Knitting Mistake--Yikes, I Messed Up a Knitted Cable Some Rows Back!

Knitting mistake--I forgot to cross a cable two rows back.

Cables can be such fun–until you make a knitting mistake. Maybe you crossed one the wrong way and didn’t notice until you knitted rounds and rounds on top of the mistake. Maybe you forget to cross one at all. Do you rip out all your work? Ignore the mistake and hope no one notices? Here’s a better way you might try, complete with a video.

Locate and isolate the error.

Yes, you have umpty stitches on the needle. Most of them are happy, correct, and well-behaved as angels. It’s just those two, four, six, eight or however many stitches that need their attitudes adjusted. Knit till you reach the problem stitches.

Count how many rows ago the mistake happened.

If the mistake occurred two rows or rounds ago, it’s easy-peasy. Whether the mistake happened two rows or two inches down, the process works the same. If it’s many, many rows, choose a time slot where you won’t be interrupted before you start your repair.

Look for the column of stitches above the mistake.

A column of stitches stands on top of each wrong stitch. Isolate the stitches that stand on top of the wrong stitches down below. If three stitches should have crossed over three stitches, choose the six stitches above the ones needing fixed in a row however far below.

Warning.

If you’ll encounter increases or decreases along the way down to the error, don’t use this method. It’s much too confusing. I always rip and redo in such a case.

Deep breath, now pull those topmost six stitches off your needle.

I know it looks scary. Don’t panic. Slide your good stitches far away from the tips of your right hand and left hand needles so they stay put.

We’ll work with the six stitches now hanging loose. With another needle or a crochet hook, reach between two of those loose stitches and pull the yarn up and out of those six stitches.

You now have a loop of yarn and six new loose stitches from one row below.

Pull the yarn out of the next row, counting as you go until you reach the row where you’ll correct the cable crossing. Slide a knitting or cable needle into those six stitches you want to correct. Now they’re secure. Phew!

Is this a mess or what?

Yes, I know. Your knitting now looks horrible with a column of crinkled yarn loops like a big fat hosiery run from the six stitches on your bottom needle all the way up to the other stitches way up there on your other needles.

No worries. You’re doing great. Now cross that doggone cable.

Dip your original needle tips down so you can work the cross on those six stitches like you wish you’d done originally. Or, if you have spares, use another couple knitting needles the same size as the ones you’re knitting this project with.

Got your cable crossed right? Good!

Did you find reknitting the last two stitches tricky with the smaller loop of yarn? Are you surprised when you see the loose tension on the last stitch?

As you slide each of those six newly-worked stitches from your right needle to the left, give it a tug like you’re stretching elastic between the needles. This adjusts the yarn evenly along the six stitches.

Now locate the yarn loop directly above the stitches you just worked.

Making sure you use the bottom loop of yarn, knit the six stitches. Slide them onto the left needle, redistributing the yarn to adjust any loose or tight stitches.

Rinse and repeat.

Always making sure you use the bottom loop of yarn, knit six stitches, slide them back, grab the next loop and knit the stitches again. You work one row up each time. Check the back to ensure you haven’t skipped a loop.

If your pattern wants the cable crossed again on your way back upstairs, take care you do it on the correct round or you’ll be back downstairs reworking it.

Are you back on the top row?

Yay! Does everything look right now? Every stitch and cable crossing knitted right? No missed yarn loops on the back? Yes?

Now you can proceed knitting your cabled project just as if no cable crossing error ever happened. There’s no longer a knitting mistake–and you didn’t have to rip out entire rows of otherwise good knitting on umpty stitches. Yippee!

I made a video showing this process of how to fix a messed up cable a quicker way.

Best,

Karen

P.S.

This is the first sleeve for my Elizabeth Zimmermann 100th birthday celebration Aran sweater I’m designing.

I’m having great fun despite many errors needing fixed. One must pay attention to Aran or else! Thus, I learned this quicker way to fix mistakes. I get so tired of being stupid.

Hope this post and video help you. Not that YOU make knitting mistakes.