Knitting a Round – Flat Circles
These instructions can be used to knit berets, bags, rugs, jackets etc. Use your imagination to turn flat, knitted circles into a multitude of garments and accessories.
Your circle can be started on 4 x double pointed needles, a circular needle (or 2) or it can be crocheted. If you don’t like working with your work bunched up, as your knitted circle increases in size, you can add more needles. Most patterns for round knitting start on the outer edge with a lot of stitches and decrease to the centre. This is because decreases are usually neater than increases. I prefer to start in the centre and work toward the outer edge as this gives more control over the size of your knitting without swatching – you can stop when you reach the size circle required and if you want to you can change your mind, perhaps start out knitting a beret and decide to turn it into a rug or vice versa. When increasing, I like to use the loop cast on method, which I find the neatest.
These instructions are given in stocking stitch but will work for circles worked in any stitch pattern you choose – just make sure that the stitch pattern will fit in with the increases.
NOTE When knitting in the round, stocking stitch = knit every row and garter stitch = knit 1 row, purl 1 row.
TIP – When knitting stripes in the round, to stop the colour jog when changing colour, slip the 1st stitch (old colour) purl wise and start knitting into the 2nd stitch.
Double pointed needles
Cast on 8 stitches.
Next row: Increase by knitting into the front and back of each stitch = 16 stitches.
Divide stitches onto 4 needles, join and continue as follows:
Rnd 1 and all alternate rounds: knit
Rnd 2: (k1; inc1) to end - 24 stitches
Rnd 4: (k1; inc1) to end - 36 stitches
Rnd 6: (k2; inc1) to end - 48 stitches
Rnd 8: (k5; inc1) to end placing a stitch marker after each increase - 56 stitches
Rnd 10: knit – increase 1 stitch randomly between each set of markers i.e. increase 8 stitches in total.
Rnd 11: knit
Repeat rounds 10 and 11 until your circle reaches the required size.
Circular needle/s
TIP – if necessary use steam or hot water to straighten the connecting tube/cord before you start knitting.
Method 1
This method is called the magic loop and requires 1 long circular needle.
Cast on 8 stitches.
Pull a loop of your needle’s cord through between 4th and 5th stitches. Push stitches to be worked next, in order to continue working in the round, to tip of needle, pull the other tip of needle out until you have enough cord to make a second loop. Knit each half round by preparing the stitches to be knit and making a new right hand loop before knitting the next half round of stitches. Continue until you have enough stitches to work with only one loop and eventually without a loop in the cord.
Rnd 1: Increase into every stitch - 16 sts.
Rnd 2 and all alternate rounds: knit
Rnd 3 (k1; inc1) to end - 24 stitches
Rnd 5: (k1; inc1) to end - 36 stitches
Rnd 7: (k2; inc1) to end - 48 stitches
Rnd 9: (k5; inc1) to end placing a stitch marker after each increase - 56 stitches
Rnd 11: knit – increase 1 stitch randomly between each set of markers i.e. increase 8 stitches in total.
Rnd 12: knit
Repeat rounds 11 and 12 until your circle reaches the required size.
Method 2
This method uses 2 circular needles.
Cast on 8 stitches.
Transfer the last 4 stitches cast on to your 2nd circular needle. You now have half your stitches on needle 1 and half on needle 2.
Pull needle 2 through so that those stitches are held on the needle cord.
Push the stitches to be worked next, in order to continue working in the round, to the tip of needle 1 and work them with the other side of needle 1.
Now, pull needle 1 through so that those stitches are held on the needle cord. Push the stitches to be worked next, in order to continue working in the round, to the tip of needle 2 and work them with the other side of needle 2.
Rnd 1: Increase into every stitch - 16 sts.
Rnd 2 and all alternate rounds: knit
Rnd 3: (k1; inc1) to end - 24 stitches
Rnd 5: (k1; inc1) to end - 36 stitches
Rnd 7: (k2; inc1) to end - 48 stitches
Rnd 9: (k5; inc1) to end placing a stitch marker after each increase - 56 stitches
Rnd 11: knit – increase 1 stitch randomly between each set of markers i.e. increase 8 stitches in total.
Rnd 12: knit
Repeat rounds 11and 12 until your circle reaches the required size.
If your work grows too large for the needles you are working on, just keep adding extra needles, knitting off those holding the stitches onto 1 empty needle as it grows.
