How to Knit on Double-Pointed Needles

Double-pointed needles are used to knit seamless items in a circular fashion that are too small for standard circular needles. They are frequently used to make socks, mittens, baby hats or fashion doll clothing. They come in sets of four or five needles in sizes from 00 to 11 and lengths from 6 inches to 10 inches. They can be made of plastic, wood or aluminum.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A set of 4 or 5 double-pointed needles Yarn Split stitch marker

Getting Started

1. Hold one double-pointed needle in your hand and cast on a number of stitches using the slingshot method--also known as long tail cast on--where you hold the tail ends of the yarn in a V against your palm between your thumb and forefinger. See Resources for reference if you aren't familiar with this cast on method.

2. Divide the stitches evenly, by slipping purlwise, onto three double-pointed needles if you are using a four-needle set, or onto four double-pointed needles if you are using a five-needle set. One needle, the stitching needle, is always free of stitches.

3. 
   Figure 1 - Double Pointed Cast On Rows

   Check that you haven't twisted the cast on row by laying the needles on a flat surface and forming a closed shape. A four-needle set--three needles holding stitches--will form a triangle. A five-needle set--four needles holding stitches--will form a square. The cast on stitches should go to the inside of the shape. (See Figure 1).

4. Place a stitch marker around the yarn of the first stitch to mark the start of the round. Do not put the stitch marker around the needle or between stitches, because it will likely fall off.

Knitting

5. Hold the free needle in your right hand, the needles with the cast on stitches in your left and begin to knit, starting with the first needle.

6. Watch how when you knit the first stitch, the work joins to form a circle with the right side always facing you. Thus, when working in stockinette stitch, you knit every stitch around, no need to purl.

7. 
   Figure 2 - Knitting in Progress

   Knit the stitches on the first needle. Each time you clear the stitches on one needle, that needle then becomes your stitching needle for the next set of stitches. (See Figure 2 for an example of a work in progress)

8. Once you complete a set of stitches on one needle, move them to the middle of that needle so they don't fall off the ends. Wooden needles tend to be less slippery than aluminum or plastic, but as long as your stitches have a good tension, the needles will not slip out.

9. 
   Figure 3 - Knitted Tube

   Continue working in rounds and you will see a knitted tube emerge from your needles. (See Figure 3.)

10. Bind off, increase or decrease as you would if working on straight needles.

Tips & Warnings

• Practice and become comfortable knitting on straight or circular needles before attempting double-pointed needles. As you are going around the circle from needle to needle, focus only on the needle with the stitches you are currently knitting. Let the others dangle behind the work and try to forget they are there. If you find holes developing between groups of stitches when moving from the last stitch on one needle to the first stitch on the next, try shifting the last stitch on each needle to the next needle, around the circle, every time you complete a round to distribute the connecting stitches evenly. The pattern you are following will usually specify which set of double-pointed needles to use, but if you have a choice, working with the five-needle set allows you to spread the stitches out more and can be more comfortable.
• Maintain a snug tension each time you knit a stitch. If the stitches are too loose, your needle could slip out. Always pull the yarn tight as you move from stitching the last stitch on one needle to the first stitch on the next needle. This will prevent holes in your work.

Resources

• Stitch Diva Double Pointed Knitting Tutorial (with Video)
• Advanced Knitting Techniques (with Videos)
• Casting On - Slingshot Method (Video)