Pick Up Stitches Calculator
How many stitches to pick up along an edge — and how to space them evenly.
Pick up 30 sts
Pick up 3 stitches, then skip 1 — repeat down the edge (≈ 30 sts total).
How to use
- Count the rows (or stitches) along the edge you are picking up from — a neckline, buttonband or armhole.
- Choose the ratio: use "3 sts every 4 rows" for a normal row edge, or "1 st per stitch" for a cast-on/bound-off edge.
- Read the total number of stitches to pick up, plus the simple repeat that spaces them evenly.
- Work down the edge following the repeat — pick up, skip, pick up — and you will land on the total without bunching or gaps.
Good to know
- A row edge needs fewer stitches than it has rows because knitted stitches are wider than they are tall — roughly 3 stitches for every 4 rows keeps the picked-up edge flat.
- A cast-on or bound-off edge is picked up 1:1 — one new stitch in each existing stitch.
- Ribbing that needs to pull in (like a neckband) sometimes uses a tighter ratio; the 2-of-3 option gives a firmer, more gathered edge.
FAQ
- Why not pick up one stitch in every row?
- Because stitches are wider than rows. Picking up one per row along a vertical edge makes the band flare and ripple. The 3-of-4 ratio matches the gauge so the edge lies flat.
- When should I use the 1:1 option?
- When you are picking up along a cast-on or bound-off (horizontal) edge, where there is exactly one stitch to pick up per existing stitch.
- My pattern gives a different ratio — is that wrong?
- No. The ideal ratio depends on your gauge and the fabric. 3-of-4 is the reliable default; follow your pattern if it specifies otherwise.