Almost all knitters learn to knit flat first before they knit round. Almost every knitter picks up a pair of single-pointed needles, borrowed from a mentor to learn the basic steps of knitting. But, that is not the only option out there; circular knitting needles are now everyday needles for many knitters and not just advanced ones, beginners too can easily learn the steps of knitting. Circular needles work for back-and-forth (flat) knitting as well as for seamless rounds. Basically, with the same pair of needles you can knit a dishcloth or a blanket as well as socks or hats.
The trick to knitting flat with circular needles is to treat them as just two needle tips. Do not think about the cord, whether it is fixed or interchangeable. Hold them in your hands as any regular needles, you can tug and straighten the cord and make sure it is not twisted. And, if you have used circulars for knitting in the round, work with them as you normally do but skip the step of joining the round. Make sure to remember to turn the project (WIP) after each row.
Steps Knit Flat with Circular Needles
1st Step – Make a slipknot on the right-hand needle tip. If you are left-handed, it will be your left-hand tip. Making a slip knot is common for all knitting projects until mentioned otherwise. Beginners must not skip the step while advanced knitters skip the slip knot and get right to the cast on.
2nd Step – Cast on stitches on the right needle. If you are working on a pattern you will have the information of the number of stitches you need to cast on. But, if you are just testing your circulars to knit back and forth, simply cast 30-40 stitches to get enough practice. Make sure to count the slip knot as the first stitch. Choose any method such as the long tail cast-on or the knitted cast-on. Take two needles of different sizes or even the same size for a loose cast-on. Spread the stitches on the entire needle length but make sure the stitches are not stretched.
3rd Step – Now you are ready to knit. Turn your project so that the cast on stitches are on your left hand, in case you are left-handed it will be on your right. Hold the yarn in the right hand according to your knitting style. The English knitter tensions the yarn in the right hand while continental knitters use their left.
4th Step – Knit according to your pattern or for practice knit stockinette (alternating rows of knit and purl stitches) or even garter (all rows of knit stitches).
5th Step – Once you’ve knit the last row of stitches as mentioned in the pattern or once you’ve made a swatch, bind off. Bind two stitches at a time knitwise or purl wise according to the stitch pattern. This is the same as the cast-on, make the stitches loose and stretchy and they won’t be counted as a row in the pattern.
6th Step – If it’s a project such as a garment, wash and block it with proper blocking tools. After it’s dry, weave in yarn ends with your darning needle. Every project or even a swatch will have at least two yarn tails – one from cast on and the other from the bind off.
With this, you are ready to use your circular knitting needles for flat projects. If you are still not sure let’s take you through the reasons.
Why Knit Flat with Circular Needles?
Knitting with circular needles has various advantages, here are a few.
Keeps Weight off your Wrists and Needles – The circular needles allow the weight of the project to be evenly divided all over its length. For example, if you are knitting a complex pattern with too many stitches or heavy-weight yarn, the needles will keep the weight of the project off your wrists and hands.
Accommodates a large number of stitches – The length of circular needles, especially interchangeable needles can accommodate a large number of stitches on their entire length. For example, a 300+ stitch blanket or throw would require around 40 -49” needle length. For such width circulars work the best.
Great for knitting on the go – Circulars are ideal needles if you are one to take your knitting on the regular commute or on holiday. The ergonomic needles are less likely to fall from your hands or accidentally poke or hurt anyone.
Once you begin knitting with circular knitting needles you will find a new pleasure in the craft and see your projects done quickly. Very soon they will become your everyday needles. Invest in an interchangeable circular needle set and use them for all kinds of knitting projects. Knitting needles are diverse like the community itself, so make sure to carry multiple needle types and sizes. You never know what will transform your yarn into a thing of beauty.
