If you read my last post, you know how much I love the knit stitch and some of the ways it can be your favorite stitch also!

In this article, I will show you the method I use to pick up stitches along the sides and ends of a garter stitch swatch. This can expand your use of the knit, the whole knit, and nothing but the knit!

Picking up along the side edge of garter stitch is fun and easy. Since garter stitch is a square stitch (the height and width of garter is the same), you will pick up a stitch in every other row along the side edges. If you look at the edge of a garter stitch sample, you will see what appears to be “knots” along the side. If you pick up inside every knot it is the same as picking up a stitch in every other row. Instead of placing your needle into this spot, it is so much easier to pick up a single strand between the knots. This makes the picked up edge flat with no bulky garter stitch seam.

The method for picking up stitches along the cast on or bound off edge is also very simple.

Pick up every stitch in garter along a bind off or cast on.

Place your working needle under only one strand of the cast on or bind off as shown in my video below.

“Why would I want to know how to do this?” you ask, you clever dear.

The log cabin style blanket is easy! Make it in wild colors or traditional ones. The method is simple:

1. Cast on some stitches. Knit a rectangle in garter. Bind off all but the last stitch. This is the middle of the blanket.
2. Change to a new color, pick up stitches along the side edge as shown above. Knit as much as you want. Bind off all but the last stitch.
3. Change colors again. Pick up stitches on the side edge of the same rectangle, and the end of the first rectangle. Knit awhile, bind off all but the last stitch.

“Continue in this manner.” (Don’t you just love it when knitting patterns say that?)

You get the picture. Keep going until the blanket is as big as you want.

The blanket can have the same size sections, or mix up the sizes and colors for an original all your own. No rules.

Here are a couple of great projects you can make with this easy and versatile stitch.

This is Cousins’ Mitre Square Baby Blanket by Emily Pain on Ravelry. It is a free pattern found here.

And here is a picture of the beginning of a Log Cabin style blanket I made. You can use the “recipe” above or see a pattern for it here.  Easy, right?