Lace-knitting lifelines?

[grusinskaya]

Hey! I'm finishing up the Agate & Lace scarf and want to start on Knitty's Branching Out fairly soon. While I've done simple lace-knitting before (i.e.: knitting sweaters with rows of eyelets and the aforementioned Agate & Lace scarf), Branching Out just seems really intimidating. When I browsed the knitalong board for the scarf, it seemed that a lot of people were using "lifelines". So my question is--how exactly do you knit in a lifeline? Do you weave the contrasting yarn in or do you actually knit with it (kind of like knitting with two strands of yarn)?

I apologize in advance if this is a stupid question!

[worthwhilegirl]

One I've never been able to get to work, but seems like a great idea - lifelines when you're working a big complicated lace pattern.  When you've finished a row that you know is correct, thread a piece of sewing thread through all the stitches on your needle.  Make a note of where in the pattern you were (or always do it at the end of one repeat).  That way if you suddenly have too many/few stitches or have just made a mess, you can rip back, and you'll have one perfect row waiting on the thread, with only good knitting below it.

I remembered Melidomi's reponse in another thread & it seemed to be the perfect answer for you!!

Good luck with your branching out!! I had a blast knitting that one up!

[grusinskaya]

Thank you so much! That doesn't seem too hard!

[worthwhilegirl]

I didn't use lifelines on mine but I should have!! I had to frog it twice before I realized I couldn't watch tv, talk or think about anything but the pattern!!!

[subloke]

I've done this with cable patterns as well as lace.  I used waste yarn in a contrasting color rather than sewing thread though.  The funny part is that anytime that I haven't used a lifeline I have trouble with the pattern, but then once I put the lifeline in, I don't need it! 

[lupinbunny]

i put lifelines in when knitting in the round - it makes it easy to tell when you've finished a round. Because you've reached the loose dangly thread ends again.

[killerdaisy]

there's also a couple of different explanations in this thread:

http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=34400.0

[grusinskaya]

Ah! Sorry this post is repetitive, then. I tried doing a search for "knitting lifelines" but didn't come up with that thread (or anything else that would help me, for that matter). Sorry!

[worthwhilegirl]

It's OK! We don't mind helping!! How is your branching out coming? There is a knit-a-long for it on the KAL boards.