Find the last trustworthy point
Before pulling anything out, compare the fabric with the written row. Mark a section that you know is correct and note the row number. If only the last few stitches are wrong, you may not need to remove a full row. Photograph the current work if a colour change or special stitch will be hard to remember.
Undo slowly, then catch the loop
- Take the hook out and gently enlarge the live loop. Pull the working yarn a little at a time, watching one stitch release before the next.
- Stop before reaching your marked good section. Put the hook back through the last open loop and gently bring it onto the shaft.
- Check that the working yarn runs to the ball and the short tails are not being mistaken for it. Count the stitches that remain before remaking the section.
When the yarn does not slide
Some fluffy or loosely twisted yarns cling to themselves. Avoid yanking: that can tighten a tangle or break the strand. Ease the caught fibres apart with your fingers and undo a shorter length. If you have to leave the project, put a removable marker through the open loop so it cannot shrink and disappear into the row.
Restart with a record
Write something precise such as “row 5, first six stitches correct”. Remake one repeat, count it and compare its appearance before racing on. For textured work, check which side should face you. Undoing is a normal editing tool in crochet: the useful result is a reliable restart point, not a large pile of removed yarn.
Words in this lesson
Frogging
A crochet nickname for undoing stitches so the yarn can be worked again.
Good section
A checked part whose stitch count and placement match your instructions.
Notes & further reading
Original explanations and practice exercises by Crochet By Micky. UK stitch names are used; check the stitch key in any other pattern you follow.
Reviewed 25 October 2026. Cover artwork is an original illustration, not a third-party pattern or event photograph.