Circular knitting needles are as the name implies, crafted to knit a circle, also known as knitting in the round. Once you are proficient in the basics of knitting, it is necessary to begin a seamless pattern. This may appear to be daunting, but that is not the case. Knitting in the round is an uncomplicated technique to master. The knitting needles are connected with a cord and the length of the cord required is based upon the number of stitches you are dealing with. If the pattern involves an increasing or decreasing amount of stitches, then you would need to replace the needles with either a shorter or longer cable respectively.

Knitting in the Round with Circular Needles

Circular needles are meant to do what regular needles cannot do: knit a smooth round tube. Items such as hats, sweaters, socks, and mittens all consist of a circular design. The marvel of knitting in the round is that the tube is created the instant the cast on is complete. The outcome is a seamless tube that can be altered into any design you desire with the assistance of increasing and decreasing.

Circular knitting needles are the most diverse needle type available. For over a century, they have helped knit projects, whether they be round or flat. The majority of knitters who have discovered the comfort of circular needles stick to them permanently. These needles offer ergonomic convenience as the needle tips are joined together with a smooth and flexible cord of various lengths. If the needles are adjustable, then you can modify the cord size accordingly. Even beginners are able to manage knitting with circular needles.

Here are the key points when picking the correct circular knitting needles:

• When knitting in the round, you are always knitting on the front of the work, as there is no need to “turn” the needle to knit on the wrong side.
• The round technique is much faster than knitting flat.
• Knitting in the round yields a seamless tube-like fabric. There are no seams.

Five steps to knitting in the round:

1. Cast on using your preferred method onto the circular needle. As you cast stitches on one needle tip and then spread it over the cord till it gets to the other needle tip.
2. Rotate the cast on stitches so that it faces the same direction to stop the stitches from twisting. Now you need to join the yarn so that it becomes a round. There are many methods to join the round. You can use a simple step such as casting an extra stitch and slipping it to the other needle tip and join the round.
3. Ensure that the yarn is on the left hand needle tip. Add a stitch marker to mark the first stitch of the round. You can use a round stitch marker or if you have forgotten to place one, then use a locking stitch marker.
4. Push the stitches near to the tips of the needles. The rule of knitting in the round with circular needles is the length of the needle should always be smaller than the circumference of the project so that the stitches are not stretched.
5. Use the right needle to knit the first stitch from the left needle and pull tight.

Additional elements to remember when choosing circular knitting needles:

1. Always select a circular needle with a length that is slightly less than the width of your knitting, as this allows the stitches to flow across the needles as you knit.
2. Make sure that the stitches spread around the whole cable and to the right-hand needle tip.
3. Before beginning to knit, double check that the cast-on stitches are not tangled around the cable.
4. When working in the round, there is no need to turn the work over. The right-side will always be visible.

After you’ve had enough practice knitting with a single circular needle, then you can try out working with other methods. The magic loop technique of knitting in the round with circular needles is used for small circumference projects such as baby socks and clothes. As the rule of circular knitting is the needle length should be smaller than the circumference of the project.

Another method is knitting with two circular needles. This technique gives freedom for working on small to large circumference projects. Just make sure that you work with same length and size of circular needles.

If you own a set of interchangeable circular knitting needles, this provides much freedom as it means you do not have to purchase a new set of needles every time you commence a new project. You are able to merge different cables and needles to generate multiple exciting patterns and use the other cables as stitch holders. The needles can also be used for flat patterns, besides knitting in the round.

Source: https://knitterspride.blogspot.com/2023/04/knitting-in-round-on-circular-knitting.html