They say that inventions are born out of need. The same thing happened with the development of circular knitting needles.

Let’s start by defining a circular needle. It consists of a pair of needles with a flexible cable connecting the two ends. There are two basic varieties available: fixed and interchangeable. Circular needles, which consist of two tapering needles joined by a flexible cable, are undoubtedly the best choice for bigger projects and seamless knitting in the round. They may be used in place of straight needles in any project, and with the aid of magic loop, they can even be used in place of double-point needles.

How to Knit on Circular Needles?

Working Patterns in the Round

When knitting in the round, you consistently work on the front, or right side, of the cloth. In order for your basic pattern stitches to turn out correctly, you will need to make certain adjustments.

The Stockinet Stitch is a popular choice for circular knitting since all you have to do is knit each row. Instead of knitting every row, you must purl every row while creating a garter stitch. Every row in reverse stockinet is purled.

These are the most typical pattern stitches you may encounter, however other stitches can be knit in the round as well. Most knitting patterns that are meant to be done in the round will be written so you don’t have to worry about being on the right side all the time, but others may include instructions like “knit in Stockinet (knit every row)” to help you remember what to do.

Knitting Flat With Circular Needles (Or, Why We Don’t Have Straight Needles)

Knitting can be done either flat or in the round. When you knit flat, you make a fabric piece with two sides. You knit from edge to edge backwards and forwards, turning at the end of each row. The first row will be on the correct side of the cloth, and the second row will be on the incorrect side.

When you knit in the round, you make a tube and then extend the tube by knitting a continuous spiral of stitches. Working on the correct side of the cloth will always be your priority. One of the most widespread misconceptions about circular needles is that you can only knit with them in the round.

However, if you normally knit flat and use straight needles, you may use circular needles for any project. At the conclusion of each row, you just switch the two needles between your left and right hands!