Casting on in the middle of a work - on circs?!

#1

I am knitting the Baby Shrug in Debbie Bliss’s [I]Simply Baby[/I]… this is my first project that is not a scarf, hat, or baby bootie! It’s time to shape the sleeves, and I’m stuck. If anyone can help, I would so greatly appreciate it!

The shrug is worked in one piece. I have finished the first set of instructions which said to knit in St stitch and “Cast on 10 sts at beg of next 4 rows; then work 20 rows in St stitch.” This is the first time I’ve used a pattern that asked me “cast on” after I’ve started the work, but I followed the directions by adding 10 single cast ons on those rows. I think I did that part right…

The next instructions are “change to size 8 circular needle.”
“Cast on 5 sts at beg of next 8 rows.”

I was able to change to the circular needle and cast on the sts at the beg of the next row, but now that I’m working on the circular, I can’t figure out how to continue to “cast on 5 sts at beg of next [7] rows.” How does one do this when working on circular needles? The way I was doing it before (on the straight needles) does not seem to work on the circs. If I cast on the right needle, then knit around (and knit the cast on stitches last every time), this seems to create holes… does anyone understand what I’m doing wrong?? Thanks in advance to anyone who can help!!! :think:

#2

It sounds as if you are trying to knit in the round instead of knitting back and forth for flat knitting. Even though you are on circulars you would still knit as if on long needles, turning your work at the end of every row.

#3

I don’t think you’re supposed to join in the round at this point.

My impression was to switch to circs because of the number of stitches, rather than to knit in tube. Since they’re telling you to work in ‘rows,’ you’re just using the circs to accommodate all the stitches rather than to work in the round.

You just work back and forth on them as if you were using straight needles.