How to Fix a Dropped Stitch in Knitting

How to Fix a Dropped Stitch in Knitting

Searching for an easy-to-follow guide on how to fix a dropped stitch in knitting? Slipped stitches can tamper with the quality and appearance of your project, necessitating a smart fix to ensure you deliver exceptional knitted garments to your clients.

Your orders don’t have to delay due to one or a few dropped stitches; you can learn how to fix dropped stitches in knitting. This skill will help you give your projects a quick fix, delivering them on time. 

You can also incorporate woven labels and care labels to appeal to your customers more! This is how to fix a slipped stitch in knitting. Keep reading and watch this video.

What Do You Need to Learn How to Fix a Dropped Stitch in Knitting?

Image source: Spruce Crafts

The requirements for picking up slipped stitches vary depending on the pattern and the project. Below are the different tools and materials you need when fixing dropped stitches:

1. 1. Knitting Needles 

The knitting needles you use will determine how well your project will look and whether you will enjoy working on it. So, when choosing a set of needles, consider the best knitting needles for your skill level and project.

      2. Crochet Hook

A crochet hook helps you pull cross strands through a stitch fast. The hook also makes it easy for you to pick up loops without much challenge. Most knitters consider size US-F more suitable for fixing dropped stitches as it fits in small stitches.

      3. Embroidery Needle 

Image source: Jwewgr

Fixing a dropped stitch after binding off demands you weave in dangling yarn. The embroidery needle serves this purpose excellently.

      4. A Project With a Slipped Stitch

Searching for how to drop a stitch in knitting? You only need to slip off a stitch amid the row and continue knitting normally. This will provide a dropped stitch!

If you are following a new pattern, here is a guide on how to read knitting patterns. It will help you create a neat and top-quality garment.

Requirement	What to consider
Knitting needles	Quality Size Type
Crochet hook	Size Quality
Embroidery needle	Quality Size
A project with slipped stitch	Learn how to drop a stitch The number of dropped stitches

How to Pick Up Dropped Knit Stitch

Image source: Dummies

After enjoying knitting several rows in knit stitch, you realize you dropped a stitch. So, what should you do to ensure you have a neat project?

Before you start fixing the dropped stitch, start by getting all the necessary tools and materials ready. They include:

• • One crochet hook
  • One set of knitting needles
  • The project with a dropped stitch

If you have all the tools ready, here is a step-by-step guide on how to pick up a dropped knit stitch:

Step 1. Identify the Dropped Stitch

Start by identifying the position of the dropped stitch. For instance, you can see the eighth stitch, counting from the left in the image below. Beginners often feel disappointed when they drop stitches, but this is a common problem for all knitters.

Image source: Spruce Crafts

So, whether you are learning how to knit for the first time or an avid knitter, you are prone to dropped stitches. All you need to do is learn how to pick up stitches in knitting, and they will be in shipshape!

Step 2. Knit to the Dropped Stitch

What’s the position of your dropped stitch? 

After identifying the dropped stitch, knit till you get to that stitch. In our case, you will have to knit to the seventh stitch. At this point, you will have the dropped stitch sitting on the needle. 

Step 3. Insert Your Crochet Hook

Image source: Dummies

• • Take the crochet hook and insert it in the dropped stitch in a front-to-back direction.
  • Hook the loose horizontal yarn behind the dropped stitch.
  • Pull it through the dropped stitch to secure it.

Step 4. Continue to Fix the Stitch

The last thing you want to do is unravel your knitted project to fix several dropped stitches in your garment. Thanks to this technique, it also helps you fix dropped stitches. So, how do you fix many dropped stitches?

• • Repeat step 3 until you get to the row you are currently knitting. Then slip the resulting loop onto the right-hand needle and knit the picked-up stitch.
  • Complete knitting the row as usual

That’s how to fix a dropped stitch in knitting, and no one can notice that you had a slipped stitch. You can apply this method when following a guide on how to knit a scarf or shawl in a knit stitch.

How to Fix a Dropped Stitch While Knitting Purl Stitch

Image source: La Visch

Having a dropped stitch in purl knitting can be frustrating, especially if you‘ve worked your way up many rows. If you are using a guide on how to knit a blanket, here is how to fix dropped stitch knitting:

Method 1. How to Fix Dropped Stitches in Knitting with a Crochet Hook

Image source: Spruce Crafts

Step 1. Prepare all tools and materials

The materials required to perform this project are minimal, and they include:

• • Two knitting needles
  • One crochet hook
  • Knitting project with the dropped stitch. 

Step 2. Knit to the dropped stitch

After getting all the tools ready, identify the position of the loose stitch and knit normally until you get to it. Before you go to the next step, ensure that the purl side is facing you. 

Step 3. Insert the crochet hook

The position of the dropped loop varies depending on how many rows you knit before noticing the mistake. So while picking up a stitch closer to the top is easier, you can also apply this method to a stitch that runs down several rows.

• • To pick the first dropped stitch, insert the crochet into the loop in a back-to-front direction.

Step 4. Hook the cross strand

• • Using the crochet, hook the strand of yarn that is above the stitch
  • Loop the cross-strand with the hook facing up for easier picking

Step 5. Pull the yarn 

• • Pull the strand of yarn through the loop of the dropped stitch
  • While executing this, the first loop will slide off the crochet, and the cross-strand will create a new loop.

When performing this step, hold the loop with your non-dominant hand to keep it in place. The yarn can pull and push, replacing the right cross strand, so be keen to avoid pulling another strand.

Step 6. Work your way up and slide the stitch on the needle

• • If you have several dropped stitches, repeat steps 4 and 5 until you get to the current row. 
  • Take the stitch and slide it on the left-hand needle.

