a crochet hook, I would think about this little tool and WISH I had purchased it when I had seen it. 

A few weeks ago, I went to a yarn shop in Dallas and found the tool! 

It is a good thing I broke down and purchased it. I have used it several times on just my scarf! Here is one instance. Just above the safety pin is a mistake. For some insane reason I had purled and not knit the garter stitch, who knows why?  Maybe so I could use my tool?  :)

 

Below, I have lightened the picture and did a close up so that maybe you can see the error of my ways.

 

I then slipped the stitches, from the closest outside edge to the mistake stitch onto a double pointed needle for safe keeping. I am using a circular needle for knitting my project. Next I dropped the stitch that formed the column of stitches where the mistake happened. You can see the ladders. Now for the test of my tool.

 

FIXED! In record time. Using a tool that has a hook on either end, was so much easier for garter stitch than fussing with a crochet hook.  IMHO, it is worth every penny. :)

 

Just so you know, I have made more mistakes and have been able to use the tool for help in fixing them.  But, I did place the beads in the wrong place and actually did rip out about 20 rows or so....  I had placed the 4 window beads on the right side of the picture and they needed to be on the left side. (I was watching movie at that point) Although I could've used the tool, I figured it would be easier to rip. I would have to fiddle with the other beads above the 4 that would have to be removed and replaced on either side of the picture, so I could move the beads.  To me that would've taken the same amount of time to fix.

 

If you have never dropped a stitch, on purpose, and you decide to try it, lay your knitting flat on a table while you work with it.  That way you aren't fighting gravity and gravity won't make it rip past where you want it to go.  Laying it down on a table also will give you a good view of your knitting and free up both of your hands for use in fixing your mistake.