I’ve figured out how to work my circular needles back and forth to make a blanket. I’ve been following a pattern and am now reading online that you don’t read patterns the same way on circular needles as you would with straight needles?? So confused now, just went I thought I had it down lol. Is this true? Also, when starting a new row, what direction should your work be facing? Should my work be facing each other in the inside of the needles, or should it be facing outward, or does it differ depending on what you’re doing? Ok, maybe I don’t have it down at all!!
Knitting flat on circulars is no different than knitting flat on straights. The only difference is your needles are connected so you haven’t lost one under the couch! You turn your work and start knitting. Just make sure that your stitches are on the left and the working yarn is coming from your LEFT needle just like if you were using straights. If it’s coming from the right needle you will join the work to knit in the round.
It’s partially true when it comes to reading patterns. What people mean is one doesn’t read knitting pattern charts the same way for knitting flat as for knitting in the round.
On a chart every row of the grid equates to a row or round of knitting. For flat knitting odd rows are read from right to left and even rows are read from left to right (on the chart). For knitting in the round every row of the chart is read from right to left.
The general convention for using circular needles is to have the points towards you and the side you’re working on facing outwards. However, some people work with the points away from them. For flat knitting it makes no difference and for knitting in the round it just means turning the finished work the right way round, as it will be inside out.