Picking up many fewer stitches than rows

How-to Questions
1

Hi all!

I just looked at the “Picking up stitches” video and found it very helpful. It suggested that you pick up 3 for every 4 stitches in stockinette. I am knitting a shawl that has 225 rows at the neckline. The directions say to pickup and knit 125 stitches for the first row of the neckline, knit the next row (WS) and then decrease down to 115 stitches. I assume the decrease in this last row is to curve the edge slightly so it lays nicely on the shoulders. But I am worried about the initial pickup row: only 125 stitches? Won’t it be really curved? The pattern in lovely (from Vogue’s Shawls book).

Thanks!

2

I’m not sure it will be curved as much as gathered. Since they are so specific about how many to pick up, then go with it. The 3 out of 4 is more for a button band, or something that you want to lie flat.

I’d divide the shawl stitches up in quarters–tie a little piece of yarn to mark the stitches, and then pick up 31 in each section, with one getting a bonus stitch.