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Techniques1 min read

How to Fix a Missed Cable Cross in Knitting

Forgot to cross your cable several rows back? Fix it without frogging โ€” drop the cable stitches, re-cross them, and work back up with a crochet hook.

Quick fix: Drop only the cable stitches, let them unravel to the missed row, re-cross with a cable needle, then work back up with a crochet hook.

What you are seeing

A section that should twist into a cable sits flat as plain stockinette. The cable is missing its cross at one row.

Why it happens

  • Lost count and worked the cable row as plain stockinette
  • Miscounted plain rows between cable crosses
  • Distracted mid-row

Fix it now

  1. Find the exact row where the cross should have been.
  2. Drop only the cable stitches off your needle. Let them unravel down to the missed row.
  3. Place the left-group stitches on a cable needle, hold to front (or back for a back cross).
  4. Use a crochet hook to work the right-group stitches back up their ladder rungs.
  5. Then work the left-group from the cable needle back up their rungs.
  6. Return all stitches to your needle.

Prevent it next time

  • Use a sticky note tally for plain rows between each cable cross
  • Place a stitch marker on the cable row
  • Insert a lifeline just before every cable row

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