# How to unknit a whole row the easy way



## fgould (Jun 5, 2011)




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## Christine Dix (Jan 31, 2011)

always amazed at what we can learn from our fellow knitters :thumbup: :thumbup: thanks for sharing


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## jtkdesigns (Mar 13, 2012)

Wow thank you so much this is alot easier than knitting backwards and making sure your stitches are straight and not twisted... Thank you Thank you 


Rene


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## fgould (Jun 5, 2011)

It sure seems a lot easier and faster than doing it stitch by stitch.


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## elcue (Jul 1, 2011)

Thanks so much for sharing this!


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## SilverWeb (Aug 20, 2011)

Thanks for sharing this! The owner of my LYS showed me how to do this once, but she was so fast at it that I didn't really grasp it. Will be doing this from now on since I make lots of mistakes and keep forgetting the lifelines.


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## swampygirl (Nov 1, 2011)

Brilliant!
I can't remember the times I've lost a stitch or two undoing a row. So frustrating and time consuming.

Thanks!


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## moke (Oct 8, 2011)

great help!....ty


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## Annielourn (Sep 21, 2011)

WOW! Thanks so much for this video. What a time and stitch saver.


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## Lijnet (Oct 7, 2011)

Brilliant and such a simple technique! Thank you fgould.


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## longtimeknit (Feb 26, 2011)

OMG-this is great-just finished spending how much time ripping out several rows on an afghan-can't wait to try this!


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## jennyb1 (Mar 31, 2011)

Thank you soooo much for sharing this. I usually unpick one stitch at a time, and three days ago I had to unpick two full rows of a top-down sweater, which seemed to take forever to do. Today a friend made a mistake in her knitting three rows back and so she pulled it off the knitting needle and just pulled it undone till she got back to the row she needed to remove. I told her I could never do that as I would be so afraid of losing a few stitches. I can't wait until tomorrow to show her this new way to do it. She may not want to do it, but I sure will be. You're a life saver in my book, so thankyou again.

love Jenny xxxx


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## eggplantlady (Apr 10, 2011)

Fantastic! Thanks so much for sharing this!


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## knitnanny (Feb 28, 2012)

Great tip ...don't know why I didn't think of this before as I have used it to lengthen projects when already completed. Thank you so much for sharing this!!


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## NYKnitter (Apr 5, 2012)

This is great!!! Thanks for sharing


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## Granny8 (Mar 23, 2011)

WOW! Who'd a thunk!!!! This is great... thank you so much for posting. So much easier than picking one stitch at a time...


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## flginny (Feb 6, 2011)

fgould has shared this link under LINKS in today's digest. Be sure to look at it.






Forgive me, fgould, but you have inspired me to try to explain my method. I've delayed sharing because I was unsure whether I could make it clear. I find it so helpful that I want to try.

I've tried the method in the video in the past, and it does work pretty well on stockinette if you're careful to to put your needle under the right leg of each stitch and to stay in the same row. It doesn't work as well for other kinds of stitches.

I have found an easy, accurate way that works on any kind of stitch, even lace. It moves quickly, too. I can't make a video of it, but perhaps one of you who can understand my written directions can make a video. It makes my knitting life easier, and I would like to share it with you.

Any time you need to take out more than three or four stitches, this method is worthwhile. It leaves all your stitches oriented (not twisted) the correct way on your needle.)

1) Turn your work so that you are looking at the BACK of the row you were just working on.

(As you "unknit," you will be taking stitches off the left needle and putting them onto the right.) *Actually, you will be putting the stitches in the row beneath onto the right needle, which is what you WANT to do.*

2) Hold your working yarn in your right hand pretty much as you would hold it for English knitting. Raise (lift) the working yarn so that it OPENS the first stitch on your left needle.

3) Put your right needle tip as if to purl (from right to left) from BEHIND the right leg of the opened stitch. Slide it off the left needle. (The stitch in the row beneath it is safely on the right needle.)

As you "unknit," your working yarn will become looser and you will have to readjust it in your right hand, but that is the only thing that slows you down with this method.

It is very important to RAISE your working yarn with your right hand. It is this lifting of the yarn that OPENS the stitch so that you can easily see it and easily slip your right needle tip into it.

(I suggest that you purposefully lower the working yarn to see how that CLOSES the stitch and makes it hard to tell where to put the needle. Then raise it again and "let in the light.")

Try this and see if you don't like it. I can get pretty long winded, trying to make directions clear. Sorry. Please ask, if I didn't achieve clarity. I've been knitting a long time and have never seen this method suggested. As I said, it makes my life easier.

Virginia


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## pzoe (Mar 17, 2011)

fgould said:


> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSQpSftNEoI


Thank you so much.

pzoe


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## CamillaDesertMouse (Mar 19, 2011)

I have used this frogging method before and it is as easy as it looks.


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## pzoe (Mar 17, 2011)

flginny said:


> fgould has shared this link under LINKS in today's digest. Be sure to look at it.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks . . . again.

pzoe


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## fgould (Jun 5, 2011)

flginny, if I am understanding your explanation right, aren't you unknitting it stitch by stitch?


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## goldnote (Jun 10, 2011)

Thank you for sharing! I'm the queen of frogging and this is a very easy way to handle it!


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## sam07671 (May 12, 2011)

Wow!!!!I will remeber this next time I have to frog a couple rows. Thanks for posting!!!!!!


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## Knitress (Feb 14, 2012)

That is cool :thumbup:


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## Dimples16 (Jan 28, 2011)

Thank for the tip. I alway endup frogging the whole project. Now I don't have to.


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## meann67 (Dec 5, 2011)

What a great idea! I always twist then when I frog! Thanks so much for this.


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## Estee (Aug 17, 2011)

I'll never UnKnit or FROG the usual way again!!!! Thank You for the link...WHo says you can't teach an old dog a new trick???


