Frogging And The Tale Of The Secret Scissor Society
Of course, I would like to say I’m perfect in every way and never make errors that require fixing. Or, if you’re a diehard crocheter: frogging.
Ah yes — frogging. That dreaded moment when you realise something’s gone wrong and you have no choice but to rip out your work. It might be a few rows… or (gulp) an entire project. But why on earth do we call it frogging?
Because when you say “rip it, rip it” quickly, it sounds suspiciously like a frog croaking. 🐸
Shhh… Don’t Tell Anyone
But I do make errors. Often. Quite a few, actually.
Crochet is both my passion and profession, but I’m still human. Miscounts happen. Ask my pattern testers — they’ll tell you that, at times, I simply cannot count. Sometimes stitch markers get ignored. And every now and then, a rogue popcorn ends up where it has no business being. I was sure I put it in the right place… but there it is.
Enter: The Scissors ✂️
Here’s the thing — I am not afraid to use my scissors. In fact, I’ve become quite skilled with them.
To set the scene: imagine a large round blanket with 900 to 1000 stitches per round. Now imagine spotting a small error… one round down. Maybe it’s a skipped stitch, or that rogue popcorn has reappeared, throwing everything out of place.
Now I have two choices:
Frog the entire round. All 1000 stitches. Try not to cry, stamp my feet, and throw the entire thing across the room.
Or… cut out the section with the error, and carefully patch it — while probably still stamping my feet in annoyance.
Yes, I go for option two. It's faster, cleaner, and far less heartbreaking. I simply snip the stitches around the affected area, carefully pick back to either side of the mistake, and then rework the section correctly — using a length of yarn in the same colour to seamlessly rejoin it to the surrounding work.
But Be Careful…
This is not something to do while tired, frustrated, or when around others. (Being in a bad mood with sharp scissors is something best done alone.)
You’ll need:
A steady hand
Good lighting
And absolutely no distractions
And, of course, a bit of confidence. You're basically doing crochet surgery. You’ll want to work neatly, sew in ends carefully, and triple-check your tension.
Finally
Frogging isn’t fun, but it’s part of the process — even for experienced crocheters. And while there’s nothing wrong with pulling back the yarn and starting fresh, sometimes it’s okay to wield the scissors with a little bravery and a lot of care.
So next time you spot that tiny error a thousand stitches ago, remember:
You are not alone.
You are not defeated.
You are… a crocheter with scissors.
And you’ve got this.
P.S. The picture is of ‘How to Catch a Dragonfly Blanket’. Can you spot the scissor surgery?
Find How to Catch a Dragonfly. Use the links below!
