How to Change a Knit Pattern From Straight Needles to Circular

Knitting a hat in the round means eliminating an unsightly seam.

Knitting with circular needles, or knitting in the round, can be intimidating to the uninitiated knitter. However, many knitters prefer to knit in the round and will even convert patterns that were written to be knit flat so that they can do so. With circular needles, you can knit continuously without having to stop and turn your work. You can also avoid the tedium of seaming together all of the pieces of your project.

Things You'll Need

• Original pattern

Instructions

1. 

   A scarf can't be knit in the round, since it has a flat, rectangular shape.

   Evaluate your knitting pattern to determine if you can knit it in the round. Most projects that have a tubular shape, such as a sweater, a cowl or a hat, can be knit in the round. However, there are many clothing articles that can't easily be knit in the round due to their structure. For example, a buttoned cardigan is split into two front panels, so it is not connected all the way around. Note that it's still possible to knit parts of certain projects in the round, such as the sleeves on a cardigan.

2. Read through the knitting pattern to see how you will have to rewrite it for knitting in the round, and take notes as necessary. You will always be knitting on the front side of your piece when knitting in the round, so there are no wrong-side rows. Stitches that are purled on wrong-side rows of the original pattern will be knit in your reworked pattern. Similarly, working stockinette stitch in the round simply means knitting all rows.

3. Calculate how many stitches in the original pattern are devoted to creating a seam, and remove these stitches, known as selvage stitches, -- Knit Simple -- from your reworked pattern. For example, if the original pattern calls for 160 stitches across the back piece of a sweater and instructs to seam all pieces together using the mattress stitch, you should use just 159 stitches when knitting in the round, since you will not be losing half a stitch on each side to seaming.

4. 

   Knit a sweater in the round so you can try it on as you knit.

   Cast on to your circular needles and begin to knit in the round, starting by knitting together the first and last cast-on stitches. Before connecting these two stitches, make sure that all of your cast-on stitches are lying the same way on the needles so that you don't create an unintentional twist. Continue knitting until your project is complete.

Tips & Warnings

• Knit your gauge swatch in the stitch pattern that you will use when knitting in the round.

• Make sure the cord between your circular needles will be the right length for your pattern, so that you can comfortably connect to knit in the round and fit all of the necessary stitches onto your needles.

• It is easiest to convert flat patterns to be knit in the round when the wrong side rows in the original pattern are all knit or all purled stitches.

• Circular needles can also be used to knit flat, which can be useful for larger projects such as blankets. One benefit of using circular needles is that the weight of the work is distributed on the cord rather than entirely on the needles, and this reduces tension on the hands and wrists (Square).

• It is possible to knit non-tubular shapes in the round using the advanced technique of steeking, a method of cutting your knitting to create armholes and other edges. It is recommended that you practice steeking before attempting it on a larger project.

References

• The Knitter's Companion; Vicki Square
• Knit Simple Magazine: Beyond the Basics -- Selvages

Resources

• Knitty: Circular Needles
• See Eunny Knit: The Steeking Chronicles