How to Pick Up Stitches in Knitting

Knowing how to pick up stitches in knitting is a fundamental technique. It allows you to add new stitches to an existing edge, seamlessly integrating them into your work. This skill is essential for projects like pullovers, cardigans, socks, and accessories. Basically, anywhere you need to create button bands, necklines, armholes, or heel flaps. It’s a versatile technique that ensures a polished, professional finish.

If you’ve ever wondered how to pick up stitches in knitting, you’re in the right place. This guide will walk you through the process step-by-step, troubleshoot common issues, and explore alternative methods. Plus, I’ll share how this technique plays a key role in my Farafelle Fields pattern, which uses it extensively for a seamless, elegant result.

Note, this post focuses on picking up stitches along an edge. If you’re looking for how to pick up dropped stitches, stay tuned for a future post on that topic. Sign up for my newsletter so you dont miss future posts!

What Does it mean to ‘Pick Up Stitches’ in knitting?

Picking up stitches means adding live stitches to an existing edge of your knitted fabric. This is usually done to join pieces seamlessly, avoiding visible seams. The most common reason it is dome is to change direction. For example, when knitting the heal of a sock. When knitting the Farafelle Fields Vest, the upper yoke is worked sideways, then stitches are picked up for the lower yoke to change direction. Check out the change of direction of the stitches from yellow to orange in the picture below.

Unlike picking up dropped stitches (which involves rescuing a stitch that has unraveled), picking up stitches along an edge is a planned part of the pattern. It’s a skill that opens up a world of possibilities for more advanced projects.

When Do You Need to Pick Up Stitches?

You’ll most commonly pick up stitches in the following scenarios:

How to pick up stitches, step by step.

Picking up stitches is easier than it looks! As with most techniques in knitting, there is more than one way. The best way for you might be with 1 knitting needle, 2 needles, or a crochet hook, ‘hooking’ the stitch onto a needle. Below, I explain a basic method with a singe knitting needle, yarn held in your usual hand. But take this as a starting point to experiment from.

How many stitches to pick up

When picking up stitches in knitting, one of the first things to get right is having an even tension. That means picking up the right number of stitches in the right place.

Pick up too few, and you will have stretched out, gappy knitting. On the other hand, puck up too many, and you get bunched up stitches that won’t sit flat or drape correctly.

The most important thing to remember is that knit stitches are rectangles, not squares. So, to knit a square, you will need to knit more rows than you have stitches on the needle. But if you are picking up stitches down the side of that square, you need to match the number of stitches orriginally used in the square, not pick up one stitch for every row.

And, just to make it more complex, different stitches have different row gauge/tension. Garter stitch will be shorter than stocking stitch. While lacy stitches may be taller.

So, unfortunatly, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. It depends on both the direction you are working in, and what you are making.

Picking up on a Horizontal Edge.

The swatch below is one I knit for my tutorial on Stocking Stitch Edges. As part of that tutorial, I sewed it to my crochet Jacob’s Ladder square, to demonstrate that the curled edge can be resolved by sewing together. Now, I will pick up stitches across both squares.

To pick up stitches on a horizontal edges (along the top) you need to decide where you will push the needle into the fabric. In tye image below, you can see 2 possible insertion points for the needle. The cast off stitch itself, and the ‘V’ of the knit stitch on the row before the cast off.

Knitting into the V will give much more polished results. If you pick up stitches through the cast off stitches, the join will be visible.

Stitches are often picked up in this way for neckband. Or check out the Checkered Love Cardigan knitting pattern by KnitCrochetCreate to practice this skill.

The great thing about picking up from a cast on or cast off edges, on the top or bottom of the work is, usually, you pick up the exact same number of stitches.

But most button bands, necklines bands, heel turns on socks, etc are worked on a vertical edge.

Picking up on a Vertical Edge

Lets go back to that knit swatch that was sewn to a crochet swatch for a previous blog post.

I had 32 knit stitches in the original swatch. And I picked up 32 new pink stitches by working into every V, which guaranteed my stitch count would stay the same.

Now, I can keep going and pick up one knit stitch for every crochet stitch. But, even though the 2 swatches are the same size, crochet stitches tend to be bigger, and I only have 28 stitches in this crochet square. I need 32.

So I do a little basic maths on my fingers, and figure out that I need to pick up and knit 4 knit stitches over every 3 crochet stitches. So I sit and pick up stitches while chanting ‘One. Two. ThreeFour.’ (I probably sound quite demented, but any knitter or crocheter will get it) I’m working once into tgebfirst and second stitch of my sequence each time, while working into both the front and back of every third stitch.

Picking Up Stitches for sock heels.

When picking up stitches for sock knitting, you will almost always find you need to pick up 1 stitch for every 2 rows. If you are knitting a stocking stitch edge on your heel flap, slip the first stitch of each row for a neat row edge. (A good habit in most circumstances for a neat row edge). Then pick up every slip stitch. You will always have the right number, and an easy to identify insertion point.

In the sample shown above however, I’m knitting a pattern that calls for a garter stitch edge. In this case, pick up every garter bump. And again, getting the right number of stitches picked up is easy. Because you have 1 garter bump for every 2 rows.

