Can you "lock" your knitting?

#1

I’ve been working on a lace stole and wouldn’t you know it, I dropped a stitch and didn’t notice it right away. By the time I did, it was so far down it wasn’t fixable (with the decreases and yos and such to figure out) that I frogged the whole thing and started over.

So, I wonder, is there a way to “lock” your knitting so that if you mess up you can frog back to a certain point and then pick up stitches? I’m thinking like maybe pulling a piece of scrap yarn through live stitches on the needle and then leaving it at that spot when you continue on, moving it up periodically.

Is that possible?

#2

It’s not only possible, it’s called a lifeline. If you look under the Free Videos tab at the top of the page, Fixing Mistakes, Inserting a lifeline, you’ll find exactly the technique you describe. Good luck with the lace stole!

#3

Lifeline, lifeline, lifeline. Best thing ever. Especially when working with lace. OMG. The number of times I have saved my own butt using a lifeline.

#4

:muah:

That is SO good to know. I’d have saved myself two weeks of work! Curses!