How to Perform Advanced Knitting Technique of Picking Up Stitches for Knitting Patterns with Ease

You do not always get your stitches on your knitting needles by casting on. Sometimes your pattern will ask you to "pick up" some extra stitches to be able to complete a section. This frequently happens when working on sweaters but it can also happen with other projects so it is good to go over this information.

With sweaters you may be working with the neckline or armholes or you may be doing a decorative add on to the edge or front of some pattern. Anywhere that there is already an edge and you need to add some stitches to move forward, you will be "picking up" those stitches.

The pattern will tell you how many total stitches you need to pick up according to the size or the area you are working. The number of stitches is also based on the row gauge the designer of the pattern achieved. If you pick up too many stitches the edge will have a flare out so it won't lay flat. Or if too few are picked up it will pucker up and also not lay flat. So you can see how the stitch number is important.

Here is how to pick up the correct number of stitches for your pattern.

When you are working along a curved or vertical edge, pick up one stitch for every four spaces. The space is the area you insert your knitting needle into to pick up the stitch. Next, skip one space and pick up the next four stitches from the next four spaces, then skip four spaces and pick up one stitch and skip the next space and pick up four stitches for the next four spaces and repeat until you reach the end. This sequence allows for the pattern continuation to curve around the edge and lay flat with it. Rather than trying to just guess how to get those picked up stitches spaced out correctly.

If you are working on a horizontal edge, always pick up stitch for space.

Just remember when you are working with a pattern that requires a certain number of stitches for that pattern, for instance, k2p2 then pick up a total number that will work with that multiple of four.

It really is not as difficult as it may sound. But once you learn to pick up your edge stitches with the right number and with the smooth look you will be very happy with the end results and well on your way to becoming an advanced knitter.

Source:

Picking Up the Correct Number Of Stitches

Here are some Youtube instruction videos that will help:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a35Rt9MqMr0&feature=fvw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DF34R6KX-cc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgMbM0jZKgs