Sweater Finishing Series: How to Pick Up and Knit the Collar

Last week was the start of our sweater finishing video series where Kerin showed you how to set in the sleeves of a sweater. This week’s segment entails a comprehensive look into the elusive collar! The first step to the collar will usually be picking up your stitches, which can be a bit tricky since you’ll be working along the straight and curved edges of the collar. Unsure of how to work a hemmed collar? Kerin covers that too!

Check out Part 2 of our sweater finishing tutorial to learn how to pick up and knit a collar as well as how to sew down a hemmed collar.

Once you’ve picked up all of the stitches of your collar, you’ll be ready to work the actual collar according to your pattern. And in the case of a hemmed collar, you’ll be working a collar about twice the length you want it, this will give you the needed length in order to fold it over and sew it against the inside of the collar’s edge on the sweater. Again – that can be a bit fussy if it’s your first time working with a hemmed collar, but that is where the wonderful Kerin comes in to show you step-by-step just how easy it is!

Do you have any tips or tricks that you like to use when you are putting the finishing touches on a sweater?

Stay tuned for Part 3 next week where we continue along with hemmed edges – this time focusing on the cuffs.


3 comments

  1. Ember / April 16, 2013

    Great videos!!! If only I could’ve watched it a month ago when I finished my first ever sweater. The whole picking up stitches thing was kind of a mystery that I managed to muddle through. End result? A charmingly flawed but wearable “masterpiece”. At least, that’s what I tell myself. 🙂 After watching Kerin explain it, it makes so much more sense, now. It’s *almost* enough to make me rip out and redo the picked up band…but…other projects beckon.

  2. nancy / April 12, 2013

    GREAT videos, they have been so helpful but can you tell me where I can get the sweater pattern.
    Thanks!

    • Jenny K / April 15, 2013

      Glad you enjoyed the videos! The sweater that Kerin is finishing in the series is one that she made up to help with a bit of stash-busting, but I’ll pass along your comments and interest to her – thanks 🙂