picking up stitches

lobstersunrise · 08-01-2007, 12:05 AM

I'm a beginner!

I was watching the video on this site, and I get it except that I don't know how to START. I have a finished piece that I want to add to, and a new ball of yarn. ??? Do I have to tie the new yarn to something? Do I have to do a slip knot cast on thingie?

redwitch · 08-01-2007, 05:24 AM

No just start. I sometimes like to tie the wool to a safety pin and attach it that way if a free end is really going to get in the way, then easy to untie and weave in later.

hunterjenn · 08-01-2007, 05:30 AM

I just loop it over the needle for the first pick-up, and then leave the end alone.

MerigoldinWA · 08-01-2007, 07:20 PM

Yes, I too just insert the right hand needle where I want to begin and use it to pull up a loop of the yarn. Viola! the first stitch. Then you keep going.

There are so many things to learn, and things that the directions don't explain. LOL I remember when I first worked in the round, the instructions said, "Join". "Join??" Like how. I tied the thing together. ROFL You don't need to, you just start knitting. (How was I to know?) It takes a while to get all this stuff. This site is so useful to people who are learning without a live teacher. I wish I had had such a help years ago.

lobstersunrise · 08-01-2007, 08:33 PM

But what's stopping the end from slipping out?

JGM · 08-01-2007, 08:38 PM

If you leave a long tail, it shouldn't pull out as you pick up the first stitch. It may be loose, but you can tighten it up by tugging on the yarn tail. You can weave the end in later after you've picked up your stitches and knitted a bit.

lobstersunrise · 08-03-2007, 01:31 AM

Success! I think... thanks everybody.