Did you ever take scissors to your knit item?

I’ve been knitting this baby blanket for too long now, and this morning, trying to sew panels together, I noticed that the third panel is longer than the others.
So, trying to stretch doesn’t work, I attempted to find the end so I can rip out a few rows. Couldn’t tell which was the end, which the beginning of this panel.
So, after many attempts and frustration building, I cut a few rows off with scissors -[I] without first inserting a knitting needle in the rows I want to keep[/I]. Yikes.

So currently, it looks like this:

I’ve run out of the blue yarn too…stupid, stupid cutting.

I guess I don’t understand knitting enough to be able to see where to pick up the stitches in a full remaining row, so I can insert a needle.

Should I give up knitting? or try to find a class where I can see, with my own eyes, how stitches fit together? (I thought I did know…)

Laugh, or cry with me, as you wish.

The Tips page has videos on Fixing Mistakes including reinserting your needle. What you could have done is just cut one stitch in the last row and unraveled it. You can use the yarn you cut off if you need to use more blue yarn. As you knit look at how the sts are formed and fit together, and that should help you understrand it.

Well, I’ve certainly WANTED to take scissors to my knitted and crocheted projects. Usually, though, I just rip out with gusto to vent my frustration!!!

Anywhoo! Although this is discouraging, I suspect you might can salvage it. After all, you should be able to pull the yarn back now until you get a nifty little row of loops where you could insert a new needle. Then, do as Sue suggested and use the cut off yarn to get the length you need. You may have several ends to weave in, but that’s doable, right?

A class might help you, but then again it might not since they might be too focused on how-to’s rather than a discussion of how stitches are formed. You might instead look for some good books on the subject.

By the way, I still struggle with understanding how stitches are formed and what they look like after I’ve made them and stacked other stitches on top of them. For me, learning what they look like and how they behave has come with time.

Good point about classes only teaching sts, not the structure.
Techknitter’s blog is really good, she explains a lot about the properties of stitches and other cool stuff including fixing and preventing mistakes.

Should I give up knitting?.

Oh, no, don’t give up knitting.

Laugh, or cry with me, as you wish.

If I laugh, it’s only because I can see me doing something similar, it does make me want to cry.

Sounds like you got good advice/info above, I can only offer sympathy. I hope you get it fixed up satisfactorily, and quickly.

Thank you!

I got it fixed up, and am ready to crochet the last panel on now…hope i get both seams on the same side, not like last time. at least they’re all the same length now. I must also remember to put the striped panel in the middle, not as in pic here.

Bravo! Hurray! Way to go! Thunderous applause!

What a beautiful blanket and mega kudos to you for your perseverance! I’m so happy you were able to get this fixed to your satisfaction!

This is working out beautifully. You are now a pro at fixing mistakes and especially length adjustment surgery. It’s a lovely blanket in such soft colors. It’ll be fun to see it all together with the panels in order. Nicely done, you!

and during an insomnia attack last night, from 3 to 5 AM, I did two sides of the crocheted edging (bottom and right side).

I also had an AWE-FULL realization: asking myself why the heck I’m making so many mistakes with this, and taking so long…I understood that: [B][I]I don’t want to let go of this project[/I][/B] - been enjoying it too much! I’ve even been agonizing over making the edging wider…sheesh, caught on to my own tricks…
Besides, the darn yarn cost me 3 times what I thought it might. (was supposed to be $50 mail-order, but I got slapped with unexpected ‘border-crossing fees’, duty, and taxes, so in the end I had to fork over $150 for these precious balls. Not shown are 3 other colors (6 balls) I bought too, same yarn but in bright jewel colors, which I gave to my d-i-l.

Well, I’d better get busy and find something equally fun to love.

It’s now 10:30AM, Saturday. Drizzling rain all night, cold outside. I want to finish this edging so I can take the blanket to my father’s Retirement home (attached to nursing home Mom was in), so I’m knitting. It’s a gift for one of his favorite workers there, who had a baby last September.

I swear I’m not doing this on purpose!..the yarn end I’m working with suddenly pulled out of the ball and is cut. This was a ball a friend gave me, I suspect she had knit with it and unravellled it, rewound it.
Not to be daunted, I grabbed a fresh end and continued knitting.

but now there isn’t enough to crochet with unless I rewind the ball…but it’s knotted. Need to stop now and untangle the tangle.

Ever have days like this?

and a new thought: [I]maybe the blanket doesn’t want to leave me[/I]? (just kidding)

Blankey done!
…and ready to wash, block…then I simply MUST give it away (but don’t want to…I want to crochet around edge one more time…backwards sc, so as to firm up the edge). Or am I stalling?

Oh, wow! The finished blanket is lovely indeed! I love the way the border is all ruffly looking. I vote to wash it, block it, and get it to the intended recipient. Seeing how pleased she is might help with the empty feeling, too.

Then find something else to work on! That’s always a fun thing to look forward to, right?

Oh I hope so, Antares. I grew far too fond of this little baby blanket…and me with no grandchildren to give it to! But my Dad, in a retirement home, would be happy to give it to one of the young women who works there; she had a baby in September.

Now I want to make a beautiful cowl for my d-i-l who is currrently suffering swollen glands in her neck…a mystery even her doctor can’t answer of yet. Worrisome.

now off to search for cowl patterns.

Good for you! You’re looking for another pattern to start, and that’s a great way to make parting with the finished project more bearable!

Sorry to hear about your daughter-in-law, and yeah, that [I]is[/I] worrisome!

I love it, Woodi! I kind of like the edge curly like that! :thumbsup: