Sweatergirl shares a horror story

I saved this just for Friday the 13th, because it's so scary - oooooh. A knitter's horror flick. I'm working along on the Old Friend Aran, and I find a mistake in the center cable about, oh, 12 rows down. Leave it? Well, it's on the front, and it also extended the length of the cable by 2 rows, so it looks a little goofy. But 12 rows is a lot to have to reknit, you say. Not if you just reknit one panel. I've done this a bunch of times, and I thought I would share, since it might be a bit scary if you've never done it before. I feel like this must be explained somewhere, and lots of people know how to do it, but I thought I would still take a stab (hah!) at it.

Gather materials - 2 double-pointed needles (DPN) in the same size that the rest of the piece is in, the chart, and a cable needle.

Knit across the piece (in pattern) to the panel with the error. Slip all the stitches in the panel off of the left needle into thin air. The rest of the instuctions assume you are just working on this one panel. Kee the rest of the knitting at a safe distance! Ravel down (this panel only) to a row before the error, and put the stitches on a DPN, being careful not to twist. All the yarn used for those rows will still be connected to the rest of the project at the sides, so there will be big loopy things. Here's my project at this stage:

Ok - the scary part is over now. You can open your eyes! Now - to knit back up. This time, I followed the chart, having learned that I didn't learn the cable as well as I thought. Find the loop of yarn that is attached to the lowest row (it is cucial that you are always knitting with the yarn from the lowest row available.) Take your second DPN and this loop of yarn, and knit across in pattern. The last stitch may be a little tight, but the rest should go relatively smoothly.

You can either always work on the right side, or you can turn the work. In this case, since the cables are on every right side row, I took no chances and turned the work. If I'm doing this in stockinette or something simple, I usually just work on the right side. So here I am with the work turned, selecting the lowest loop.

Here's my lovely assistant while I am trying to take picures one handed:

Lather, rinse, and repeat - keep going, knitting back up in pattern until all the loops are used up! Yay! Now you can work across the stitches on the DPN with the main working needle and the main yarn, and no one will ever know (unless, say, you post it to the internet...hmm)

Sit back and put your feet up. Job well done.

Happy Friday the 13th, and may all your knitting nightmares be as easly resolved as this one was.