How To Fix A Dropped Stitch In Stockinette

A very common knitting mistake is a dropped stitch. So you may be wondering first of all what the heck it is and then what to do about it.

Sometimes a stitch just slips off your needle and you may not even notice until you've worked a few rows. 

Or maybe your knitting needles are really slippery and it just flew off the end. 

Eek! Oh my gosh, now what?  First of all, I know it's scary but it'll be okay.   

What happens is it creates a run in your knitting very much like a run in stockings.   

This Is What a Dropped Stitch Looks Like On Knit Side

It looks awful doesn't it and somehow it looks like a very big mistake because of the hole. Well it's actually very simple to fix.

If you follow the ladder down you'll find the wayward stitch at the bottom there just hanging out.  

It's amazing how one dropped stitch can make such a mess of things isn't it and it looks so bad. But the truth is, it looks much worse than it is. 

Knitting mistakes happen sometimes.  The good thing is, now you'll be prepared when it happens and you'll know how to fix it.

Before we start, go grab a crochet hook around the same size or even a little smaller than your needles. I'll wait.  

Fixing A Dropped Stitch On The Knit Side

Knit over to the spot where the dropped stitch is.  You want to knit all the way up to the right of it.

First photo. With your crochet hook push it through the dropped knit stitch from front to back. 

Second photo. Then hook the very first ladder onto the hook with the stitch.  Notice that the ladder is behind the stitch.

Left photo.  With your crochet hook bring the ladder of yarn through the stitch and like in the right photo pull it all the way through (right photo)

Then all you do is slip the fixed stitch back onto your left needle. I do it with my crochet hook but you can do it any way that you like.  

Make sure it's facing the right way so that you don't have a twisted stitch. 

The last photo on the right shows it all finished.  It sure looks better now doesn't it?  

This Is What A Dropped Purl Stitch Looks Like

The only difference is that you need to place the ladder (yarn) in front of the dropped purl stitch.

Note: Another option to fixing dropped purl stitches is to simply turn your knitting around to the knit side and fixing it that way. 

If you are working Stockinette stitch in particular it's a simple easy fix. I do that sometimes because it is a lot easier.

Sometimes though you may not be able to do that depending on what you're knitting.  

And it's also good to know how to fix a dropped purl stitch on the purl side. 

How To Fix A Dropped Purl Stitch

You will need to bring the ladder (yarn) to the front of the stitch, first photo,  and the hook goes into the dropped purl stitch from back to front, second photo.

Using the crochet hook bring that ladder through the dropped purl stitch (left photo) and pull it through (right photo).

Now you just want to place the stitch back onto the left needle.  Second photo.  All done.  Yippee.

It's really pretty easy isn't it? 

Now if the purl stitch dropped a few rows all you do is take the hook out of the stitch, put the ladder in front of the stitch and repeat my instructions for fixing it.

I have a wonderful video that will help you as well.  Please don't be put off by the length of it.   

It runs for approximately nine minutes but this wonderful gal shows you how to fix dropped knit stitches on Stockinette, dropped purl stitches on Stockinette and as well dropped garter stitches. 

Each segment is roughly three minutes and you'll be able to stop the video after each section.

How To Fix A Dropped Stitch Knitting Video

I hope this helps. Happy Knitting!

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