Most novice knitters get twisted stitches while fixing a dropped stitch, but you can avoid this by ensuring you place the stitch on the needle in the right direction. 

Step 7. Continue purling

When the stitch is back in place, you can continue purling to the end of the row. This method gives a fresh appearance to the dropped stitch; you can proceed to complete your project.

Whether learning how to join knitting in the round or trying out new patterns, you can apply this technique to create flawless garments for your loved ones or customers.

Method 2. How to Fix a Dropped Stitch in Knitting without a Crochet Hook

Image source: Dummies

Did you just slip a stitch in the previous row but don’t have a crochet hook to fix it? After learning how to cast on knitting and making great progress in your sweater project, it can be frustrating to realize you dropped a stitch in the previous row. 

Don’t unravel yet; you can fix the slipped stitch with your pair of knitting needles! Here is how to repair a dropped stitch in knitting without a crochet hook:

Step 1. Pick the slipped stitch with your left hand

• • While executing this step, ensure the cross strand is at the front. If it’s not, start by moving it forward.

Step 2. Insert the needle into the slipped stitch

• • Take your right needle and slide it through the dropped stitch in a back-to-front direction.

Step 3. Purl the slipped stitch 

• • Pull the bar through the stitch

Step 4. Slip the new stitch on the needle

• • At this point, you have rescued the stitch; slip it on the left needle and continue knitting as usual.

You can also apply this method if you have unraveled two rows. In such a situation, you will need to knit before you implement the above steps. 

While this method is fast and easy, it can only rescue dropped stitches in a maximum of two rows. Beyond that, you will need a crochet hook! 

Method	Advantages	Disadvantages
Method 1	It can fix numerous dropped stitches	You can’t perform it without a crochet hook It is only applied in purling
Method 2	It’s fast and easy. You don’t need a crochet hook to execute it.	You can only fix dropped stitches in two rows. It only applies in purling.

How to Fix a Dropped Stitch in Knitting; At the End of a Row

Image source: Interweave

Dropped stitches at the end of a row are not common. But when you take a break and forget to bunch your project to the pointed end, you may encounter them. This happens when one stitch slips off the needle and unravels down several rows; you need to fix it soon to avoid further damage.

At times you are not to blame, especially when your pet or kid decides to explore the projects but instead drops numerous stitches at the edge. So how do you fix a dropped stitch in knitting?

Step 1.

When an edge stitch drops and ravels down, you will have a large loop above a small loop keeping the edge intact. 

• • Start by inserting a crochet hook into the small loop from front to back.
  • Hold the large loop with some tension.
  • Using the crochet, pull the lower part of the large loop through the small loop to form a new stitch.

Step 2. 

• • Pull the upper part of the large loop again.
  • Pass it through the new stitch you made.
  • This will give you another stitch.

Repeat steps 1 and 2 until you get to the current row.

Step 3. 

After you make the last stitch, slip it on the knitting needle (left). When doing this, make sure the leading leg is at the front of the needle tip. You can also check out this method that entails pinning.

This technique is easy to follow, so you can apply it to your project whether you are learning how to start knitting or cast off knitting. 

Check out this video to learn more on how to fix a dropped stitch at the end of a row.

How to Pick Up a Slipped Stitch in Knitting After Binding Off

Image source: Allfreeknitting

Noticing a dropped stitch after binding off can be frustrating, especially if you are a novice knitter and followed a tutorial on how to cast off knitting. So, what should you do if the garment needs to be delivered to a client soon? 

Here is how to recover a dropped stitch knitting after binding off:

Step 1

• • Start by identifying the dropped stitch (it’s usually a loop at the bottom of the dropped stitch ladder).
  • Insert a small crochet hook into the loop in a front-to-back direction.
  • Ensure the ladder of stitches is behind this loop.

Step 2

• • Using the crochet hook, grab the first bar of yarn on the ladder.
  • Pull it through the slipped stitch from back to front.
  • Slide off the first stitch (dropped stitch).
  • Retain the bar you pulled through to make a new stitch.

Repeat step 2 until you’ve picked all the horizontal stitches and the slipped stitch is adjacent to the bind-off.

Step 3

• • Pick a stitch from the cast-off and pull it through the rescued stitch.
  • Another option is to hold the rescued stitch next to the bind-off and slip off the crochet hook.

Step 4. 

• • Thread a matching yarn on an embroidery needle.
  • Weave the yarn at the back of your project to keep it intact.

Step 5

• • Remove the crochet from rescued stitch 
  • Insert the embroidery needle into the stitch in a back to front direction.
  • Pull the yarn through to get a neat join.
  • Wrap the yarn behind and over the rescued stitch.
  • Weave it in and out the stitches behind your knitted garment.

If you are not familiar with weaving yarn, follow this guide on how to weave in ends knitting. It will help you leave your stitch secure and add a flawless appearance to your project. You can view this video for better comprehension.

Step 6

While the stitch is now secure, you might have some dangling yarn on your knitted garment. To complete the knitting process, cut the extra yarn and remove the embroidery needle.

This technique is suitable for picking up stockinette stitches. If you are knitting in purl stitch, you need to adjust how you pull the strand of yarn in the ladder through the dropped stitch; do it in a front-to-back direction. 

Does knitting with needles prove challenging to you? Here is a tutorial on how to finger knit. You can make numerous knitted garments with your hands only!

Conclusion

Some skills like learning how to count rows in knitting help you to complete your project. But how do you fix knitting mistakes like dropped stitches? Depending on your pattern and the number of dropped stitches, grab your project and the necessary tools, then follow the suitable method. You can also learn how to fix a knit stitch. So, which of these methods do you think will save your time?