how to pick up stitches in knitting

3 min read 18-01-2025

Picking up stitches is a fundamental knitting skill that opens up a world of design possibilities. Whether you're adding a collar to a sweater, creating an intricate border, or seamlessly joining two pieces of knitting, mastering this technique is essential. This guide will walk you through various methods for picking up stitches, ensuring you achieve clean, even results every time.

Why Pick Up Stitches?

Picking up stitches allows you to add more stitches to your work without starting a new row. This technique is crucial for many knitting projects, including:

Seaming: Creating invisible seams by picking up stitches along the edges of two knitted pieces.
Adding details: Constructing collars, cuffs, or other decorative elements.
Creating increases: Adding stitches in specific areas for shaping or pattern work.
Modifying patterns: Customizing existing patterns by altering stitch counts or adding design elements.

Methods for Picking Up Stitches

There are several ways to pick up stitches, each with its own advantages depending on the situation and the desired result.

Method 1: Picking Up Stitches from the Edge

This is the most common method, used when adding stitches along the cast-on or bound-off edge of your knitting.

Identify the edge: Locate the edge from which you want to pick up stitches.
Insert needle: Insert your needle into the vertical bar between two stitches along the edge.
Yarn over: Wrap the yarn around the needle from front to back.
Pull through: Gently pull the yarn through to create a new stitch.
Repeat: Continue inserting your needle and picking up stitches evenly along the edge until you've added the desired number of stitches.

Tip: For a neater finish, try to pick up stitches from the same place on each edge stitch. Don't pull too tightly.

Method 2: Picking Up Stitches from a Finished Edge (Seaming)

This method is used to create seamless joins between knitted pieces.

Prepare pieces: Lay the two pieces of knitting right sides together. Make sure the edges are aligned neatly.
Insert needle: Insert your needle into the vertical bar between two stitches on the edge of one piece.
Pick up stitch: Pick up a stitch from the corresponding vertical bar on the other piece, using your needle.
Knit together: Knit the two stitches together.
Repeat: Continue to pick up and knit together stitches along the edges until the pieces are joined. This creates a near-invisible seam.

Method 3: Picking Up Stitches Across a Row

This method is useful for picking up stitches across a completed row or section, often used when adding a decorative border.

Count stitches: Count the number of stitches in the row. This ensures you pick up the correct number of stitches for even distribution.
Insert needle: Insert your needle into the vertical bar at the base of each stitch on the row.
Yarn over: Wrap the yarn around the needle.
Pull through: Pull the yarn through to create a new stitch.

Method 4: Picking Up Stitches from a Completed Piece

This technique is employed when you want to add something onto a finished garment, for example, a collar or a decorative border.

Locate row: Determine the row from which you'll pick up stitches. This will often be a clearly defined row, like the neckline of a sweater.
Insert needle: Insert your needle carefully into the vertical bar between stitches on the designated row.
Yarn over and pull through: As in the other methods, create a new stitch by wrapping the yarn around the needle and pulling it through.
Maintain evenness: Be mindful of creating consistent tension and spacing when picking up the stitches.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Uneven stitches: Ensure you're picking up stitches from the same point on each stitch to maintain evenness.
Tight stitches: Don't pull the yarn too tightly while picking up stitches. Keep your tension consistent with the rest of your work.
Loose stitches: If the stitches are too loose, adjust your tension accordingly.

Practice Makes Perfect

Picking up stitches is a skill that improves with practice. Experiment with different methods and projects to develop confidence and precision. As you become more proficient, you'll find yourself incorporating this technique into more complex and creative knitting projects. Remember to always refer to your chosen pattern's specific instructions for picking up stitches. Happy knitting!