Knitting in the Round

When To Use It

Knitting in the round allows you to knit a circular item without a seam. Stocking caps are a perfect example. They look way better if knitted in the round versus sewn together. Ponchos, socks, and purses are also commonly knitted in the round.

Here's How It Works

To get started knitting in the round, you need to be using circular needles. Try to get the smallest length circular needle for the job. I knit a lot of stocking caps which have small diameters and I've found that most circular needles are too long. I've actually cut and re-melted circular needles to get them short enough. There's an easier way though - just buy a smaller length.

I'll assume at this point you've cast on your first row. With your cast-on row finished, your right needle has the end connected to the skein of yarn.

First step:

Take your left hand and run it down the entire row, making sure that all the knots are facing left. It is extremely important that all of the knots face the same way. If they're twisted and you begin knitting, you'll knit the whole thing twisted. (If they're twisted, you'll know after a row or two.) It's hard to see, but all the knots are turned in toward the center of my needles in this picture.



Next:

Slip a stitch marker on the right needle. This marks your row beginnings after you get started.

Then:

This is the tricky part. Hold your needles in a circle. Your right hand holds the end attached to the skein and your left holds the finished end. Pretend you're using two needles and starting a new row with the yarn on your left needle. See how the right needle picks up the last stitch on the left needle. This is where you'll "join" it together to begin knitting in the round. It's just as if you started knitting your next row, so when your right needle picks up this stitch, knit it like normal.



Now you've joined and begun knitting in the round!

As you knit back through the stitches, you'll come back to the stitch marker. In patterns, you'll be instructed to "slip marker". To do this, just take the marker and put it on the right needle again. Keep doing this every time you come to it. It's the marker to let you know you're starting another row.