Knitty Bitz

Once the main body of the knitting has been completed, it is often necessary to add extra finishing rows for neck bands, button and buttonhole bands and other edgings. Sometimes these sections are knitted separately and sewn on but it is quicker and neater to pick up stitches along the edge and knit directly onto these.

To pick up stitches along a cast on, cast off or shaped edge
Always working under a whole stitch (never through a single thread), insert the point of the knitting needle under the first stitch, pass the yarn round the needle and draw a loop through to form a stitch. Continue for as many stitches as are required (Fig.66).

To pick up stitches along side edges
To work a button band on a cardigan, for example, insert the point of the knitting needle between the first and second rows 1 whole stitch in from the edge, pass the yarn over the needle and draw the loop through. Often, the numbers of stitches that must be picked up are not the same as the number of rows that have been worked. It is easier to pick up the stitches evenly if you first divide the length of the edge in half, then in half again and again, so that the edge is divided into eighths. Mark each division with a pin. Divide the number of stitches to be picked up by eight and pick up approximately that number of stitches in each section (Fig.67).

"Our thanks to Thomas B Ramsden & Co (Bfd) Ltd for allowing us to use this information."