Picking up stitches is done in many situations; necklines, buttonbands, and sock heels to name a few. Sometimes it is stitch for stitch and sometimes it is along a selvedge where correct spacing of new stitches is required.

 

Stitch for stitch is easy, but how do you figure out how many new stitches are needed? This is really a basic math problem. Measure the length of the area requiring stitches and multiply by the row gauge.That number equals how many stitches should be picked up. Allow stitches for the chosen design and you will have the number of stitches that need to be picked up. Patterns do this for you but now you know how they got their number.

 

When picking up stitch for stitch, it is mandatory that you pick up in the center of the existing stitch.  Being a half leg off will ruin the look.