Circular Knitting: Two Methods

Series Summary

Knitting is more hip and popular than ever. Check any number of bookstores. There are several volumes of knitting patterns: everything from bikinis to purses. A new generation of expressive yarns make the creation of eye-catching clothes and accessories easier than ever. Knitting asserts independence from traditional clothing manufacturers, and is the perfect outlet for personal style. Circular knitting, or knitting in the round, is a form of knitting that creates a seamless tube. When knitting circularly, the knitting is cast on and the circle of stitches is joined. In this free video series, a knitting teacher demonstrates circular knitting techniques for making a hat. Tips for knitting brims, ear flaps and crowns are provided, as are techniques like the basic decrease and using double-point and stocknet.

Video Transcript

"When you knit a hat in the round, or anything in the round, like socks, or sometimes even sleeves, you're going to be working with either circular needles, so that you have your needle tips on either end, and the cord that brings it together, and you can work in the round. So, you just keep knitting in a circle, by going round and round. So, often your only facing the knit stitch. Okay? Another way to knit in the round, which was the only way to knit in the round before circular needles, is double pointed needles. Now, with double pointed needles you're going to cast on your stitches, and your needles will make your circle, and then you'll use another needle to knit them off, to go around and around, and you will have to use those when you make the crown of your hat. So, you'll have to be able to use both, and that's where it comes into being a good technique, to learn how to use your double pointed needles, because those can be a little bit clumsy and a little bit intimidating to use and, when you start your hat, you're going to be working on your circular needles, you'll work up to the crown, and that's when you'll shift to the double pointed needles."