How do I pick up and PURL?

G J · 09-21-2008, 12:00 AM

I need to pick up stitches, but I want the purl bumps on the first row, not a flat knit row. How can I do this? If I do it from the back, the seam is on the outside instead of the inside.

Help, anyone?

cam90066 · 09-21-2008, 07:32 AM

With RS facing, pick up the sts as you'd normally do (I use a crochet hook). Once on your ndl (straight or circ) just P them instead of K. The picked up st can be P or K...you decide...and it has nothing to do with where the seam is so long as you pick them up on the RS. (When sts are picked up for ribbing, you alternate K and P in whatever desired sequence. The picked up st is simply the loop on the ndl.) The first row of sts worked after pick up is the WS so you'd K them so that the P st is on the RS.

HTH, or am I missing something in your query?
cam

suzeeq · 09-21-2008, 03:16 PM

Or maybe you need to pick them up with the WS facing you, but pick them up as if to purl, not as if to knit. So insert your needle from the back to front, wrap the tip like you do a purl st and pull the yarn through to the back.

G J · 09-21-2008, 08:59 PM

Cam, I want a purl BUMP on the right side, so picking up as usual and THEN purling isn't giving me what I want. That gives me a knit row first, then a purl row. I want a purl row first. I don't even know if this is possible?!?

Suzeeq, I'm not following. If I do it on the wrong side (insert needle back to frong), my seam is then on the outside of the garment. Am I reading your instructions wrong? Have you tried it? Is there a tutorial somewhere?

Thanks!

brittyknits · 09-21-2008, 09:35 PM

Please forgive that this is going to sound like I'm talking to a 6 year old-- I'm just going through every possible step in order to figure out what's going on:
Let's say you're picking up sts along the neck edge of a sweater, in order to knit the neckband. With the right side (public side) of the sweater facing you, with the needle in your left hand (pretend it's a straight needle for the sake of argument), the pointy end pointing to your right, you pick up the sts. Now, with the right side/public side of the fabric still facing you, take the other needle in your right hand, attach the yarn and start purling, the sts being transfered from the needle in your left hand to the needles in your right hand. This will make the purl bumps come out on the right side/public side of the fabric. Or am I missing something?. . .

G J · 09-21-2008, 09:40 PM

Originally Posted by brittyknits

Please forgive that this is going to sound like I'm talking to a 6 year old-- I'm just going through every possible step in order to figure out what's going on:
Let's say you're picking up sts along the neck edge of a sweater, in order to knit the neckband. With the right side (public side) of the sweater facing you, with the needle in your left hand (pretend it's a straight needle for the sake of argument), the pointy end pointing to your right, you pick up the sts. Now, with the right side/public side of the fabric still facing you, take the other needle in your right hand, attach the yarn and start purling, the sts being transfered from the needle in your left hand to the needles in your right hand. This will make the purl bumps come out on the right side/public side of the fabric. Or am I missing something?. . .

Britty,
Do you not then KNIT the stitch AS you pick it up? So just loop your needle through the stitches first WITHOUT knitting or purling them, and then on the NEXT go-round, you PURL them? I've always KNIT AS I picked up the stitches, but you're saying NOT to do that?

(Forgive my density if I'm being slow....) I'd post pics of what I'm trying to do, but my DH is out of town with the camera.

brittyknits · 09-21-2008, 09:44 PM

Hey, if we had pics to work with, that would take the challenge out of this

.
When you pick up sts, do you pick them all up and then knit them, or do you do it 1 at a time? I pick them all up, first, and then knit or purl them as required. So let's go back to that neckband example-- if you have to pick up, say, 60 sts, then I pick them all up so that I can be sure they're evenly spaced. So now I've got 60 sts on my left needle. Then treat them as if they were live sts, and just start purling away.
What pattern are you using, and where are you in it?

suzeeq · 09-21-2008, 09:59 PM

Okay, if you want it on the RS, then pick up the sts as if to purl. Insert the needle from the back of your work to the front and wrap purlwise.

Pick up and... implies 2 steps, as brittyknits describes, but is usually done as just one step which could be better written as pick up knitwise or pick up purlwise.

G J · 09-21-2008, 10:01 PM

Britty, I usually pick up and knit each stitch as I go like this video.
I'm making Drops #101-23 with MANY modifications. I've made it before: here's a link to my Ravelry page on it, but I wasn't happy with the pickups at the neck and sleeves.

ETA: That's the step I'm on: Picking up for the neck and sleeves.

Thanks SO much for your help!

G J · 09-21-2008, 10:06 PM

Originally Posted by suzeeq

Okay, if you want it on the RS, then pick up the sts as if to purl. Insert the needle from the back of your work to the front and wrap purlwise.

Pick up and... implies 2 steps, as brittyknits describes, but is usually done as just one step which could be better written as pick up knitwise or pick up purlwise.

Have you actually tried this, cuz I keep trying it and I get the stitches on the WRONG side of the fabric. I'm usually not stupid, but this is just eatin' my lunch here!