I have been revising the KH videos and watched the one about inserting the needle in your work BEFORE you rip back. This had never occurred to me but as I always seem to drop stitches when I rip back and reinsert the needle I think I should give it a try.
What method do you prefer?
Irishmam
I rip back to the row above where the one I want on the needle, then insert the needle while pulling out the sts one by one. This works very well for me and not as tedious as inserting the needle into an already knit row, less chance of twisting or missing a stitch.
I prefer the security of inserting the needle before ripping, but frankly, I’m not very good at figuring out exactly where it goes. I tend to either miss stitches or get a stitch from one row and then one on the next.
So, even if I do put it in first, I often still end up having to either pull it out and start over, or I end up having to untwist every stitch or pick up dropped ones anyway.
Hi!
interesting topic!
Well, I have seen the instruction about putting the needle in before… and I have tried on a little piece before. But no… not so much my thing.
I mostly do it like suzee does: rip to 1 row before and pick the stitches up as I go.
As for twisting the stitches: I am a master at that whenever I have to pick them up floating somewhere. But I always either get them right or twist them the same way (reversed with front and back loop). No more twisting than that. So I do not bother but just knit them off through the back loop when I get to them - or if I need them for something like a cable or lace then I do turn them around as I get to them.
If you DO put the needle in before: use a very small one, so you do not stretch the stitches too much and get it in easily. This, though, is a problem with yarn that tends to split or that you can easily poke through.
I have become pretty quick at inserting my needle into the stitch as I unravel. Guess that takes lots of practice huh? LOL The only time I don’t frog that way is if I have to rip out rows - then I’ll just rip and go back and pick up. And yes I always get my stitches twisted too when I do that.
Yep, just practice. And with practice at knitting, you won’t have to rip back as much… 
Don’t worry about the twisted stitches, just get them on the needle, then you can untwist them or ktbl as you come to them.
good that you all do it this way…
my unraveling is usually for several rows. If I just have to go back stitches or several sections… I just knit backwards for that.
I’ve become a master of ktbl because of twisted ripped stitches.
I do the same thing as Suzee if I’m knitting lace, but otherwise I usually just rip back and then pick everything up (this works best with wool).
Being able to read your knitting really helps when you are re-orienting the stitches.
Being able to read your knitting really helps when you are re-orienting the stitches.
I totally agree! That is my first priority in knitting / teaching something about knitting: Learn to see what you just did / what there is!
:woohoo: I didn’t even know it was possible to insert a needle before frogging it… Woohoo!! learned something new today!