Last night I had to “pull out” about 7 rows of a baby blanket with 187 stitches across (187 x 7 = )
and by “pull out” I mean slowly unknit every stitch because it was a complicated pattern with a lot of YOs, K2togs, etc. and I was afraid I would mess up the entire thing.
so I read that Amy had used her Boye’s interchangeables to automatically insert a lifeline as she knit - unfortunately I wasn’t using interchangeables, and mine are Denise’s anyway, so I’m not sure if they would do it -
ANYWAYs - instead I taped my life line to the part of the circ where it gets a little thinner, and then knit as usual and it worked! at the end of the row I had successfully inserted the line which made me feel a little better after making the mistake in the first place.
The only thing to be careful of is that your stitch markers will automatically get threaded onto the life line if you aren’t carefull - you should probably take them out as you knit with the life line and replace them on the next row - or use the kind that open - I should probably get those.
I’m sure the super smarty knitters have done this before but I though I would share my minor moment of glory.
I think when Amy does a lifeline with her interchangeables (and it WOULD work with Denises) She knits a row, removes the needle tips and replaces them with the “stoppers”, and uses a different cord with the needle tips to continue knitting. that way, if you have to frog, you can put the needle tips back on the lifeline cord and rip on out to there!
Another way to use a lifeline is to thread your tapestry needle with a contrasting yarn and insert it through the sts on your needle.
I was thinking about doing that with the Denise’s but I was afraid the cord would be too thick to knit off of with size 7 needles - would it still work? has anyone tried it?
Kelly - I knew about the tapestry needle but didn’t have one with me! so I went rummaging through my junk draw for a thin piece of wire, tried one of those garbage bag twisty ties (would NEVER have worked) and then saw the scotch tape!
but would you use the cord as the life line? wouldn’t that be a thick piece of material in the knit - i would be afraid it would stretch the stitches or something - I used a really thin piece of cotton
I knew about the tapestry needle but didn’t have one with me! so I went rummaging through my junk draw for a thin piece of wire, tried one of those garbage bag twisty ties (would NEVER have worked) and then saw the scotch tape!
I felt like MacGyver … hehe
I know how you feel! I’ve been know to use paperclips as tapestry needles. My dad thinks it’s hilarious. :oops:
I always tape my lifeline to my needle too – much less of a hassle than threading a tapestry needle, IMHO! I use dental floss…which reminds me, I really need to get some more…
My problem is that I DON"T ever think of using a life line–as MUCH as I have to rip things out!! I’m gonna have to make myself think of it!!! Sorry you had to rip back like that–it’s such a bother–I had to do a sock like that recently=–UGH! :shock:
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