If you would like to practice picking up stitches while trying sock knitting, I recommend the Quick DK Socks, by Skein Queen. In DK yarn they are quicker than a usual pattern, and less intimidating, while using this skill.

Occasionally, other patterns will use this technique, not just socks. My Fairy Lights pattern also picks up one garter bump every 2 rows, just like a sock, to create the top of the fairy lanterns.

Picking Up for Garments

When picking up for button bands, arm edgings and so forth, you will usually need to pick up approximately 2 stitches for every 3 rows. Patterns can differ in how much guidance they give. Vintage patterns are well knows for brutal expectation that you are already an expert knitter, and simply tell you to pick up and knit a button band in rib, without even suggesting a stitch count! In these cases, aim for 2 stitches for every 3 rows. Its a tried and tested tension that usually works for button bands and sleeve edges.

How to…

If your pattern doesn’t specify exactly what to do, use this formula:

Here is the upper yoke for the Farafelle Fields. This example is in age 10 – 12 years size, for my neice. As you can see, the upper yoke, knit sideways, is complete. Now I need to change direction, and knit the lower yoke, where I will increase every row to curve under the arms.

In this size, I have to pick up and knit 50 stitches. But I have 74 rows knitted up pick up along the edge of.

In this pattern I have a garter stitch selvedge edge, and a column of reverse stocking stitch (purl stitches) beside that. I use tge purl stitches as my guide, and insert my needle for 2, then jump 1 across. It’s important to space adjustments at the beginning and end, so tension stays even across the main body of the fabric.

Here’s what that lower yoke looks like when picked up and worked. Time to do the front, and move on to the body.

Common Issues and How to Fix Them

Nicki Merrall of Being Knitterly says

The secret is to have neat edges wherever you want to pick up stitches.

I couldn’t agree more. It is also, to an extent, about planning ahead. If picking up one stitch for 2, either slip the first stitch of a row, or use a garter selvedge edge. If picking up 2 for 3, avoid this. (I find it hard to remember not to slip that first stitch, but slipped stitches can be a pain)

If you live in the UK, check out Nicki’s Knitwear Finishing Techniques workshop, and bring your skills up a level with picking up stitches, and a range of other strategies for a perfectly finished garment.

Bunched or uneven stitches

If your stitches are bunched up in some areas and stretched out in others.
Pay attention to your spacing. Use stitch markers to divide the edge into equal sections, then pick up stitches evenly within each section. Don’t be afraid to rip back and try again. Frogging a row of picked up stitches is less depressing than most frogging. No safety lines needed, no risk of dropped stitches. Just give it a few goes.

Gaps or Holes

You see gaps between the picked-up stitches and the original fabric.

Make sure you’re picking up stitches under both legs of the stitch (in stocking stitch) or under the top loop (in garter stitch). Tighten the first few stitches slightly to close any gaps.

If you get gaps at corners, know this happens to everyone! When working a sock heel flap or around an armhole to create an arm. Pick up an extra stitch in the corner (even if tge pattern doesnt tell you to) and decrease it away on the next round.

Twisted Stitches

The picked-up stitches are twisted and don’t lie flat.
Ensure your needle is inserted from front to back under the stitch. If the stitches are still twisted, knit them through the back loop on the next row to untwist them.

Alternative Techniques to picking up stitches in knitting

We all have our prefered techniques, and ones we will go to the ends of the earth to avoid. (For me, it’s grafting. I will spend days recalculating a sock pattern to knit toe up, to avoid 20 minutes grafting a toe!) So of course there are options beyond picking up stitches in knitting.

If you give it a good try, and still absolutly hate picking up stitches, its not the end of the world. Like with my toe-up sock obsession, it might take more work to hack a pattern to avoid a hated technique. But if that hack means to can relax and enjoy tge knitting process, its the right strategy for you.

Sewing a seam

If you are a beginner knitter intimidated by picking up stitches, it’s is usually possible to knit 2 sections as totally seperate pieces and sew them together. The finished result will look the same, though it may be slightly bulkier.

Provisional cast on’s and placing stitches on hold.

For advanced knitters, a provisional cast-on can be used to leave live stitches at the beginning or end of a piece. This allows you to seamlessly pick up stitches later without seaming, or picking up stitches. In my Farafelle Fields pattern, I seriously considered using a provisional cast-on for the yoke and neckline to minimize picking up stitches. While I opted for simplicity in the final pattern, experienced knitters could easily adapt it this way.

Practice makes perfect

Like any new skill, practice is key! Here are a few ways to build your confidence.

Knit swatches. Keep swatches from other patterns, then practice picking up stitches on the sides. The swatches in showed above are just swatches in knitted for tutorials, but one day they will be a giant Sampler Blanket.

Try simple projects, or challenging ones that fill you with joy. Try my pattern, or check out my friend Jane Burns who has the most amazing range of cute cardigan patterns, which uses this technique. She has this adorable dachshund cardigan pattern, in both child and adult sizes, perfect to practice picking up stitches for a button band.

Frequently Asked Questions

Whats next?

Once you have mastered picking up stitches, a much wider range of intermediate patterns are open to you. I hope this guide helped, and do share your projects with picked up stitches. I’d love to see your knitting!