For the Cocoknits Method of constructing a sweater, you will pick up stitches along the back of each shoulder and top of each sleeve. These pickups form the structure and foundation of the entire sweater. Because they are weight-bearing joins, the pickup method must be as strong as possible. My technique for picking up stitches most closely imitates a seam and ensures a tight join with no gaps.
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Locate your ladder stitches.
With the right side of your knitting facing you, start at the right edge and in the “valley” between the first and second stitch; run your double-pointed needle from right to left under 3 bars then over the 4th bar.
Working this way secures the needle in your knitting and is an easy way to count the ladder stitches you’ve picked up. Note that although you haven’t picked up every 4th ladder stitch, you will still need to count them and knit them.
Now count your ladder stitches. In the photo there are 12 ladder stitches: 3 clusters of 3 plus 2 unseen ladder stitches that are under the needle (in between the clusters of 3 with one unseen stitch at the very end).
You have been picking up from right to left; now you will need to slide your double-pointed needle into position so that you can knit off of it.
Treat the ladder stitches as though they are regular stitches and knit each one through the back loop. I knit these stitches through the back loop because they come off the needle more smoothly that way. If you prefer to knit them through the front loop, that’s fine. Just make sure you are consistent (all through back loop or all through front loop).
Note that you ran your needle over every 4th stitch so you will need to pick up every 4th stitch as you come to it and knit it through back loop. Remember to knit 2 together (do this through the back loop) as many times as you need to in order to end the row with your required stitch count.
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