How to Pick Up and Knit Stitches

There are times in your knitting where you need to continue knitting on your piece in a different direction. Or perhaps you are adding a collar or button band to a sweater. In these situations you will do something referred to as “picking up and knitting stitches”. This is where you work into an edge of a finished piece of fabric. You’ll create new live stitches to continue working from. This allows a seamless look to the project without having to seam two pieces of fabric together.

It’s a relatively simple technique that can be done on a bound off edge or on the side of the fabric. This tutorial will show you how to do both.

Method 1: Picking up a bound off edge

• Step 1: Insert your needle into the center of the “V” for the row you want to begin picking up stitches in.
• Step 2: Wrap your working yarn around your needle.
• Step 3: Pull the yarn through the stitch.

Continue repeating these three steps until you have picked up all your stitches.

Method 2: Picking up from the side

• Note: This technique is used for slipped stitches along the side of your work. To use this technique on a bound off edge, repeat only steps 1 – 3.
• Step 1: Insert your needle into the center of the “V” for the row you want to begin picking up stitches in.
• Step 2: Wrap your working yarn around your needle.
• Step 3: Pull the yarn through the stitch.
• Step 4: Insert your needle below the front leg of the same stitch, through the center of the stitch.
• Step 5: Wrap your working yarn around your needle.
• Step 6: Pull the yarn through the stitch.

Continue repeating these 6 steps until you have picked up all your stitches.

Method 1 Examples

Method 2 Examples