Picking Up Dropped Stitches

How often have you been in the following position: you’re making great progress on your latest project until you realize the stitch count is off by one. On further inspection, you find a ladder of dropped stitches running down your work. What do you do? Don’t worry – and don’t panic or tear out your knitting! There’s a quick fix for this situation that won’t involve ripping out a single stitch.

Once you’ve identified a dropped stitch, place a locking stitch marker on the last completed loop to prevent any further unraveling – especially if you’re unable to make the repair right away. Then work in the established pattern (or slip stitches purlwise without twisting) until you reach the location of the dropped stitch. Now grab a crochet hook which is slightly smaller than the knitting needle size used in the project.

Repairing a Knit Stitch

Remove the marker and insert the hook into the loop from front to back. The loose strands or “rungs” of the ladder should be positioned above the hook. Capture the first strand and pull it down through the loop already on the hook. This has repaired one knit stitch. Repeat this step as many times as needed.

Repairing a Purl Stitch

This time insert the hook from back to front with the first “rung” of the ladder laying in front of the affected stitch. Work a purl stitch by drawing the strand up through the loop on the hook. Repeat these steps as required. Or here’s an even easier alternative to making a purl stitch repair: Simply turn the work around to the opposite side and do a knit stitch repair instead.

Once all the rungs of the ladder have been worked, slide the loop off the hook and onto the left hand needle. It is now ready to be worked or bound off normally. The work should appear as if the dropped stitch never occurred. However, should there be any unevenness in the work, wet blocking is sure to take care of it.