How to Fix a Dropped Cast On Stitch

I feel like if you knit long enough you’ll make every possible mistake that a knitter can make. And while it might feel like no one possibly could have done that same boneheaded thing you just did, I can guarantee you someone has done it before. And probably someone else has done it and written a blog post or made a video to show you how to fix it.

I don’t exactly remember how I managed to drop a cast on stitch, but I’m sure I was just pushing the stitches too far too fast on my needles and one of them fell off. I know it’s happened more than once.

If your cast on isn’t that long it’s not a huge deal to just rip it out and start over, but if your cast on is vast (especially if you’ve already knit most of your first row, too) you probably don’t want to use that option.

Patty Lyons is coming to out rescue, as she so often does, with a post over at Modern Daily Knitting explaining exactly how to pick up a cast on stitch you’ve dropped. This method works for a long tail cast on, which I feel like is what most people do most of the time so it should be pretty helpful to know this method.

Taking the time to understand what’s happening in a cast on or when working different stitches is super important to building your confidence as a knitter and a fixer of mistakes, because when you know what the yarn is doing it’s a lot easier to re-create that when you need to fix a mistake. And of course the closer we can get to what would be happening to the yarn if we were knitting normally, the less obvious the fix is going to be.

In this case if you take your time to do it right, it won’t be visible at all. How great is that?

[Photo via Modern Daily Knitting.]

Next Pattern:

Blankets are a great blank slate project that you can change up in a million different ways. From color to stitch pattern to size, the possibilities are almost endless.

Jared Flood, the designer behind Brooklyn Tweed, was inspired by a log cabin quilt his mother made in 1995 to re-create that design in knitting, which led to more blankets and ultimate Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit and Crochet Blankets, which includes 25 patterns from an array of designers using different skills and techniques to make cozy, pretty blankets.

The patterns are divided into three aesthetic themes: traditions, minimalism and colorplay. The patterns are rated on a scale of one to five, with one being the easiest, and there aren’t any pieces rated five. Two blankets are rated one, 14 are two, eight are three and one is four.

In addition, three of the 25 patterns are crocheted, but they either use single crochet or granny stitch, so they are pretty easy even if you don’t do a lot of crochet. You can see all the patterns on Ravelry.

Some of my favorites include Rattan by Rastus Hsu, a chunky blanket worked in knits and purls with simple crossing stitches to make a raised woven look; Homewood by Seth Richardson, covers in dramatic, loopy cables; Ainur Berkimbayeva’s Tessellate, one of the beginner projects that doesn’t really look beginner but is totally worked in knit and purl stitches; Warp + Weft by Aist? Butkevi?ien?, which is mostly knits and purls but makes a fun woven look fabric that blew my mind a little bit; and the same designer’s Canyonland, a multicolored blanket with wavy stripes.

The patterns tell you how to resize them for different dimensions and include information on pattern repeats where it is possible to make a totally custom size.

Many different techniques are included here such as cables, lace, shadow knitting, intarsia and other colorwork techniques, as well as modular knitting and lots of sewing pieces together. The patterns are all presented with charts, but there are line by line written instructions available on the Brooklyn Tweed website if you need them.

The book ends with a deep dive into log cabin knitting, telling the story of the quilt Jared’s mom made and how he made it in knitting, as well as the multitude of variations you can make if you want your own log cabin style design.

The back of the book includes a little written information about some of the special techniques needed, but there are no photos.

This is a lovely book full of inspiration for knitting and crochet blankets for any skill level. If you like to make blankets as gifts or aspire to have a handmade blanket in every room of the house, these designs would be a great place to start.

About the book: 192 pages, paperback, 25 patterns. Published 2024 by Abrams Books, suggested retail price $24.99.

Next Pattern:

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