Picking up stitches from bottom up for felted bag

Happy 4th of July

I am stuck and my knitting shop is closed for the week. I am knitting the “Twice as Nice Bag” I am a 1 year old knitter and 1st timer on this
The instructions are:
Purse Bottom
Using a single strand, CO 18 sts. Knit 50 rows in Garter Stitch (knit every row)Begin picking up stitches along outside of rectangle bottom in the following order: 25 sts. along one side, 18 sts. along one end, 25 sts. along other side and knit 18 sts. at other end. Total sts. 86. Then you knit in the round. My problem is the process of picking up stitches. I can pu sts
but not sure where to start and how. I’ve tried twice and restarted a third
time but when I end up the yarn end is on the left needle. Can someone please help me?? I hope I have explained it okay.

Are you using a circular needle? Just pick up all the stitches around the outside, starting at the bottom right corner of the rectangle. Use Amy’s video on this page on picking up stitches.

A one-year old knitter–impressive! My kids were just learning to walk at one year! :smiley:

If the videos don’t help, think of this. Are you picking up with the right needle all the way around? I’m assuming that you’ll be knitting in the round for the rest of the bag. If it appears that your working yarn is on the left needle, turn the whole thing around. When you knit in the round, the needle ends should be toward you with the loop away from you as you knit on the outside of the “tube.” If this doesn’t work, let us know more specifically what is happening.

Happy 4th!

I am going to try to scan a picture to explain my dilemma. I am
still confused about how to proceed. I appreciate the responses I have received so far , but I have never done this before and I am stuck and would like to knit today since I am off!! Thanks again for your help

When you are done knitting the last row of the bottom, DONT TURN YOUR WORK. Your working yarn should be on the left side of the row you just worked. If you rotate your work 1/4 clockwise, you can begin to pick up the 25 sts starting at the right corner of the rectangle you just knit. When you get to the end of that side, another 1/4 clockwise turn, and pick up 18 along that side, another 1/4 turn & PU another 25 along that last side, and now you can start knitting in the round!