I am a huge fan of anything knit in the round. Slouchy hats, colorful tube scarves, and big chunky cowls are among my favorites.
It’s nice not to worry that the back side of my work won’t be attractive. There are also times I just don’t feel like turning my work to start a new row. If I’m knitting in the round one row ends and the next just seamlessly begins.
If I’m creating stock items for my Etsy store j.faze ,I often make a sort of game out of it: How many inches can I knit in 15 minutes – ready go!
There are endless tricks and tips you can use when knitting in the round. I’ve narrowed them all down to My Top 3:
Joining in the Round:
There are so many ways to join a project that needs to be knit in the round. This one is my favorite because it’s really simple and leaves no visible gap in the finished item.
Cast on your stitches
Take the first stitch on the right hand needle and slip it purl wise onto the left needle
Take the last stitch you cast on (with the working yarn) and pass it purl wise over the first stitch and onto the right hand needle.
Give the tail a gently tug
Place a stitch marker between the two switched stitches (if needed) and knit away!
After completing the first round and returning to the stitch marker give the tail one more gently tug to completely get rid of any gaps.
Ribbing in the round:
Purling after a knit stitch is my Achilles heel. I’m not sure if it’s because I am a fairly loose knitter, but I always seem to have this extra gap between the stitches. This seems to gets worse as the needle size increases. If I am knitting the brim of a hat or the top of a sock it tends to not have the same stretch and bounce back as a nice tight rib.
This is the solution that works for me:
Insert your needle as if to purl from the back loop.
The first row of this may feel awkward but once that first row is complete the yarn will be twisted in that direction and feel more comfortable.
Wrap the yarn clockwise around your needle.
If/ When you come to a row where those purl stitches should now be knit (after the brim or cuff) simply knit (just those purl stitches) through the back loop to untwist the yarn. After that first row go back to your standard knit stitch.
Decreasing in the Round:
While this one isn’t necessarily only for knit in the round pieces, I find it is when I use this technique the most. It’s also the most simple:
When knitting two together use increased tension.
That’s it!
It creates a tighter more even line. It might seem like such a simple thing but I can definitely tell a difference when I pay attention to that tension and when not. For me its most visible in the decrease in the crown of a hat. It may take a few tries to figure out exactly how much extra tension will work for you.
I am always excited to learn more. If you have any great tips or tricks for knitting in the round I would love to hear them! Just send me a message on the contact page. – ❤
