Easiest Way to Pick Up Stitches to Knit
Sometimes when you’re knitting, the pattern calls for picking up the stitches, or you’ve crocheted a garment and want to add a knitted cuff.
Picking up stitches can be difficult and tricky and in this post I’m going to explain the easiest way to pick up stitches without the headache of losing stitches.
Whether you're left-handed or right, I’ll break it down and bring up key points to remember.
Understanding the Stitch
First thing you need to know is how the knit stitch works.
When you’re looking at knit stitch, imagine a gymnast sitting on the balance beam looking at the audience (you). One leg is in front while the other is in the back. If you knit right-handed, the leg in front will be the right, and if you knit left-handed the leg in front will be the left.
Keep this in mind especially if you crochet and knit in opposite directions.
Tools needed
Knitting needles (circular or straight)
Non-ergonomic crochet hook the same size as your knitting needles.
Your crocheted or knitted project you’re working on (not really a tool, but it is needed).
What direction do you knit or crochet affects how you pick up your stitches.
If you knit and crochet in the same direction, nothing really changes. You’ll be picking up your stitches in one direction, right to left (right-handed) or left to right (left-handed).
But if you crochet and knit in different directions (for example, crochet left-handed and knit right-handed) there are two ways you can pick up your stitches: you can either pick up left to right on the right side, or left to right on the wrong side.
If you Crochet and Knit in the Same Direction: (Right or Left-handed)
Step 1:
Identify where to insert the hook. With the right side of the garment facing you, I like to insert the hook along the back loop of the stitch, creating a dividing line between the crochet and knitted parts. This also removes excess bulk in the wrong side, so if your piece is reversible it won’t look out of place.
Picking up stitches mimics a knit (or purl) stitch, so by inserting the hook in only one loop, it would be the same as if you were knitting a stitch (inserting in one loop).
Step 2:
After you’ve inserted the hook, yarn over the same direction as you knit. I cannot stress that enough, because if you yarn over as if you were crocheting, the stitch would sit on the needles incorrectly. So when you yarn over, the yarn will actually be going under the hook.
Keep adding stitches to the crochet hook until it feels a bit cramped or uncomfortable to get them on the hook.
Step 3:
Transfer the stitches to the needles. Push the stitches down to the end of the crochet hook, and slip the stitches on to the knitting needles.
To keep the correct stitch orientation on the needles, you pick up the stitches with the needle purl-wise (inserting the needle from the back to the front).
Transfer the stitches until you have about 2-3 stitches left on the crochet hook and repeat steps 1-3 until you’ve picked up all the stitches you need.
If you crochet and knit in opposite directions (i.e., crochet left-handed and knit right-handed)
Method 1, Pick-up on the Right Side:
Step 1:
Identify where to insert the hook. Same as in the same-direction method, I like to insert the hook along the back loop of the stitch with the right side facing you.
Step 2:
After you’ve inserted the hook, yarn over the same direction as you crochet. Yarning over in knitting and crochet are opposite directions.
Much like how people teach left-handed people skills, by mirroring it, the same works here. In crochet, a yarn over goes over the hook, and if you yarn over as if you were knitting, it would go under the hook (aka a yarn under in crochet terms). So, in this case, yarn over as if you were crocheting, and go over the hook.
Keep adding stitches to the crochet hook until it feels a bit cramped or uncomfortable to get them on the hook.
Step 3:
Transfer the stitches to the needles. Push the stitches down to the end of the crochet hook, and slip the stitches on to the knitting needles.
To keep the correct stitch orientation on the needles, you pick up the stitches with the needle knit-wise (inserting the needle from the front to the back).
Transfer the stitches until you have about 2-3 stitches left on the crochet hook and repeat steps 1-3 until you’ve picked up all the stitches you need.
If you’re working a flat piece, you won’t need to turn when you start knitting.
If you crochet left-handed and knit right handed, you’ll be picking up the stitches left-right, then when you start knitting, the last stitch is on the end of the left needle) so it will be setup as if you’ve turned your work after knitting a row right-handed.
In this row only, you won’t need to turn your work to knit.
If you’re working in the round, you need to join the row before you start knitting or else you will get a gap between the first and last stitches.
This method creates the purl “bump” on the wrong side
If you crochet and knit in opposite directions (i.e., crochet left-handed and knit right-handed)
Method 2, Pick-up on the Wrong Side:
Step 1:
Identify where to insert the hook. Here’s where things get different, you’ll be working in the wrong side of the piece. Pick up the stitches in the front loops (because that’s the back loop of the right side).
Step 2:
After you’ve inserted the hook, and the same as method 1, yarn over the same direction as you crochet. Yarning over in knitting and crochet are opposite directions.
Much like how people teach left-handed people skills, by mirroring it, the same works here. In crochet, a yarn over goes over the hook, and if you yarn over as if you were knitting, it would go under the hook (aka a yarn under). So, in this case, yarn over as if you were crocheting, and go over the hook.
Keep adding stitches to the crochet hook until it feels a bit cramped or uncomfortable to get them on the hook.
Step 3:
Transfer the stitches to the needles. Push the stitches down to the end of the crochet hook, and slip the stitches on to the knitting needles.
To keep the correct stitch orientation on the needles, you pick up the stitches with the needle knit-wise (inserting the needle from the front to the back).
Transfer the stitches until you have about 2-3 stitches left on the crochet hook and repeat steps 1-3 until you’ve picked up all the stitches you need.
If you’re working a flat piece, you won’t need to turn when you start knitting.
If you crochet left-handed and knit right handed, you’ll be picking up the stitches left-right, then when you start knitting, the last stitch is on the end of the left needle) so it will be setup as if you’ve turned your work after knitting a row right handed.
In this row only, you wouldn’t be turning your work to knit.
If you’re working in the round, you’ll need to turn your work back to the right side and then knit as usual.
This method creates the purl “bump” on the right side.
It’s okay to pick up stitches right-handed if you’re left-handed
If you are left-handed and want to pick up stitches right-handed with the hook in the right hand. Go for it. Because you’re using a crochet hook to grab the yarn it’s much easier to pick up stitches in a non-dominant hand.
As a lefty myself who knits right-handed, I pick up my stitches right-handed. It feels awkward, and I’m constantly adjusting my yarn because it’s in wrong hand but that is okay. Picking up stitches this way is very forgiving, and easy frog and start over if you need to.
I like to pick up stitches right-handed when working in the round, because then I won’t have the purl bump on the right side. Yes, I could pick up my stitches purl-wise and that would solve the issue, but if a pattern calls for “pick up knit-wise” on a right-handed pattern, I don’t want to mentally adjust anything….that’s why I learned how to knit right-handed instead of left, so I don’t have to adjust any patterns or deal with my pieces being mirror images of what they’re supposed to be.
Need a video or PDF to help? I’ve got you covered
If you want a visual reference to this blog I’ve created two YouTube tutorials on my YouTube Channel @yarnequals
In the videos I also go into even more details on how to pick up knit vs purl stitches, and increasing and decreasing stitches while you pick up.
If you want a PDF to reference you can get my guide here that includes right-handed and left-handed instructions.
Leave a comment if you have any questions and let me know what knitting and/or crochet projects you’re working on.
