Picking up and Knitting Stitches
December 24, 2013
Picking up stitches sounds intimidating but let’s work through it! The following example is a sock but the principles are the same when picking up stitches from stockinette no matter the project.
::: how to pick up stitches :::
To pick up stitches you need the right side of your work facing you (the knit side).
Step 1: Insert your needle into the stitch or between rows (from RS to WS)
Step 2: Loop the yarn around your needle (at the back of work)
Step 3: Pull the loop through to the RS (using the needle tip, as though you were knitting a stitch)Now you will have a stitch on your right hand needle. You have picked up a stitch!
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Tin Can Knits 
Can you help me with this:
“Patt 39 [ 44: 46: 52: 57: 62] turn 39 [44: 46: 52: 57: 62] sts.”
Thanks you
Hi Nicole – I’m sorry, I’m not really sure what that means. I would guess that you need to work in pattern for 39 [ 44: 46: 52: 57: 62] sts and then turn your work but I’m not sure what the last set of numbers means without seeing the pattern.
When a pattern says to “pick up and knit” x stitches (like the title of this page), what is the “and knit”? I’m never sure if just doing what you show here fulfills the direction, or if I’m supposed to be adding another row over it.
Hi Alice – Just ‘picking up’ sts can mean that you are literally putting your needle through them. You might do this if you were picking up a pocket or from a garter stitch edge. Picking up and knitting means you are using your yarn to create loops, as the tutorial shows.
I the harvest pattern it says to knit along the live stitches on the provisional cast on row on the collar and then you turn the work 90 degrees and increases stitches for the raglan… Finally, undo the provisional cast on and put the stitches on the left needle. How do you knit the provisional stitches while the cast on yarn is still in them?
Hi Mary – The instruction is to ‘undo the provisional cast on’ so the waste yarn won’t be in there any longer
These instructions say that you should be working on the right side when you pick up stitches, yet in the Harvest pattern we are knitting on the wrong side when we pick up stitches. Can you explain why, or am I misunderstanding something? Also, the edge stitches in you tutorial look like they were slipped.
Hi Jane – for the harvest cardigan at the collar the RS should be facing you. These sock sts were indeed slipped.
I understand concept of picking up sts however – my pattern (harvest sweater) pick up and knit 93 sts along collar edge pick up at rate of 3 sts in every 4 rows – this I don’t understand
Please help
Hi Margaret – It means you are going to pick up 1 stitch in each row for 3 sts, then skip a row, then pick up 3 sts (one in each row) then skip a stitch etc. Does that help?
Thank you so much for the clarification! It took 3 tries but I was finally able to pick up all the necessary stitches for the harvest cardigan collar!
I have knitted the collar three times. I knit row 1 and row 2 and which makes 1 of my 60 times, which equals 121 rows including my cast on (crochet). The problem is, I can see every knitted side stitch perfectly, but there are not enough to pick up 90
Hi Barbara – which pattern are you knitting? Maybe drop us an email (tincaknits@gmail.com) with which pattern and what size you are knitting and we can better help with pattern support!
Hi there! Making the Harvest sweater and cannot manage to get 93 stitches when I pick up and knit (making the S/M size)…I picked up 3 stitches every 3 rows (incorrect) but only was left with 75 stitches. If I pick up 3 every 4 rows…it won’t work. Help!
Hi Anne – it sounds like maybe you don’t have enough rows? If you have 125 rows you should be able to pick up 93 sts.
I have 125 rows! Likely a me problem. Thanks.
When I pick up stitches under the arm ,holes are left. How can I correct this?
Hi Darlene – one suggestion is to pick up 2 extra sts on either side of the underarm, then decrease these 2 sts on the first round of the sleeve. Another is to leave a long tail when starting your pick up and sewing up those holes once your sweater is done.
Not sure if you found a solution that satisfies you but this YouTube video helped me out a ton!
Thank you for the free patterns! I have knitted the flax pullover and love the pattern. Now I am doing the Harvest cardigan.
I am knitting the 1 to 2 yrs size and I am having a problem right after picking up stitches around the collar. The pattern reads-
‘Setup row (WS): knit to marker, p3, PM, p14 (17, 18 19,
17, 18, 18, 23, 21, 23, 21, 21, 22, 20, 23, 23, 25) sts, PM,
p24 (28, 30, 32, 32, 37, 37, 42, 43, 47, 47, 48, 53, 56, 61,
64, 67) sts, PM, p14 (17, 18, 19, 17, 18, 18, 23, 21, 23, 21,
21, 22, 20, 23, 23, 25) sts, PM, p3 (this brings you to the
last marker), knit to end’.
My stitch count is as follows -8 sts for the garter edge=8+3+18+30+18+3+8=88 but the pattern says I should have 92.
what am I doing wrong?? Any help appreciated.
Thanks!
Just realized my garter edge should be 10!
Hi Mary – I think I answered this question on Ravelry? You should have 10 edge sts for your size.
Hey i am doing the size 2 years to 4 and i am having the same issue i am not sure how many rows am to knit for the collar i pick and knit for the set up row and i am short stitches i took it out 3 time now and i started over
Hi Mary – sorry, which pattern are you working on? (the comment is on the ‘Picking up and knitting stitches so I’m not 100% sure)
Making this harvest cardigan now and wondering when picking up stitches along the collar do you pick up both strands of the stitch or one strand? Thank you
Hi Gina – I usually go in both strands, I find it makes for a cleaner pick up.
I’ll do the same then thank you
how do you pick up and knit on a circular needle
Hi Barbara – it is exactly the same as a DPN or a straight needle
I’m not sure I understand the pick up xx stitches every xx rows. This needs a bit of clarification. I had picked up all 70 stitches and then took them out realizing it wasn’t right.
To pick up x sts for x rows you will pick up a few sts in each row then skip a row. If, for example, you are picking up 3 sts for 4 rows, you would pick up a stitch in each row for 3 rows, then skip one row, then pick up 3 sts in each row for 3 rows, then skip 1 row, etc.
Thanks for your tutorials – I’m about to knit my first cardigan, Harvest Knit. Could you please explain to me how to pick up xx stitches every xx rows? Does it mean I’m not picking up every available stitch? Won’t this leave holes in the cardigan?
Did you ever get it figured out?
Hi,
I am knitting the Gramps cardigan size 2-4.
After picking up sts for button band & shawl collar, I will be doing a p1(k1,p1) on the wrong side up to 2nd marker. Kfb for the back neck sts.
My question is, do I continue ribbing down to the left front? Then rib up to 2nd stitch past the 4th marker W&T?
Thank you for the tutorial. I just want to be clear as I am knitting for my twin grand kids.
Hi – I’m not sure I understand the quetsion? Once you have picked up all of your sts and worked the set up row that establishes the ribbing you are going to start the short rows. You will work to a few sts past the 4th marker (that’s into the left front of the sweater) then wrap and turn, leaving the rest of the left front sts unworked. Does that help?
hey Sarah. I had a hole issue. Maybe I did something wrong as I knit contin etnal but I had the feeling that the fourth (skipped) stitsch left a rather large hole. In the end it wasn’t a disaster, but it’s not as neat as I would like…
Qué fácil lo haces! Muchas gracias