Knitting transforms humble yarn into a sweater, shawl, blanket, hat, home décor, etc. with a pair of knitting needles (in the case of double-pointed knitting needles, you’ll be needing five). Holes do not have a place in your labor of hard work, especially if you have not planned one like in the case of lace knitting patterns. Every hole in your knitted fabric is a cause of a knitting mistake. To prevent the hole, it is important to understand the mistake and know how to fix it. In this blog let’s walk you through the five common knitting mistakes that cause holes and tricks on how to fix them.
Yarn over top of the needle
When you knit, it is very important to position the yarn the right way. If the yarn stays over the top of the needle it appears that there are two stitches. When we assume so, we work them separately and create two stitches. Over the rows and rounds, the stitch that was formed because of the yarn over the top causes a hole in the knitted fabric. Also, you will find that the garment is slowly going sideways.
The only way to fix it is to unravel it to the point of the mistake. If you noticed a mistake in the row or round, you can tink (unknit) to the point of the mistake. If you have noticed it after many rows or rounds, use a lifeline so that you can save some of your work along the way. A lifeline can be threaded by a finishing needle by inserting it carefully between the stitches. And, when you unravel you do not lose other stitches.
Accidental Yarn Over
In knitting, you make stitches by bringing the yarn over. For a knit stitch the yarn stays behind your needle and in purl, the yarn comes to the front. If you are knitting a pattern with both stitches and forget to move the yarn you will find a hole appearing in the project.
To fix the mistake there are a few ways. If you notice the mistake in the same row, drop the yarn over. Loosen up adjacent stitches and then redistribute the yarn. If you have got to the next row unravel your work to the place of the mistake. To avoid the mistake in the future be careful when working with knit and purl, marking with stitch markers the change of the stitch in the pattern. You also need to avoid distractions when knitting.
Turning the Work
The most common knitting mistake that creates holes is turning the work mid-row. If you keep your project aside and then pick up to knit the wrong way, you’ll find a hole in the project. Affectionately referred to as the "Mommy Mistake", almost all knitters have made this error in their knitting.
The only way to fix this is to unravel it no matter where you spot it. The holes may be covered up with a finish needle and yarn but the rows won’t add up. But to avoid this in the future, never leave your project mid-row. If you have to leave, use a stitch marker or make a note in the pattern.
Knit Under the Strand
Knitting under the strand happens when the yarn has textures or variegated yarn. If your yarn has fine hair or multiple strands that are loosely woven you might face this issue.
Fixing this mistake is the same as fixing the accidental yarn over, you have to unravel it. Even if you manage the hole you will end up with extra stitches. A trick to avoid this is to use a fine-tip needle that does not pierce or tear the yarn.
Accidental Yarn over Variation
A common knitting mistake is that you insert the knitting needle into a stitch to knit, then wrap the yarn, but forget to pull the wrap through the stitch. This means we basically slip stitch. Without knitting or a similar measure, the stitch remains loose and creates a hole in the knitting project. A case of distracted knitting this mistake is a variation of yarn over or better be said the missing case of yarn over.
The trick to fix the mistake depends on where you noticed it. If you have just got to the next row, pull the wrap through and complete the stitch. If you don't notice the hole until further along, the only way is to unravel your work and fix it.
With this now you know the five mistakes that cause holes in your knitting and how to fix them.
Errors are just a part of knitting, so do not despair. With practice, you will avoid making the common mistakes that make unwanted holes in knitting. While the random holes in a project have nothing to do with knitting needles, it is recommended to use the best-quality needles that work best for you. Premium ebony wood knitting needles handcrafted by skilled artisans from the Lantern Moon collection offer a luxury knitting experience.
The Knitting Needlesk are a row of three stacks of chalk that rise approximately 30 m above sea level from the western end of the Isle of Wight in the English Channel, United Kingdom, close to Elum Bay, and part of Totland, the westernmost civil parish of the Isle of Wight.
The Needle Lighthouse stands at the outer, western end of the formation.
Built in 1859, it has been automated since 1994.
The water and surrounding seabird form part of the Needles Marine Conservation Area and up and along the shore are part of the Needles < 18 - Hayden Warren and West High Down Site of Special Scientific Interest.The formation takes its name from a fourth needle-shaped column called Lott's Wife, which collapsed in a storm in 1764.
The rest of the rocks are not needle-like at all, but the name has stuck.
