Quick fix: If it is on the current row, slip the stitch back to the left needle, reorient it so the leading leg (closer to the needle tip) is at the front, and knit through that front leg only.
What you are seeing
One stitch looks visibly tighter, narrower, and twisted compared to its neighbours. The legs of the stitch cross each other rather than sitting open, and from the right side you can clearly see the twist. The stitch may also pull the fabric slightly at that point.
Why it happens
- You knitted through the back leg instead of the front leg, which works the stitch through the back loop — even when the pattern does not ask for it.
- The stitch was mounted backwards on the needle with its leading leg at the back rather than the front.
- A dropped stitch was picked up and remounted incorrectly, placing it in the wrong orientation before being knitted.
Fix it now
- Identify the twisted stitch — it will look tighter and crossed compared to its neighbours.
- If on the current row: slip the stitch back to the left needle purlwise.
- Look at the stitch — the leading leg (the one nearer the needle tip) should be at the front. If it is at the back, the stitch is mounted backwards.
- To correct a backwards-mounted stitch: slip it back to the right needle, then back to the left needle again so it flips to the correct orientation.
- Knit through the front leg only.
- If one row back: tink back to the twisted stitch, correct the orientation, and re-knit.
- If several rows back: drop the entire column down to that row and re-work upward with a crochet hook, inserting front-to-back each time to keep stitches untwisted.
Prevent it next time
- Before knitting each stitch, check that the front leg is on the needle-tip side — this takes only a second and prevents the most common cause of twisted stitches.
- Whenever you pick up a dropped stitch or re-mount any stitch, always verify its orientation before working it.