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## lori2637 (Jan 25, 2011)

I just figured this way of un-knitting a few weeks ago on my own!!!!


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## cwknitnut (Nov 16, 2011)

fgould said:


> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSQpSftNEoI


Should have had this last night when I had to rip out 5 rows of over 200 stitches. I knew there was a way of doing it, just couldn't see it it my minds eye - probaby need stronger glasses! Thank you so much!


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## Suo (Jul 25, 2011)

Thanks for putting this up. However, wish I had read this last night! Had to rip out several rows in my February Lady sweater as I had missed a pair of increases. Took me forever to pick up all those stitches and then another hour to get back to where I was.


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## Pleclerrc (Apr 17, 2011)

This is great. Sure saves time and frustration is much less when having to rip out rows. What I like is that the stitch is always on the needle in the right direction without twisting. Thanks a bunch. Patricia


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## EZ2 (Aug 11, 2011)

Very interesting. I have learned so much from being on this forum. It amazes me all that I did NOT know. Thank you to all KPers. 

I am so hopelessly addicted to this forum. Its coffee and Kp for me every morning. I can hardly wait to get in here to the computer and see what is new each day.


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## julietinboots (Feb 19, 2011)

Thanks for the post. I will try this next time I need to frog a whole row.


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## Arwin (Nov 16, 2011)

that has got to be the best tip ever for me!! i am always forgetting to put in a lifeline, but with this, it doesn't matter how far i've gone, i can re start from anywhere
thank you so much for posting that!


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## Bulldog (Mar 25, 2011)

I for one will benefit from this. I have been picking mine out stitch by stitch. Thank you for sharing.


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## LindaH (Feb 1, 2011)

I have watched Euny Jang do this on Knitting Daily TV, but I have not seen it done as easily as this lady did it. Thank you!


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## comebackknitter (Oct 9, 2011)

great idea. I just frogged one whole slipper because I was one stitch short.


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## M2SMRTFORU (Oct 28, 2011)

TUTUTUTUTUTU There aren't enough thank you's for sharing this video with us. What a wonderful tip.


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## joycie3 (Aug 30, 2011)

Thank you for sharing. I have learned so much since I joined KP.


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## qod (Oct 15, 2011)

Great! Thanks!


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## sam07671 (May 12, 2011)

I just tried it and did several rows down. It does work great. It is a bit difficult with doing a pattern I found. But other than that I love this idea. Why didn't I think of this????? I am as excited about this as I was with the Russian Join!!!!! I love that one also.


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## gmcmullen (Dec 29, 2011)

Thank you for the link. This will sure be helpful to me as I always catch mistakes several rows after making them.


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## crispie (Dec 17, 2011)

Thank you so much. I am always looking for ways to improve, and after watching for just a couple of seconds, I could see immediately what she was going to do. I am so chagrined in that it is so obvious, I felt like I should have figured that out long ago! Would have saved me so much time and frustration in the past!


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## hajra (Sep 5, 2011)

Great tip, super idea, thanks for sharing.


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## knottyknittershop (Mar 16, 2012)

Great! Thanks for sharing


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## tinyteacup (Jan 19, 2012)

Thank you. Great tactic. Hope I don't need it but so glad to have it. I always think that I should use a "life line" in my knitting. This is even less bother.


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## Jeanie L (Sep 27, 2011)

Thank you so much for sharing...


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## wordpaintervs (Feb 5, 2011)

oh my gosh...now I am wondering how I ever learned to knit. I seem to purl different then European or continental (slightly) and knit more continental then European. Guess I'm lucky to know how to knit. I think I thought myself how, as I can't dredge up anyone helping me do it. MY GOODNESS...how funny. I need to take time to watch more videos...and here I am teaching others to knit and crochet basic stuff. YIKES


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## pzoe (Mar 17, 2011)

goldnote said:


> Thank you for sharing! I'm the queen of frogging and this is a very easy way to handle it!


Sorry but I am the queen of frogging!!! LOL

pzoe


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## Neeterbug (May 25, 2011)

Wow...why didn't I think of that!


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## knitknack (Oct 30, 2011)

Thank you for sharing this life saver. Guess there is always some new to learn even for those who have been knitting for half a century or more.


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## Grandma Jan (Apr 6, 2011)

Thank you so much for sharing this! What a lifesaver!


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## Patrina68 (Jun 2, 2011)

Wow, what a clever idea. Thank you for sharing.


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## mtalmage (Apr 5, 2011)

Wow. Thanks. It falls into the category of, "why didn't I think of that?!"


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## scotchbroad (Mar 26, 2012)

I could have used this early today, I am trying to knit socks for the first time and I am at the heel, well do not ask me how many times I have ripped it all back, when I am doing the turn and starting the next row it does not work out right, I never seem to have enough stitches to finish the row I just gave up,and wil try again when I have cooled down a bit. LOL.
Joyce.


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## snowbird29 (Mar 18, 2012)

wonderful idea..I sure will try it..amazing what you can learn on these clips..


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## kmc15 (Feb 5, 2011)

Thank you so much for sharing this idea. I just recently had to rip out some rows and had to do it the other way. Your way is much easier. :thumbup:


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## tavimama (Oct 27, 2011)

Brilliant - definitely one to save and share - thank you so much.


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## knitwitconnie (Jan 3, 2012)

What a great tip! Thank u for sharing it! That's why I love this site. Learning is fun with fellow knitters


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## Norene (Aug 3, 2011)

Would you tell me more about lengthening a finished project.


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## sandypatrone (Apr 13, 2012)

This is great, thanks for sharing and I will share with my knitting group.


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## DiDreamer (Mar 19, 2012)

That is absolutely fantastic! Thanks for sending the link, Di.


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