Monica Knits

Repair StitchI started knitting a pair of socks for my dad late last night in low light and didn't see that I had accidentally split a stitch in the first round until the next morning when it glared at me in daylight. I had completed six or seven rounds by this time. No problem; this is very quick to correct with a crochet needle and a couple of minutes' time. Read more ... for illustrated instructions.

Correcting a Stitch
This method of correction involves creating a run to get down to the stitch in question, be it a purl or knit stitch. Start by knitting around to the column that contains the problem stitch. Remove the stitch (or stitches) from the left hand needle, but leave all other stitches on your circular needle(s). Stitches are always picked up from the "knit" side, so if a purl stitch is face outwards, the loops are picked up from the inside of the sock cuff.

1. Split stitch. The small loop is 1 of the plies of yarn that was not knitted. To find it, look for its shadow near the cast on edge.
2. The red knitting needle points to the stitch to be repaired. With the dark yarn, in low light, you can see why it was overlooked the night before.
3. Undoing a stitch (bars), row by row. Use a small knitting needle to gently tug the bar & create a run. The knitting needle also captures the bars, making it easier to pick them up in sequential order later.
4. The stitch has been picked up, row by row for about 3 rows. The stitch is on the right hand side of the crochet needle and the next bar just above it. The crochet needle will be drawn towards the right, pulling the bar through and creating the next highest row's stitch. In the photo my fingers hold the crochet needle, so that I can use the other hand to photograph.

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