Picking up stitches

When adding knitted edges to hems and necklines, and when knitting the front bands of cardigans, we need live stitches, but instead of casting on stitches, we pick up stitches from the edge of the piece.

There are 2 methods, picking up stitches from stitches and picking up stitches from rows.

Picking up stitches from stitches This is a way of picking up stitches from a long-tail cast-on or a bound-off edge. Hold the piece with the right-side facing and the edge to be picked up at the top. Note: Pick up the half stitches at the edges.
From stockinette stitch
	Insert the needle under both loops of the edge stitch, yarn over, and pull up a stitch (first stitch). Continue across.
From reverse stockinette stitch

Picking up stitches from rows Remember: The row gauge is generally different than the stitch gauge (usually more rows per in/cm than stitches), so picking up on row ends means skipping a row at regular intervals. The ratio of skipped stitches varies with the gauge of the fabric, but will generally be 2 or 3 stitches per 3 or 4 rows.
	Picking up to work rib on stockinette stitch
	Picking up to work garter stitch on stockinette stitch
	Picking up to work garter stitch on garter stitch