I'm so scared

candy · 02-19-2007, 04:19 PM

My son wore his wool sweater on a ski trip and now he has decided it needs to be two inches longer. Yikes! I have not done this before so I am a little, nervous. I want to take the ribbing off and add two inches to the body. So, from what I have read on this site I should put in a needle in a destination row snip the first stitch at the bottom and pick it all out.

My question is, once I snip that first stitch do I have to pick out every stitch or will it unravel? Once I pick out a few stitches can I just knit it backwards? Is there a better way of doing this? I guess I am looking for assurance that it is not that hard. Any tips?

knitqueen · 02-19-2007, 09:50 PM

If you are taking out a cast on edge, snipping the first stitch will not allow it to unravel. You would need to pick out each stitch around until the cast on row is removed and then you should be able to unravel easily from there. To avoid that kind of finicky work, I'd insert the needle in a destination row like you said, usually at least 1" away from the edge (just my preference) and I'd cut the whole cast on row off. Then you'd just have to pick away a few loose ends from the cutting and you should be able to find the working end that you can just rip back.

candy · 02-19-2007, 09:57 PM

Thank you, I am going to take a deep breath and start frogging now.

candy · 02-19-2007, 10:55 PM

Oh, boy am I in trouble!

I guess I did not cut straight enough when I cut off the cast on edge. I keep getting these little pieces coming off and the one piece of yarn I have in my hand just does not unravel. I have to keep picking it backwards.

I am not all on the same row picking the yarn so what should I do? Help!

knitqueen · 02-19-2007, 11:02 PM

You might have a bunch of short lengths to pull out because of the cut - don't worry about that you will just have to keep pulling them out until they're all gone and you're left with one end. Once all of the little pieces are removed you should be able to pull the end that's left - really, I've done it several times! Just make sure that you've got your stitches on the needle all in the same row, and keep picking away at it.

candy · 02-19-2007, 11:20 PM

I sure hope I have all the stitches on the SAME row.

I picked up on the ribbing so the purls were easy because the row above was a knit. I found the knit rows harder to see if I was on the same row. What happens if one is not on the same row?

candy · 02-20-2007, 12:49 AM

Well, I am still picking and I now have a blister staring on my index finger. All the little bits have come off and I am now down to one strand left. I keep going around and around and around. The problem is that the yarn is not unravelling, I have to pick each stitch 222sts out. How is it suppose to unravel?

jhelanee · 02-20-2007, 12:54 AM

Originally Posted by candy

Well, I am still picking and I now have a blister staring on my index finger. All the little bits have come off and I am now down to one strand left. I keep going around and around and around. The problem is that the yarn is not unravelling, I have to pick each stitch 222sts out. How is it suppose to unravel?

It should unravel by lightly pulling on the end. If it is not, try picking out only part of a stitch (i.e. under one strand only) and then tugging lightly. It can take a bit of picking to figure out where the yarn needs to be in order to unravel easily, but it should. Good luck!

candy · 02-20-2007, 01:13 AM

OMG, I swear I am sleeping and I am having a nighmare!

I cant' seem to get it to unravel. Am I going to be here for days picking? Exactly where do I turn the stitch or pick it to unravel? It seems like I have to back track every stitch to get it out. How do I get it to behave?

five_six · 02-20-2007, 01:17 AM

k, i find i only have trouble with stitches that have been knit throught the back loop. I always have to unpick these ones, then it will unravel to the next tbl stitch, which i have to pick at, which is a pain.

I'm not sure why yours isn't unravelling, though, unless you've been knitting through back loops

It's so hard to tell without saying, here pass it to me, i'll have a go. Sorry. What a task.