So, I was getting pretty comfortable with the nupps on my
Lily-of-the-Valley shawl.  And although
some of the first ones a little flat,
over all they are pretty consistently nupp-like.  Then, as I was knitting along I hit a nupp
that was not nupp-like in the least.  It
was actually almost an anti-nupp! 
Instead of being a fat, smooth puff, it looked like a dead spider!

I was working a right side row and the anti-nupp had been
completed on the previous wrong side row (nupps are made in 2 steps:  a knit-one-yarn-over increase worked several
time in a single stitch on a rs row, then the 7 new stitches are purled
together with a single blow on the next ws row).   After a bit of study (and gnashing of
teeth), I decided that I had not caught up all the stitches correctly in the
“purl 7 together” move.  The anti-nupp
was securely fastened up in “desiccated spider” form.  No pulling or tucking or messing about with
it was going to transform it into a proper nupp.

I had 3 choices:  live
with it (augh!  are you kidding?!);   tink back and re-do it (okay, not unreasonable, but it would not be
fun);  drop down, release the 7 stitches,
and catch them up properly.  So, crochet
hook in hand, I carefully (so carefully! like bomb-disarming carefully!)
dropped the stitches.  There were the
loose “knit-one-yarn-overs” – all 7 little loops sort of catty-whompus – ready
to explode into a single length of lace-weight yarn with one unfortunate
tug.  It was a matter of wiggling into
the loops properly and catching the yarn to tighten and secure them.  Without raveling the whole thing!

Steady hands and steady nerves prevailed!  I pulled the yarn through and the anti-nupp
was sculpted into a proper nupp!  I quick,
but heartfelt, prayer of gratitude and I was on my way again – figuring that
“getting back up on the horse” immediately was the best course.  I did not lose confidence – although I will
check each “purl 7 together” a bit more carefully now!  On the contrary.  Mistakes happen and there is no point in
aiming for flawless execution.  The trick
is learning how to fix the error.  Now, I
know how to deal with a “dead spider.” 
Onward!