how do I start the first row? I am not knitting in the round, so do I still join together?
Just turn the needles as if they were straights and knit the first row. You always turn at the end of each row.
No, you don’t join at all. YOu just knit one side and then purl the other if you are doing stocking stitch or just keep knitting each side if you are doing garter.
Just pretend you are not using circulars at all because, after all, you are not knitting circularly… 
TEMA:thumbsup: