How to Fix a Wrongly Knitted Stitch

Last Updated: October 3, 2019 Tested

Even experienced knitters sometimes mistakenly knit a purl stitch or purl a knit stitch. Don't despair and don't unravel the whole row. Try this fix first.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:
Dropping Method

1
Drop the stitch immediately above the one to be changed.
2
Allow it to ladder down to this stitch.

Advertisement
3
Use a crochet hook to work back up to the needle again.

Advertisement

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:
Continuation Method

1
This is a good method if you are a ways a long and have just noticed that you have an incorrect stitch.
2
Place a marker next to the incorrect stitch.
3
Continue knitting in the pattern until you reach the incorrect stitch again.
4
Pull the stitch above the column where the incorrect stitch is off the needle. Pull off the stitches until you get to the incorrect one. Correct with a crochet hook or your fingers, until the whole column of stitches is repaired.
5
Place the stitch back onto the needle.
6
Pat yourself on the back for fixing your mistake, and keep knitting.

Advertisement

Community Q&A

Question

My error is about 14 rows back, and there is a combo of knit and purl stitches in the pattern. How do I know how to make each repaired stitch a knit or purl?

Community Answer

If it's only one or two stitches, drop them back individually and use a crochet hook to knit or purl you way back to the top. If it is the pattern, you may have to revel back to that row.