**photo added** OK I am lost

#1

Help! This is the Turkish bag KellyK posted…

Bottom of bag

Cast on 15 stitches and, working back and forth on the circular needle, knit 32 rows, making a garter stitch square with 16 ridges on each side.
–Ok, I am pretty sure I got that, though the 16 ridges is a little wonky

Continuing from the corner where the final row finishes, pick up and knit 15 stitches along each of the other three sides of the square (total 60 stitches).
– I don’t get that. Can someone translate that to English for me :oops:

Place a marker; this will be the beginning of the round for the body of the bag.
– Ok, I got that too!

Double the stitch count by working (YO, K1) around (120 sts).
– That seem simple enough

#2

on the bottom you should have 16 ridges that look like overlapping smileys and frownys… Start at one corner of the bag, and stick your needle inbetween the first 2 ridges; then wrap the yarn around, and draw it through… tada! One picked up stitch! (pick up and knit = just pick up a stich). Do that inbetween all the ridges on that side, working towards the left, and then do the same for all the other sides too. After you’ve picked up all your stitches, place the marker, and then count the stitches. If you have 60, YAY!!! if not, my un-orthodox method (which is okay for bags, but not with garments) is just to knit 1 round increasing or decreasing evenly (as necessary) until I end up with the right about of stitches. Then I don’t count that “extra” round I just did, and begin the body of the bag. Hope it works!

#3

Ok, so basically what i am going to do is take that flat piece of work and make it into a round piece… is that correct? :??

#4

Well that didn’t work :frowning: I am just not understanding where to pick up the thread from. I am trying to pick them up from the edge right now (or at least I think) I watched Amy’s video several several times … but I still can’t see it :frowning:

#5

Hoping someone who know what they are doing (and has a photo software) can show me where to insert needles :oops: Sorry it is blurry, but it should work.

#6

this is where I pick up stitches. I go under both sides of loop.

#7

Nik, to clarify, you are putting your needle through, front to back, where the arrows are, then wrap the WORKING YARN around the needle and pull it through. I didn’t quite get that the first time I did it either.

Good luck…hope the :wall: is over soon!! :smiley:

#8

And, you are going to stick your needle BETWEEN the sts…not through a part of one sts loop.

#9

Ok, does this look like I am doing it right?

#10

YES!

#11

Ok Grasshoppa’ can you riddle me this one…

Instructions say

Continuing from the corner where the final row finishes – Ok now look at where my needles are in above picture. Am I starting in the correct corner?

pick up and knit 15 stitches along each of the other three sides of the square (total 60 stitches). – (If I am starting in the right spot) I am a little lost then because my stitches are “backwards” or something. As I pick up stitches they are on my right needle (just like always) but if that is right how am I to keep knitting?

#12

No…you are going to want to knit that row then start picking up sts so your working yarn ends up in the right spot to start knitting away…are you picking up on a circ?

#13

Knit what row :?? oy, I am so confused. Can you just come over Kelly?

But yes I am working on circs (is that bad?)

#14

:rofling: Nuno call Kelly on the phone. Not only will you be able to talk to each other (hear each others voice) But you will solve the problem faster i bet… :thumbsup:

#15

okay i think i knwo what the problem is! put the bottom down flat on the table. Look at the corners… you have an upper left, a lower left, an upper right and a lower right. Right? good.
Now. Start at the UPPER RIGHT corner. put your right needle in the stitch and pick up one. (you had been doping it correctly) Now, continuing along the TOP EDGE put your right needle in their again–you’re now 1 stitch to the LEFT of the upper right corner-- and pick up another stitch, the same way you did before. Then keep going… pick up 15 stitches total along the top edge, working from the upper right corner to the upper left corner.
Now, you’re at the upper left corner… you’re going to work across to the LEFT, from the upper right corner to the lower right corner, picking up 15 stitches on the way… keep going all the way around.
Once you pick up all 60 stitckes (using the right needle) the stitches you’ve picked up will have magically travelled around the circular needle and that first stitch you did will be on the left needle. Here’s where you place marker and join.

I think you were picking them up backwards, is all. HTH. If not, I give up…we’ll just have to fly you out here.

#16

Im sorry…Im not being clear.

I see you have live sts on the needle at the left of the pic. You have to knit that row so that you can pick up the sts using your working yarn. Then when you have picked up sts all around, start knitting them/.

#17

Oh, I am sure you are being clear… but something in my head just isn’t clicking. But I think I may have just figured out something… I am working on a FLAT piece of work. I am just working on circs because eventually (if I ever figure out this damn picking up stitches thing) will be working in the round.

So even if I did knit my live stitches… would’t I just end up in the same spot as I am now… only with 1 more row :??

This is the pattern (though you are the one who sugested it… so you probably know already)

http://tiajudy.com/stringbag.htm

#18

As I understand it, and someone PLEASE correct me if I’m wrong because I’m new at this too, you want to start your pick up & knit with your current 15 stitches on your right-hand side, so as though you haven’t yet turned your needle.

#19

I was thinking about this last night. You need to flip your work over so the stitches from your last row are on your right needle. I use a crochet hook to pick up a few stiched and then transfer them onto the right needle. You keep pulling the right needle out more until you come to the end of both the left needle and your work. Then you can knit in the round. I use the crochet hook because it is a bit awkward for me to pick up with stitches already on the needle. I hope I make sense, I just woke up. ( I could really use spell check here)

#20

HOT DAMN!!! I think I that worked!!!