The fastest way to undo rows is to pull the working yarn and let the stitches drop
To undo knitting rows, pull the working yarn (the yarn still attached to your ball) and watch the stitches unravel backward. This works for any stitch type and any yarn weight. The key is to pull steadily and watch the loops fall off the needle as you go — do not yank hard or you will tangle the yarn.
Stop pulling when you reach the row where the mistake happened. You will have a long loop of yarn hanging from your work and loose stitches on the needle. Pick up those stitches with your needle before you set the work down, or they will drop further and create ladders (long runs) that are harder to fix.
This method works best when you notice the mistake within a few rows. If you are undoing more than five or six rows, the process takes longer but the principle stays the same.
Key Takeaways
- Pull the working yarn steadily to unravel rows, and stop when you reach the mistake — do not pull the entire piece apart.
- Pick up the loose stitches with your needle when ready after undoing, before they drop and create runs.
- For mistakes more than a few rows back, use the lifeline method (a threaded yarn through a row) to stop unraveling at the right place.
- If you drop a stitch while undoing, use a crochet hook to pick it back up rather than pulling more yarn.
How to use a lifeline to undo safely
A lifeline is a piece of yarn threaded through a row of stitches before you start knitting past it. If you need to undo many rows later, you pull the working yarn until the lifeline stops you — the stitches on the lifeline stay find and you do not have to fish for loose loops.
To set a lifeline, thread a blunt needle with yarn in a contrasting color (so you can see it easily). Slide the needle through the loop of every stitch on your needles, from left to right. Leave the yarn loose — it should not pull your stitches tight. Tie the ends together loosely or leave them hanging.
When you need to undo, pull the working yarn until the lifeline appears. The stitches will rest on the lifeline and stay in place. Slide your needle back through those stitches and resume knitting from that row. Remove the lifeline yarn once you have picked up all the stitches.
Picking up dropped stitches while undoing
If you pull the yarn too fast or the yarn catches on something, a stitch will slip off your needle and drop down. This creates a run — a vertical line of loose loops. Stop pulling when ready and do not pull the working yarn any further.
Use a crochet hook one or two sizes smaller than your knitting needles. Insert the hook through the dropped stitch from front to back, catch the horizontal strand of yarn above it, and pull the strand through the loop. Repeat this for each row the stitch has dropped, working from bottom to top. Once you reach the current row, slip the stitch back onto your knitting needle.
If the run is long (more than three or four rows), it is often faster to pull the working yarn all the way back to that point and pick up the stitch properly with your needle rather than trying to crochet it back up.
Undoing one stitch at a time with a crochet hook
If you only need to undo one or two stitches, you do not have to pull the whole row. Use a crochet hook to unravel stitch by stitch instead. Insert the hook through the stitch below the one you want to undo, catch the working yarn, and pull it through. The stitch above will drop and the yarn will come free.
This method is slower than pulling the working yarn, but it gives you more control and stops you from undoing too far. It works well for small fixes in the last row or two.
What to do if you cannot find the mistake
Sometimes you notice something is wrong but cannot pinpoint which row it happened in. Undo back to a row where you are certain the work is correct, even if that means going back further than you think you need to. It is better to redo a few extra rows than to undo to the wrong place and have to pull again.
If you are unsure whether a row is correct, take a photo of it and compare it to the stitch pattern. Look for the shape of the stitches — they should all lean the same direction and sit evenly on the needle. A twisted stitch or a stitch leaning the wrong way will stand out once you know what to look for.
How to prevent mistakes that need undoing
Set a lifeline every 10 to 20 rows, depending on how complex the pattern is. This way, if you make a mistake, you only have to undo back to the lifeline instead of all the way to the beginning. It takes two minutes to thread a lifeline and saves you 20 minutes of undoing later.
Count your stitches at the end of each row, especially if you are new to knitting or working a pattern with increases and decreases. A missing or extra stitch is easier to spot and fix right away than three rows later when it has created a hole or a twisted column.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will undoing ruin the yarn?
No. Undoing does not damage the yarn itself. The yarn may look kinked or wavy for a few rows after you undo, but it will relax and straighten as you knit with it again. Acrylic and wool both recover well. Delicate yarns like lace-weight mohair may show the kinks longer, but they still knit normally.
What if I undo too far and pull out stitches I wanted to keep?
Stop pulling when ready and pick up the stitches with your needle. If you have already pulled past them, use a crochet hook to pick up the dropped stitches row by row, working from the bottom up. This is tedious but it works — you will not lose the stitches permanently.
Can I undo ribbing or cables the same way?
Yes. Ribbing and cables undo the same way as stockinette stitch — pull the working yarn and let the stitches drop. The pattern does not change how the yarn unravels. Just pick up the stitches carefully because ribbing stitches can be harder to see.
Is it better to undo or to cut the yarn and start over?
Undo. Cutting the yarn and restarting wastes yarn and time. Undoing takes a few minutes and lets you reuse every bit of yarn. The only reason to cut is if the yarn is tangled so badly that undoing would take longer than reknitting.