I have a pattern for a chunky knit cardigan which is knitted using circular needles. How do you convert or make amendments to this pattern if I wanted to use straight needles?
What is the name of your pattern and designer?
Most often cardigans can be knit on straight needles depending on the pattern and size. Circular needles can be recommended by a cardigan pattern due to a large number of sts or, perhaps in your case the chunky yarn and large number of sts.
Are the sleeves knit on circulars? Let us know and we can help you convert to straights.
Thank you kikogarcia for the tips. Will attempt using straight needles and will let you know if I have problems.
It would help to know which pattern you’re making.
Some cardigans are made in one piece from button band to button band and as salmonmac said you’d need to see if the full width (2 fronts and the back) can fit on your straight needle. If not you could work out where the side seams would be and make in 3 pieces and seam together. Add a stitch on each edge for seaming.
I prefer to knit flat. I always change sweater patterns to flat knitting and sleeves to flat too.
If you get stuck just let us know.
The pattern is called "The Jackie O cardigan"and is knitted from the top down and requires no seaming. Sleeves are split?
Round 2 and round 3 are confusing me. What does PM, SM and KFB mean?
Where they say to place markers, is that where I turn using straight needles?
Any clarification would be appreciated.
The designer? There’s several including one from Hintern Stein.
PM is probably place marker, SM is slip marker and KFB is an increase (Knit Front and Back). There may be a stitch glossary either at the beginning or end of your pattern which will define these abbreviations.
For sleeves knit flat, the best place to turn is at the underarm side. Usually there is a marker for the beginning of round at this point. The decreases or increases would be made either side of this marker. You could add an extra stitch or two at the marker so that you have those sts for seaming.
Here’s a video for KFB:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Eh-ieWIaM0
If you make a swatch you can estimate whether the full stitch count will fit in your needles, or not.
Look near the end of the pattern for the stitch count at the bottom near the ribbing, that’s the total number of stitches needed to fit on one needle if you knit flat. If the full width of stitches won’t fit on your straight needle you’d need to modify the pattern to include side seams, then not join under the armholes but instead add selvedge sts and work the back and 2 fronts separately.
If the full stitch count does fit on your needle and you want to work right across you may need to work the sleeves before joining the body under the armholes. I don’t think you’d be able to knit a flat seamess set in sleeve top down on straight needles if the sides of the body were joined.
It may be possible to knit flat but on dpns or knit flat but on circular needles (both allow for a bed/curve in the shape) but if you’re planning long straight needles you may need to think about working the sections in a different order to what is given in the pattern.
I’m wondering why you wish to use straight needles? As you see, there will be a lot of changes to make to the pattern. Circulars work in the same way as straights, but can accommodate any number of stitches, depending on the length of the cable between them. You can knit either in the round or back and forth. I find them more comfortable, as you don’t have to hold the whole weight of the item all the time…the cable lets part of the weight rest in your lap or on a table.
Just my two cents. I realize we’re all different and prefer different ways of doing things. This choice just seems to be complicating this project.
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I’ve tried knitting with circular needles and I find them awkward. I know some patterns need to use circular but I’m more comfortable using straight needles. As you said, it’s a preference.
I’ve tried looking for chunky knit cardigans and loved the Jackie O design which unfortunately uses circular needles.
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This is not the pattern. I’ve sent a pic. I don’t think I’ll attempt the conversion as I’m not confident in doing so. Appreciate all your help.
Thanks Creations, the conversion from circular to straight needles is too complicated for my level of knitting. Appreciate all your instructions. Will keep looking for a similar pattern using straight needles. I’m used to knitting in sections (back, left front, right front and sleeves)
Also, can’t find the total stitch count at end of pattern.
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Ah, it’s a shame you haven’t managed to find a pattern you like knit in pieces yet. Good luck with the hunt!
One idea would be to find a round neck stockinette cardigan, knit flat, in pieces so that you feel confident with the construction, then modify the stitch pattern so that you get the pattern you see in the cardigan you like. I’m currently wearing a sweater with a similar stitch pattern which I made from a plain stockinette pattern and just altered the stitch throughout.
For mine I used 3 rows of knit and a row of purl, repeated. It gives the look of stockinette striped with garter ridges which is what is in the Jackie O cardigan. As you have the pattern you can get the exact number of stockinette and garter ridges (it looks like 5 rows of stockinette then a garter ridge - rows might be k, p, k, p, k, k repeated). The deep cuffs and hem look like many garter ridges, so that’s knit every row for maybe 20 rows. My sweater has similar bands of garter too near the cuff an hem ribbing has a deep section of all garter and then anither section before the shoulders. Stockinette and garter together is a really effective and attractive stitch pattern.
Here’s a free pattern, knit bottom up in pieces, maybe the needle size is not big enough but I’m just posting this as an idea of a pattern that could work for stitch modification. The stripes can be totally ignored… or you could choose to follow the stripe pattern as stockinette and garter stripes instead of colours.
I hope you find something you like.
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What a great idea 
I’m currently working on a cropped stockinette cardigan and didn’t realise by keeping the main pattern and modifying stitch patterns I may still be able to recreate the Jackie O cardigan! Will definitely attempt this now. Thanks Creations for all your ideas.
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