Pick up .....and knit?

CelineEd · 06-17-2007, 05:29 PM

I know how to pick up stitches (I'm putting a ribbed border on a sweater) but I don't know what to do when the instructions say pick up and knit. Thanks for any help. Celine

knitasha · 06-17-2007, 10:47 PM

As I understand it, the terms are pretty much interchangeable.

You insert the right needle into a bound-off stitch* (that's the picking up part), wrap the yarn around it and pull it back through the bound-off stitch (that's the knitting part). Leave the new stitch on the right needle and repeat in the next bound-off stitch. The result is a new row of knitted stitches.

In theory you could just pick up the stitches without knitting them, but it would be an awkward maneuver and you'd have to knit them on the next trip across the row anyway.

*Of course you can pick up stitches from any edge, bound-off or not.

Ingrid · 06-17-2007, 11:03 PM

Once in a rare while you do just pick up the stitches without knitting them.

The wrap when you pick up stitches the 'normal' way IS the knit.

suzeeq · 06-18-2007, 12:49 AM

I always interpreted it to mean pick up knitwise. There's also pick up and purl, which is picking up purlwise.

sue

CelineEd · 06-18-2007, 02:58 AM

Many thanks to Knitasha, Ingrid and Sue for the clarification. I wondered where the "knit" came into play. I've picked up stitches before but don't recall the instructions adding the knit part although that is what I did. Again..thanks.
Celine

suzeeq · 06-18-2007, 03:38 AM

Actually, if you pretend the stitches on the edge where you insert your needle to pick up are like the left needle, you do knit them. You do it at the same time, it's not separate actions.

sue

Susan P. · 06-18-2007, 03:53 AM

And don't forget, Amy has a picking up stitches video on this page..about half way down:

http://www.knittinghelp.com/knitting...iques/misc.php

redwitch · 06-18-2007, 11:37 AM

I can't do it straight off but crochet hooks are slow so I stick my LEFT needle through the stitch, pretend it is a normal stitch on my lefthand needle, and knit it with the right needle to pick up each new stitch. Much faster for me.

downthestream · 06-18-2007, 01:20 PM

Thanks so much for asking this question so clearly. I never understood the "knit" part either until someone pointed out that the new row of picked up stitches IS a knit row. "Pick up and knit" is a single action, not two, in my head now. Considering all the harder things I am willing to try, this just stumped me for the longest time!