Working with circular needles

#1

I have a hat pattern done with circular needles and it says to not turn work but slide sts to right-hand needle to work another RS row. It makes absolutely no sense to me. Can anyone help? Thanks.

#2

If you aren’t turning your work then you are probably knitting in the round. That means you cast on and join the stitches and continue to go round in circles (technically spirals.)

Knitting a hat in the round usually requires a 16 in circular needle or one long circular to use Magic Loop or 2 circular needles of the same size. You can also use Double Pointed Needles. If you’re using a 16in circ you’ll need them for decreasing and closing the top or you can use one of the other methods.

For hats I prefer a 32 in if I’m doing Magic Loop. You can see the circular techniques in the video section under advanced techniques. (top of page)

If you still need help or prefer still photos you can see them here -
http://community.knitpicks.com/notes/Knitting_in_the_Round

#3

Is this for your swatch, or the actual hat pattern? And does it say to use another color yarn on the 2nd row? That’s kind of unusual instructions, so if you have a link to the pattern we can be more specific.

#4

I have a hat pattern done with circular needles and it says to not turn work but slide sts to right-hand needle to work another RS row. It makes absolutely no sense to me. Can anyone help?

Yes. It sounds like this is knit flat rather than in the round. You are using a circular needle so you can work from each end. Do the first (or whatever row it is) row like it says. When you finish a row you have all the stitches on the tip of the needle that is in your right hand. Normally you turn the work (by exchanging the needle tips in your hands so that the stitches are now near the tip of the needle in your left hand, ready to work), but don’t do that. Instead slide all of the stitch loops on the needle to other end of the circular needle. (If you have ever done an I-cord, it is like what you do for that.) At this point the working yarn you were just using is at the wrong end of the line of stitches. That is what they intend. You will join a new yarn and start working another RS row in the same direction you worked the last one.

There are probably different reasons to use this technique, one can be to work in stripes of color. Just do exactly what they tell you and it should all come out as intended even though it seems weird until you see what is going on.

#5

how many stitches do you have? do you maybe make I-cord (3 or 4 stitches, ending in a tube of knitted material just like a thick string?

But anyways: With knitting in the round, I would want my stitches that need to be worked on the left side, like always… that “right side needle” thing gets me confused…

Does your pattern say to join the ends? “join to round” or “close circle”? usually at the cast on edge, sometimes at another point… ???

#6

Thank you all! I realize that I started this all wrong and had connected the round when I should have left it open.

#7

good that that is solved.

I never noticed how difficult circular needles could be for anyone. For me they were just a blessing because you work more ergonomic. I ALWAYS use either circs or dpn - straight needles I do not own (2 really bent ones that I got given and that do not match, but those don’t count)