Fixing a Dropped Selvedge Stitch--Stockinette

I have spent the week recovering from TNNA and sending out emails to the yarn companies I talked to about the Yarn Tasting.  The meeting was a lot of fun.  Everyone I talked to was very enthusiastic about the event and wanted to be a part of it.  I am trying to stay ahead of the preparations.  This is the tip of the iceberg.  There are 80 balls of each yarn.   I will be hauling all of this up to Zanesville next week.  We are doing some promotional photographs.  I've taken care with the tags.  I thought originally I'd use some sort of hang tag but those have a tendency to get tangled.  Good thing I find all of this relaxing!




STUDENT NEWS
I came home to quite a few lessons.  I think everyone is finishing up before it gets too hot.  Keep them coming!


TIP OF THE WEEK
This weeks tip is how to pick up a dropped selvedge stitch in stockinette.  (Next week I will do garter stitch).  It can seem like a nightmare when this happens.  You generally don't notice it until you are several rows away.  As with all "fixes", it is mixed bag.  Yes, you can fix it but the tension may not be what you want.  I always try to fix it first, then stand back and decide if it looks good enough.


This photograph shows a dropped selvedge stitch.  Unlike a dropped stitch in the center of the row where there is a clear "ladder" for each row, the selvedge stitch uses two rows for the fix.  The problem is that the yarn you need to fix the mistake is now in the new selvedge stitch.
 

The first step is to rip out the new selvedge stitch.  The loops in this photograph represent two rows.  Be sure to place the live stitches on some type of holder.  You will work with them individually.



You have to fix the selvedge stitch first.  Take care that the loops don't get twisted.  Use a crochet hook to pull through the lower part of the loop into the selvedge stitch.  Take care not to pull too tightly.  You will need some slack for the stitches in the next column.  Then pull the top of the loop through the selevedge stitch.  You have used one loop to create two rows.



Don't worry too much if the selvedge is ugly.  Selvedges are always ugly unless you use a selvedge treatment.  Just make sure that there are visible ladders between the selvedge and the third stitch in.  You still have to pick up another column of stitches.

This photograph shows the problem with this fix.  Since you dropped the stitch, the amount of yarn you have to create the new stitch is limited.  Notice how pinched and ugly the stitches are.



Don't panic yet.  You can use a tapestry needle to pull excess yarn from the stitches to the left to try and improve the appearance of the stitches close to the selvedge.  I did that for the swatch in the photograph below.  Is it perfect? No, but it isn't so ugly that I would have to rip out all of the rows.  Try the fix first and then determine if you have to rip it out.  Here is the video:  Dropped Selvedge Stitch

 


KNITTING SALON
Saturday is the last Met HD Broadcast.  The opera is Rossini's La Cenerentola.  It is the Cinderella story sans mice and birds.  I've never seen it and I am looking forward to it.  Salon will be on Sunday from 2-5.


CURRENT PROJECTS
I am working on socks for summer birthdays.  I wound up frogging the pair of baby bee socks and I gave the yarn to a friend.  It suited her color perfectly.  I wound up going with a yarn from HiKoo--American Brand.  It is rambouillet wool and wonderful to work with.  After fooling around for a couple of days with stitch patterns, decided to use this one.  I'm calling it Illuminati because of all of the interlocking triangles.  That is what everyone is getting this summer.