Dubh Croi -- the Dark Heart of Birdwell

by Birdwell

8/26/07

Lace Surgery

Most lace knitters are smart they put "life lines" every pattern repeat so when they make a mistake or drop stitches they have a life line to go back to. Since I am Birdwell and have an ego, I don't use line lifes...so when I drop a stitch then it's time for lace surgery.

First step, after the panic is to immediately put all the stitches back onto the needle, so no more stitch run away. If you look closely I did miss a few--put those on safety pins. Once all the stitches are back on the needle--take a breath. You don't need to fix it right then--the important thing is that the mess doesn't get any worse. Wait until you have some quiet and time. I actually waited till the next evening when the kids were passed out.

Next get out your tools. A pillow, pins, a few double pointed needles, a small crochet hook, patience, perservence, and the PATTERN. Pin the lace to the pillow where the trouble spot is.

Slip the affected area onto a double pointed needle. Spread the lace out and look at it. Compare it to the pattern find out where you are and what was dropped. You can put SSK and K2tog back by pulling a ladder through the two loops (left wise for k2tog and rightwise for ssk) using a crochet hook. You can also re-create YO from the ladders as well, by slipping the ladder over the needle like a YO.

The arrows show you ladders hiding behind a stitch. Use your crochet hook and pull the ladders through the knit stitches (slipping crochet hook through the front of the stitch and pulling the ladder through). You might need to use multiple double pointed needles to attack different sections of the knitted piece.

After you think you are done, put the stitches back onto one double point needle. Make sure all the stitches are picked up, comparing it to the pattern and looking for yarn stranded behind stitches.

Slip the stitches make onto the regular needle and continue knitting.

All fixed and you can't tell where I dropped all those stitches.

On the otherside: I realise that I should have taken pictures of me reconstructing k2togs...well next time--I will keep them in mind...because there will always be a next time.
Labels: knitting
6:16:00 PM -- Email -- Link -- 2 Comments

Main Page

2 Comments:

A little late on the commenting, a little late on the topic, too, as I was there with the reconstructing last night and your blog entry would have been comforting to have at my side... I will bookmark it and hold it for next time, though, because, as you say, there will always be a next time, lifeline or no.
Great post, thanks!

By SheepsPyjamas, at 5:12 PM