I’ve been working in the feather and fan dishcloth and it’s a pretty easy pattern that I’ve pretty well got memorized now. Problem is I’m sick of playing froggy with it! I’ve started over about 4 times now!! :wall: This time I thought I was doing so well and then I find I messed up about 6 or 7 rows back…a couple dropped stitches and with the detail in this pattern it is impossible to fix so here I go again! Does anyone else have to start over a lot? Especially when they are new at this? I love knitting, but I’m about ready to rip my hair out!! 
Arrrgghhh! Please tell me I'm not alone!
You’re not alone!!
Something about dishcloths-- they’re so small, so easy, so oops! Ribbit.
Seriously, after frogging the same dishcloth for the third time, I switched to making sweaters. I’ve never had that same trouble with the sweaters (mistakes that “ruined” the piece, or that couldn’t be undone). I guess because the stakes are higher, I tend to pay better attention.
I swear I’m going to go back and finish that dishcloth someday. I can’t let it get the better of me!
:doh:
I LOVE knitting lace…but there’s something about the first pattern repeat. Every time I have started a new piece, I am CONVINCED that there is a pattern mistake (ask Ingrid…she probably rolls her eyes every time I start something new) because I NEVER end up with the right st count the first time. I ALWAYS have to start over a couple times before I get it right. And, I usually found out I was making some STUPID mistake, like misinterpreting the decrease instructions or some goofy thing like that. I have quickly learned to count my sts after EVERY row! You are NOT alone!
I didn’t roll my eyes because my first set-up row of any lace or cable pattern tends to give me a problem. With color patterns I’ve had problems, too, but I’ve learned to check more often–because it’s easier too. When my first row is k/p type of stuff, it’s harder to see what I’ve done on the first row. It is my nemesis.
For a washcloth that’s causing perpetual problems, switch to another one. Get some knitting satisfaction rather than frustration!
I’m always saying just once I’d like to start something and not have to frog it!! I didn’t have to frog my sweater but thats just cause my teacher was like noo we can work with that its ok if your stitch off cause of your yarn don’t rip it… Or I’d prolly still be :XX: the yoke section lol… I’ve been told I think to hard on it and should just do it… if i have a mistake that can be ‘fudged’ later leave it :rollseyes:
I’ve finally learned to give each row or round a quick double check before continuing in pattern…it only takes a split second and has become habit and certainly has helped with the quantity of my tinking!
Thanks everyone! Nice to know I’m not alone. I was checking regularly, but NOT every row which I should obviously have done. I would just stuff it and not worry about a “little” mistake, but this is a big one that would eventually leave a gaping hole. :rollseyes: I am determined to finish ONE project! But maybe I’ll try another pattern. :lol:
Well, I decided I had nothing to lose by ripping it out to the slipped stitches so that’s what I did. I got it back on the needles, but of course didn’t know at what point I was in that pattern. Sooooo I did one row…didn’t look right so ripped it out again. I tried another one and that didn’t look right…tried again and now it looks pretty good! I just had one more error of one too many stitches at one point, but I said forget it and just incorporated it into the k2 together. You can tell, but it’s not a glaring mistake. Yeah, almost done now!
You are SO, SO not alone, I think most of us are pretty picky when it comes to our creations. The good news is that as you become more experienced, the mistakes get less and less frequent, or so I am told :rofling: I am still making them pretty frequently.
At least you’re (very wisely) working with a yarn that’s easy to frog – ever tried to do it with a mohair blend?? I tossed the whole project and put that yarn away for when I have more experience. It’s darn near impossible to get that stitch out!!
Hang in there, it gets better!!
If its any consolation, I just spent an entire evening knitting sleeves and then taking them out. In intarsia. I realized that there was just too much chart to follow to do both at once, so I slipped one off. Then I decided that I had “cheated” too much and had carried yarn across the back more than I should have. So I ripped it out to the ribbing and started over, and I’m so, so glad I did. I’m doing it ‘right’ this time even though it involves attaching lots of strands of yarn, but it will be so much better in the end. Sometimes it’s worth it and sometimes its not. This is one of the times it’s best to decide to just do it right.
Ahh, Honey–YOU"RE NOT ALONE!! I have frogged so many socks I can frog in my sleep…now if I could just KNIT in my sleep–I could catch up~! :XX:
I have ripped out so much that my middle name is frog. The hat I just finished I was at the decreasing part and saw that I had somehow put a yarn over in it and ended up starting over. I ended up going down a smaller size and the hat is still a little big but it won’t mess up my hair this winter. So sometimes frogging is a good thing.
Robin
I just knit and reknit the begining of the Lucy Bag pattern from Two Old Bags. At the end of about 4 hours effort I had nothing in my hand but a ball of yarn. But! I had also figured out how the pattern was really supposed to go. In the end, if you don’t frog you will probably torture yourself about 5 times as long as it would have taken to frog it and do it the right way. Btw, have you considered using a lifeline so that you don’t have to absolutely go back to the begining? My sympathies, believe me I feel your pain. 
Jeremy…a lifeline? What’s that in relation to knitting?
Thanks all! I’m feeling much better now that I’m not alone. 
Jan,
A lifeline is a piece of contrasting yarn that’s treaded through a row you know is right, so if you have to rip back you only have to go that far.
There’s a demo under basic techniques - more - fixing mistakes in the video section of KH. It’s a great idea, especially on complicated patterns or lace. I just use a tapestry needle and lightweight yarn like fingering weight, or sometimes even heavy button thread, and slide it along the bottom of my needle on the finished row.
When you get farther into the pattern you just put in another lifeline closer up to the top of the work and pull the old one out.
It’s also great if you have to take your knitting off the needles for some reason!
Happy Knitting :XX: :XX:
Mary
Well that’s a great idea! Thanks, Mary! I think I would also write down which row it is, too. That was part of my problem since I didn’t know which row to knit next even though I’d managed to rip and put my needles on again. 
Froggin is just the way of life grasshopper…