Help with pick-up-and-knit WS to create seam

Sweater pattern - The Easy Bulky One by Joji Locatelli

Finished 6” of back panel; now picking up and knitting to begin front left panel where top back and top front of shoulder meet:

“With WS facing you and starting at the sleeve edge, pick up and knit (x) sts between the edge and the first safety pin.
These sts will correspond to the left shoulder when wearing the sweater.
This pick up will leave an exposed seam.”

I’m unable to find specific instructions online or in the pattern about picking up and knitting on the WS in order to create a “seamed” look. Does anyone have advice on which stitches to pick up?

I’m thinking the actual cast-on-edge “loops” might not be strong enough. After that, it’s just purl bumps…. Am I, in fact, to use those edge stitches?

Thanks in advance for any assistance!

Interesting way to pick up stitches. Ordinarily I might pick up in a row away from the edge but because this is deliberately going to make a visible seam, it might be best to pick up through two loops of the cast on edge. That way the seam won’t be too bulky or thick.
This video shows the knit side facing but because you would pick up in the cast on, it shouldn’t matter that you will have the purl side facing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHbP11wG9K0

Here’s also a tutorial the shows a couple of different cast ons with sts picked up (see about 1/4 down the page).
https://www.moderndailyknitting.com/community/techniques-depth-pick-stitches/

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If you wanted to pick up in what would be the V on the knit side but can’t see those spaces because you are working on the purl side you can prepare the edge with a contrasting colour yarn and tapestry needle to help show where to go in on the pick up. With knit side facing just go down one V up the next, down the next, up the next, and so on. When you turn the work and use your working yarn to pick up and knit you will see where the knit V hole is as the contrast yarn is coming through that hole. Undo each contrasting yarn stitch as you go, or if it is a fine thread leave it in and pull the whole strand out in one go after picking up along the edge.

Maybe try a swatch where you pick up on the edge loops and another where you pick up in the stitch and see which you prefer. The ridge created is quite prominent on some of the ravelry projects and the result is different depending what sort of cast on was used as this cast on edge is exposed.

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Is this picking up along a cast-on edge?

I think you need to pick up in from the edge so that that edge sticks out to form the exposed “seam”.

I would experiment on a swatch so you can try a couple of placements and not distort your real knitting.

Make sure to pick up all “smiles” or all “upside-down smiles” so you are in the same row.

You might find some tutorials or photos of people doing this to make a hem on a hat or garment.

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Great suggestions, and really helpful - thank you all so much!

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