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The Lifeline"Insurance" for knittersAlthough you and I don't want mistakes in our knitting to ever happen, we might as well anticipate that they could. A lifeline in knitting is a temporary thread inserted through a row of stitches. The lifeline serves as a checkpoint in our knitting if we have a calamity and need to rip out and re-do several rows. Here is how to prepare a lifeline in knitting – Step 1: Decide on a designated row to be a lifeline row.
A good choice is an unpatterned "rest" row that is at the beginning or end of a pattern repeat.
Step 2: Insert the lifeline.
After completing the designated row, insert a piece of contrasting thread through the stitches of that row.
Use any thread that is finer than the yarn you are using, yet has a fair amount of twist and body, e.g. crochet thread. Be careful to not wrap the lifeline thread around the knitting needle, and do not insert the lifeline thread through any markers. The lifeline thread when inserted properly will travel from stitch to stitch just below the knitting needle.
Step 3: Check position of lifeline and resume knitting.Pull the lifeline thread out to each side of the row, leaving a good amount of length hanging down before cutting - you don't want the lifeline to be too short and accidentally come out of the row when you resume knitting.
When you resume knitting, remember to be careful to not catch the lifeline in with the new stitches you make. The lifeline will stay behind and hopefully be enough to thwart any disasters. I sort of think of it as "insurance".
BUT should you discover a giant mistake after knitting several rows and need to rip back, here is what you can do safely recover your stitches and be prepared to resume knitting – Step A: Rip back to lifeline.
Remove knitting needle and unravel to your contrast color lifeline thread.
Step 3B: Remount the stitches from the lifeline.
Insert knitting needle through loop of each stitch being held by the lifeline. Just follow the lifeline thread so you pick up all the stitches in the original sequence and so that they are mounted properly. Do not remove the lifeline.
Step 3C: Check stitch count and resume knitting.
To be sure you are ok to proceed, count the stitches and compare to the number you should have had on the designated lifeline row.
Tip: It helps if you initially use a smaller size knitting needle to get the stitches picked up along the lifeline thread. When you resume knitting, you can work the stitches onto the original needle you were using for your shawl. This is just a peek into the many tips and techniques Jackie E-S covers as part of the Triangular Lace Shawl online class at Needlecraft University.
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