Why do we pick up stitches?

When you have finished the main part of a garment (e.g., the front of a sweater), you often need to add edges. By picking up stitches along the existing edge, you can continue knitting in a new direction without having to sew the parts together afterwards.

Important uses

  • Necklines: Pick up along the neck opening to knit ribbing.
  • Sleeves: Pick up around the sleeve opening on a vest.
  • Button bands: Pick up along the edge of a jacket.
  • Heel: Pick up stitches along the side of a heel flap.

How to do it (Step-by-step)

  1. Prepare needle and yarn: Hold the needle in your right hand and the yarn over your left index finger (as usual).
  2. Insert the needle: Find the "space" just inside the actual edge stitch. This is where you want to insert the needle from the right side to the back.
  3. Pick up the yarn: Wrap the yarn around the needle and pull it through the hole to the right side. You have now made your first new stitch.
  4. Continue evenly: Repeat the process along the entire edge. The most important thing is to have an even number of stitches and equal distance between them.

The magic rule: 3 out of 4

When picking up stitches in stockinette stitch (where the stitches are higher than they are wide), a good rule of thumb is to pick up 3 stitches for every 4 rows. This prevents the edge from being either too tight or "wavy".

Avoiding holes

The most common problem is that small holes appear where you pick up. Solution: Make sure you insert the needle through the stitch itself or directly under both strands of the edge stitch, instead of just in the outermost strand.

See how it's done

Sometimes it's easier to see the technique in action. Here is a good video showing how to pick up stitches:

Video from Sandnes Garn