How to Knit a Sweater on Circular Needles

Circular knitting needles enable even a beginner knitter to construct a simple (almost) seamless tube sweater by taking only a few measurements. The cowl-neck of the sweater means no decreasing stitches are needed so the construction is simple and requires only the knit stitch. The method provided can be easily adapted for size, different yarn weights and different stitch patterns.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Yarn
• Circular knitting needles (The cable must be shorter than the circumference of the sweater.)
• Smaller circular needles (The cable must be shorter than the circumference of the sleeves.)
• Stitch markers
• Stitch holder or waste yarn
• Scissors
• Tape measure

Knitting a Tube Sweater

1. Knit a gauge swatch in your chosen yarn with both needle sizes. Work stockinette stitch flat using the circular needles as if they were straight needles (knit one row, purl the next row). Make swatches measuring about 5 to 10 square inches. Using the tape measure or a gauge tool, measure the number of stitches per inch for each swatch.

2. Measure the circumference of the hips at their widest point, and upper arms at the widest point of the person who will be wearing the sweater. For a looser fit, add 3 to 5 inches to the measurements; then calculate how many stitches you need to cast on for the body and the sleeves. Divide the measurement by the number of stitches per inch of your gauge swatches. The smaller needle swatch is for the sleeves, the larger needle swatch is for the body.

3. Cast on half your calculated number of stitches on the larger circular needles for the body of the sweater, place a marker, cast on the remaining half of the stitches, place a marker, then join the stitches without twisting and begin knitting in stockinette stitch in the round (knit all stitches). Knit until the tube is the desired length from the bottom up to the armpits.

4. Bind off 5 stitches after the first marker, knit to the next marker, bind off 5 stitches, knit to the end of the round. Place the back half of the live stitches on a holder or piece of waste yarn.

5. Using the smaller circular needles, cast on the number of stitches calculated for the sleeves. Place a marker, join the row into a round and knit in stockinette stitch until the sleeve is the desired length from cuff to armpit. Bind off the first 5 stitches after the marker, and hold the remaining live stitches on a holder or waste yarn. Repeat to make a second identical sleeve.

6. Place all the live stitches of the body and sleeves onto the larger circular needle, using the bound-off stitches on the sleeves and body to position the sleeves.

7. Knit in the round until the wide cowl neck is the length you desire, trying the sweater on as you go. The stockinette stitch means the neck will curl back on itself when bound-off as will the bottom hem and the cuffs.

8. Bind off all stitches, sew the small armpit seams together from the inside and weave in loose ends.

Tips & Warnings

• Different shaped necklines can be created by decreasing stitches at the shoulders, front and back after joining the body and sleeves. A textured stitch, such as ribbing or seed stitch, can be worked over the first 5 to 10 rounds of the body and sleeves, and for the final 5 to 10 rounds of the neck to prevent the edges from curling. If you are new to circular knitting, it may be easier to knit a few rows before joining the rounds to prevent twisted stitches.