Method 3
This method is known as the magic cast on and is also great for toe up socks and for hand bags.
Place 2 circular needles together, leaving a long tail, make a slip knot and place it on the top needle (counts as 1st stitch).
Hold the needles together in one hand and the yarn in the other, with the tail over the fore finger and the working yarn over the thumb.
Bring the tip of the bottom needle over the yarn on your finger, around and under the yarn and back up bringing the yarn between the 2 needles to form a loop on the bottom needle – you have cast 1 stitch onto the bottom needle.
Bring the top needle over the yarn tail on your thumb, around and back up bringing the yarn between the 2 needles to form a loop on the top needle – you have cast 1 stitch onto the top needle.
Continue until you have the required number of stitches on each needle.
Drop the tail yarn and let it dangle.
Turn your needles so that the bottom needle is now on top.
Pull the needle that is now on the bottom so that the stitches are on the cable.
Making sure that the dangling tail lies between the top needle and the working yarn and using the other end of the top needle, start knitting the 1st round.
TIP - painting the tips of one circular needle will help you to keep track of which needle tip to use when starting a new half round or use needles that look different to each other.
Crochet
Make 8 chain st. – join into a circle.
Rnd 1: Make 1ch, work 15 sc into circle. (1ch at beginning of each round counts as 1st stitch) – 16sts.
Rnd 2: Work a sc into each stitch, increasing 1 into every 2nd stitch – 24sts.
Rnd 3: Work a sc into each stitch, increasing 1 into every 2nd stitch – 36sts.
Rnd 4: Work a sc into each stitch, increasing 1 into every 3rd stitch – 48sts.
Rnd 5: Work a sc into each stitch, increasing 1 into every 6th stitch and placing an open ended marker after each increase – 56sts.
Rnd 6: Work a sc into each stitch.
Rnd 7: Work a sc into each stitch, increase 1 stitch randomly between each set of markers i.e. increase 8 stitches in total.
Repeat rounds 6 and 7 until your circle is the required size.
You can change to knitting at any point by picking up each sc onto a circular knitting needle and continuing with the pattern as set.
Tubular knitting
Tubular knitting is much like circular knitting in that it is worked in the round either on double pointed or circular needles. Use it for knitting “no seam” pullovers, the body of berets or hats, handbags...
TIP - When casting on for tubular knitting, for a neater edge - cast on 1 stitch extra; pass it onto left needle then start by knitting 2 tog.
Double pointed needles
Cast on required number of stitches.
Divide stitches onto 4 needles, join and continue
Circular needle/s
Method 1
This method is called the magic loop and requires 1 long circular needle.
Cast on required number of stitches.
Divide the number of stitches in half; pull a loop of the needle cord through between the last stitch of the 1st half and the first stitch of the 2nd half.
Push stitches to be worked next, in order to continue working in the round, to tip of needle, pull the other tip of needle out until you have enough cord to make a second loop. Knit each half round by preparing the stitches to be knit and making a new right hand loop before knitting the next half round of stitches.
Better still – use a circular needle of a length to suit the number of stitches you require.
Method 2
This method uses 2 circular needles.
Cast on required number of stitches.
Transfer the last half of your stitches cast on to your 2nd circular needle. You now have half your stitches on needle 1 and half on needle 2.
Pull needle 2 through so that those stitches are held on the needle cord.
Push the stitches to be worked next, in order to continue working in the round, to the tip of needle 1 and work them with the other side of needle 1.
Now, pull needle 1 through so that those stitches are held on the needle cord. Push the stitches to be worked next, in order to continue working in the round, to the tip of needle 2 and work them with the other side of needle 2.
TIP - Make sure your work isn’t twisted when starting your 1st round.
Knitted I-cord
I- Cord is tubular knitting done on 2 double pointed needles or on one circular needle. This gives the same result as knitting on a french knitting dolly but with the added benefit of being able to increase and decrease the number of stitches and also of being able to vary the thickness of the yarn used.
C/on between 4 and 8 Stitches
**knit across
Slide the sts back across to the other end of the needle without turning and pull the yarn firmly across the back of your work
Repeat from ** until your cord is the required length.
Cut yarn, leaving a 20cm tail. Thread through sts and fasten off.
This will give you a stocking stitch cord – smooth side out.
For a reverse stocking stitch cord – pull the yarn across the front of your work to begin knitting the next row.