How to Insert a Lifeline

The Lifeline, A Safety Net For 'Frogging' Or Ripping Out
To Place A Lifeline
1. To place a lifeline, use a contrasting color yarn of similar or less weight than you are working with (you can also use dental floss!), and thread it on a yarn needle. This piece of yarn should be a few inches longer than the width of the stitches on your needles.
2. Starting at either end of your work (or at a round marker if you are working in the round), thread the needle through all of the stitches on your needle so that the waste yarn follows the same path through the stitches as your needle. Be careful NOT to thread the lifeline through your stitch markers!
3. When you have gone through all the stitches, make sure there is some hanging out on the ends so you can remove it later and so it will preserve the stitches as they are.
4. Continue knitting as normal, avoiding knitting with the waste yarn. Just pretend it is not there!
5. Remember to move up your lifeline frequently to "click save" on your knitted work! (You can just pull it out and replace it on a later row).

**Additional Tip: Be sure to make yourself a note about which row you are on in your pattern where you place your lifeline, in case you have to rip back to it you will know where to pick up the pattern.

Next Step: How to rip back to a lifeline

How to rip back to a lifeline

If you insert a lifeline and then make a mistake, you can rip back to the spot where you inserted your lifeline.

Next Step >

Alternate Step: How to fix twisted stitches

How to fix twisted stitches

Fixing twisted stitches is necessary when the stitch mount of stitches becomes misaligned. This is a common mistake after picking up stitches after ripping.

Alternate Step >

How to pick up stitches after frogging or ripping