How to Rescue a Dropped Stitch When Knitting

Every knitter has been there – you look down at your knitting and spot a pesky dropped stitch, glaring back at you like an unsightly blemish. Don’t panic! While dropped stitches can look like a catastrophe, they are fairly easy to fix if you follow the right steps. Here’s how to rescue a dropped stitch and get your knitting project back on track.
Identifying the Mistake

Knitting is known as being a relaxing hobby, but it can become stressful if you drop a stitch.

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First, you will need to locate exactly where the stitch was dropped. Follow the distorted column of stitches downwards until you find the site of the mistake. There will be a horizontal strand of yarn spanning that row where the stitch should be. Don’t let the runaway strand travel too far before you contain it.

Fixing the Drop

Using a crochet hook or a knitting needle one or two sizes smaller than your main needle, carefully insert it into the front of the dropped strand from right to left. Gently pull a loop through to the front, being careful not to split the yarn. This should rescue the stitch.

Using a knitting kit can be a great option for beginners. Specialist providers such as https://www.woolcouturecompany.com/collections/knitting-kits have a great selection.

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Reintegrating the Stitch

The final step is to reintegrate that rescued stitch back into your knitting. If you’re working in stocking stitch, simply knit or purl the rescued loop to lock it into place. For other stitch patterns, you may need to carefully rework the stitch following the established pattern across that row.

So don’t let a dropped stitch ruin your knitting. With this easy fix, you can rescue dropped stitches and prevent unsightly ladders or holes developing in your beautiful knits.