Confidence with Lace
You might be surprised to learn that fear of mistakes in lace is a pretty common theme in knitting. But once you’ve tackled fixing your lace, you’ll realize it’s probably not as scary as it may have seemed!
This post covers how to avoid mistakes, how to identify the mistakes that do occur, and how to fix them - from simple to complex.
Preventing mistakes
There are lots of small things you can do to help prevent mistakes in your lace knitting.
Use stitch markers between each repeated motif.
Many lace patterns that are worked flat have backside rows that are mostly knits/purls. These are a great place to count your stitches! Each time you're working across the backside (an even row in Knitrino) count the stitches in each repeat and make sure you have the right number between each marker. If you don't, pause to figure out why!
You can optionally use lifelines, which may make it easier in the event you do have to frog. If you do use a lifeline, it's good practice to always put them in every time the motif is repeated. If there's a row that has a central double decrease, try putting them in on the row after. Whatever you decide, we recommend long tapping on a stitch in the row where you add it, and make yourself a note so you'll have a visual reference of where you added it. Here's how to add a lifeline:
Identifying Mistakes
Uh-oh, you have a mistake! What could it be? First identify the type of problem you have from the list below, and then work through the relevant steps. Most of these videos show examples using the Solaris Wrap, but the process is the same regardless of what lace you're working.
Fixing Mistakes
1. Short a stitch
Follow these steps if you have a repeat that's short a stitch.
Count the stitches in the repeats on either side of the one that's short. Is there an adjacent repeat that has an extra stitch? If so, you probably had a yarnover escape over a marker. Just move the marker (or squish the yarnover back over the marker) to get the yarnover back into position.
Most likely scenario: If adjacent repeats have the correct number of stitches, most likely, you just forgot a yarnover. Check the motif against the pattern. When you find where the missing yarnover is, just lift up the yarn from the row below and place it on your holding needle, then work the stitch like it was there all along. The video below shows how to do this.
If you can't find a missing yarnover, check for an extra decrease. If you have an extra decrease, just undo it and rework the two stitches as individually with the yarn strand from the prior row. It'll probably be a little tight, but that's ok.
If you haven't found it yet, look for a dropped stitch, or a missing yarnover several rows down. If it's a dropped stitch, you'll need to work it all the way back up.
2. Hole in the Wrong Place
As long as you find the mistake within a few rows of making it, it's generally pretty easy to fix. Just drop the incorrect yarnover off your needle, and pick it back up where it's supposed to be, as shown in this video.
3. A Deeper Problem
If you make a mistake many rows down, try dropping down to fix it! If it doesn't work out, you can just frog it, and you're no worse off, but now you’ve had some practice!
In this video, we show how to drop down to a lifeline, but as long as you go one row at a time, you won't need the lifeline. You can always count the loose strands behind your work to figure out which row you're on.
More Help
You’re always supported with Knitrino patterns. If you’re working on a Knitrino pattern and need more assistance, get in touch. We’re always happy to help!
Ready to Give Lace a Try?
You’re invited to try one of the lace patterns in Knitrino. Solaris Wrap is an excellent choice for those new to lace knitting, and Kimberlite Pipes is just a small step up (due to the increases at the edges.) Those more experienced in lace will LOVE Verdant Stole.
Knitrino works on iOS and Android devices only, so click the links below from your phone to get the pattern in Knitrino. 👇