Is there a difference between the terms "Pick Up" and "Pick Up And Knit"? I know that there is a difference because I've read from several sources before that the latter actually uses live yarn. Well, as far as I know, there is a difference, but do authors of patterns know that there is a difference?
This is what is confusing to me about the Cascading Petals Scarf from Runway Knits. It says to pick up, but it is almost impossible to pick up or maybe it's just that I don't know how? I would so rather pick up and knit so that I have stitches on the needle ready to go, but that would cause a little bump of a seam in the back wouldn't it?
I'm just pondering out loud....... back to more research. I will definitely post more. I just had to write because after attaching 7 petals, I ripped "MOHAIR" out because it looked so ugly. Arrgh.
Life!
Monday, June 15, 2009
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8 comments:
I've always been taught that unless the pattern designer says differently: Knit up, Pick up and Pick up and knit all mean the same thing.
Use live yarn and pick up new stitches.
For "pick up and knit," I've always put my needle through a loop in the knitting and pulled a new loop of working yarn through. "Pick up" only I'd interpret as just picking up loops from the knitting and putting them on the needle, presumably to knit them later. But I could be completely off.
not sure about pick up vs pick up and knit... but to rip mohair put it in the freezer first... it helps "calm down" the fibers and makes it easier to undo... just a little tip :)
Your question has been asked and pondered before! Even in Knitty!
http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter04/FEATwin04TT.html
However, I always pick up and knit even if something says just "pick up" because I think picking up and knitting looks neater. And really, what's one extra row of knitting? It's NOTHING. No one will ever notice the difference.
Also, if you pick up (and not knit) and then start knitting off those picked up stitches, the effect (i.e. the bump you're talking about) is the same as picking up and knitting--you'll just work one fewer row.
Of course, if you're talking about live stitches (on a holder, for example), I would just put those stitches on the needle and then work them as the next row of instructions dictated.
I see Laura has answered your question very well. But I'll chime in and say that I also pick up and knit even if the pattern just says to pick up because I find it neater, that it's less gape-y at the picked up part. But yes, there is a difference between pick up and pick up and knit.
wow...I love finding out something new...I never knew there was a difference between the two, and I always just pick up and knit.
Yes, Kenny, you are quite correct that there is a difference. Unfortunately, most pattern writers DON'T know the difference, and use the terms interchangeably. That causes no end to problems!
One direction I just saw this week said to use a length of yarn to knit up stitches, and then to start from the beginning end to work them with the ball yarn. Now, of course, if you were to pick up and knit with the main yarn, you would be at the wrong end of the row when you had to start your patterning! So, while in most cases it doesn't really matter, it DOES make a difference where you end up after picking up AND knitting those stitches.
Sometimes we need to think these things through and make the corrections on the pattern because some 'designer' can't be bothered to write it technically correct.
That is one amazing piece of work!
The Yarn Harlot just posted a tutorial about this! Immediately thought of you and popped over to let you know...but it looks like it's already been explained. I loved her explanation; I never considered the difference before, but now I do understand.
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