Picking Up a Dropped Stitch in Garter Stitch

Use a Crochet Hook

While a dropped stitch can be repaired with the tips of your knitting needles, it’s much easier to work the dropped stitch with a crochet hook. Mary Beth demonstrates how to use both knitting needles and a crochet hook to fix the stitch, but a crochet hook is her preferred method. The gauge of the crochet hook or knitting needle isn’t too important; however, using one that is the same size or slightly smaller than the knitting needle you are knitting with is best. Using a slightly smaller hook or needle makes it easier to get between the strands of yarn to repair the dropped stitch.

Fixing a Dropped Stitch

To repair the dropped stitch, first catch the dropped loop before it unravels to the cast-on. Place the stitch on the crochet hook or needle. Carefully give your knitting a tug from side to side. This allows you to better see the strands of yarn that need to be picked up and worked into stitches. Each strand will be picked up, and it’s important that they are picked up in the correct order. The crochet hook or needle is then worked from front to back or back to front, depending on the row, to pick up the stitch and maintain the garter stitch patterning. Mary Beth also shares some tips on how to recognize that the stitch is being picked up correctly in garter stitch.