How to Pick Up Dropped Stitches and Close a Hole in Knitted Fabric
Step-by-step repair for a snag in knitted fabric: choose matching yarn, pick up dropped stitches with a crochet hook, join them with a grafting stitch without tightening the fabric, and secure the yarn on the wrong side.
BeginnerFree
Translated
Things you will learn
This method works for a snag where the yarn has pulled out and snapped, not for a worn-through hole.
The color and thickness of the repair yarn should match the item, otherwise the repair will be more visible.
First pick up the loops with a crochet hook, then use a needle to join them alternately from the upper and lower sides according to the diagram.
Keep the yarn tension the same as in the surrounding fabric: if you pull too tightly, the repair will pucker the knit.
What you will get
After the repair, the open stitches are connected back into the fabric, and the working yarn is taken to the wrong side. If you match the yarn by color and thickness and do not overtighten the stitch, the snag becomes much less noticeable.
Materials and tools
Materials
Yarn matching the item, It is important to match both the color and the yarn thickness.
Tools
Crochet hook, Used to catch and pick up the dropped stitches.
Needle, Needed for the grafting stitch and for securing the yarn on the wrong side.
Darning mushroom or regular light bulb, Tip from the discussion: this makes the stitches easier to see and less likely to get lost.
Preparation
Check that this is a snag, not a worn-through hole
The source states this directly: a grafting stitch will not help if the hole is worn through. This method is for damage caused by a snag, where the yarn pulled out and snapped.
Position the repair area so you can see the stitches
From the discussion: you can stretch the knitted area over a darning mushroom or a regular light bulb. On a curved support, the open stitches are easier to see and less likely to be missed.
Prepare the stitches for repair
Choose yarn by color and thickness
Take yarn that matches the item. Thickness matters too: yarn that is too thin or too thick will differ from the fabric density and make the repair more visible.
Do not use this for a worn spot
If the fabric has thinned and worn through, a grafting stitch alone is not enough. This method repairs a snag with open stitches.
Pick up the dropped stitches with a crochet hook
Use a crochet hook to carefully catch the open stitches that dropped out of the row because the yarn snapped. Do not stretch the edge of the hole: the goal is to prepare the loops for joining, not enlarge the opening.
If the stitches are hard to see
Put the area over a darning mushroom or light bulb, as suggested in the discussion. The stitches stand out better on a curved surface.
Close the hole with a grafting stitch
In the diagram, the black yarn shows the needle path: the loops are joined alternately from the top and bottom, imitating the structure of knitted fabric.
Join the upper and lower stitches according to the diagram
Thread the needle. Start joining the open stitches as shown in the diagram: move the needle alternately through the loops on the upper and lower sides of the damage.
The black line shows how the needle passes alternately through the open stitches from the top and bottom.
Follow the black yarn direction
The diagram shows the working yarn path through the open stitches, not just the finished appearance.
Control the yarn tension
Do not pull the work tight. Tighten the yarn only to the density of the surrounding fabric, so the repair does not become stiff or puckered.
Secure the working yarn and broken yarn on the wrong side
When all open stitches are joined, take the working yarn to the wrong side and secure it. Also take the broken yarn end that caused the hole to the wrong side and secure it.
Finish and variations
Finish
Check the right side
After securing the yarn, look at the repair from the right side. If the area is puckered, loosen the stitch right away while the yarn is still easy to adjust.
Hide the ends on the wrong side
Both the working yarn and the broken old yarn end should be taken to the wrong side and secured so the stitches do not unravel again.
Variations
Simplified joining for anyone who keeps losing loops
From the discussion: if the diagram is difficult, you can use a thick knitting needle to pass through the first two loops of the upper part, then the first two loops of the lower part. This does not replace the original diagram, but it can help join the edges more evenly.
The fabric has thinned, there is not enough yarn, or the open stitches are missing or damaged.
Likely cause
This is wear, not a snag.
How to fix it
Do not rely on a grafting stitch alone: the source says this method is not suitable for a worn-through hole. Use another repair method, such as darning, reinforcement, or a patch.
You keep missing stitches and the seam turns crooked
Problem
The needle path is uneven, and one or more loops are not caught.
Likely cause
The stitches are hard to see, or the repair area lies too flat.
How to fix it
Use the discussion tip: stretch the area over a darning mushroom or a regular light bulb. The stitches become easier to see and easier to pick up in order with the hook.
The repair pulls the fabric tight
Problem
After stitching, a fold or stiff spot appears around the hole.
Likely cause
The working yarn was pulled tighter than the gauge of the item.
How to fix it
Loosen the tension and use the neighboring stitches as a guide. The source specifically says not to pull the work tight and to match the fabric density.
It is hard to repeat the yarn path from the diagram
Problem
The grafting stitch does not come out evenly from the diagram.
Likely cause
It is awkward to catch individual loops alternately.
How to fix it
As a simplified trick from the discussion, use a thick knitting needle to pass through the first two loops of the upper part, then the first two loops of the lower part. The commenter notes that this at least joins the loops evenly.
?FAQ
When is this repair method suitable?
When the fabric was damaged by a snag: the yarn pulled out and snapped, leaving open stitches nearby. The original author does not recommend this method for a worn-through hole.
What yarn should I use for the repair?
Use yarn that matches the item. The source specifically emphasizes that both the color and the yarn thickness matter.
Why should I not pull the stitch too tightly?
If you overtighten the working yarn, the repair will pucker the knit. Match the tension to the neighboring fabric.
What should I do if the stitches are hard to see?
The discussion suggests putting the knitted area over a darning mushroom or a regular light bulb: the stitches are easier to see and less likely to get lost.
Can I join the loops in a simpler way?
A comment suggests a simplified method: use a thick knitting needle to pass through the first two loops of the upper part, then the first two loops of the lower part. This is useful if you keep missing stitches when following the diagram.
Your project
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My mother used to mend things this way for me, and now my daughter can do it too, but mine always comes out crooked and uneven. I always miss some loop, and it is good if it is only one. So this method is probably not for me. I just take a thick knitting needle and pass it through the first two loops of the upper part, then the first two loops of the lower part. At least that way they join evenly for me.
BeginnerFree
So the stitches are visible and do not get lost, I put the knit fabric over a darning mushroom or an ordinary light bulb.