How to knit in the round with double-pointed needles? Double-pointed needles (DPNS) have been the oldest knitting needles to knit in the round and to date, it is a very convenient option. Knitters, especially sock knitters love their double-pointed knitting needles (DPNs) and there are sufficient reasons for it. With tapered points on both ends, the needles work for knitting from either end. They are a practical choice to knit in the round, especially when a particular project is too small for circular needles, such as a glove’s fingers or the top of a hat or baby socks. The double-pointed needles come in a set of five in a range of sizes in 4″ - 8″ lengths. Choose to work with 4-inch needles for baby mittens but make sure your hands don’t cramp. The 6-inch and 8-inch knitting needles are commonly used for hats, sweaters, and larger items. Working with double-pointed knitting needles and the technique of knitting in the round can be intimidating at first, but with time and trial, you will discover your ease of work. How to knit in the round with double-pointed Needles? Before you start knitting with DPNs, go through your pattern carefully, some may mention four or five needles. The number of needles will not be a problem if you get the hang of knitting with the DPNs. Cast on Cast on stitches as you typically do in a knitting project on a single needle. Divide the stitches evenly over three or four needles, each with about the same number of stitches. For example, if a pattern mentions casting 40 stitches, you can cast 10 stitches on four DPNs or 14, 13, and 13 stitches on three DPNs. Form your needles into a triangle or a square, as mentioned in the knitting project pattern. Do not twist your cast-on, as it will produce irregular or wonky-looking stitches. Joining the round The trick to working in the round is joining the round as smoothly as possible. There are many ways to do so. The easiest way is to slip a stitch or invisible swap, etc. If you would like to include a stitch marker to mark the beginning of the round, place a marker between the second to last and last stitch. Knitting in the round Use your fourth or fifth needle and start to knit or purl the stitches from the needle on your left hand. Hold the project so that the first cast-on stitches are in your left hand and the empty needle in your right hand, and knit as usual.
Once you have knit the stitches on the first needle, rotate your project. As the DPN you were knitting with is now occupied with the stitches, use the free needle for knitting the stitches on the next needle. Let the needles hang as you work. The arrangement of the knitting needles is very unlikely they will fall out. Make sure to knit tightly when you switch between the knitting needles to avoid gaps in the knitting. Small gaps form in the project when the yarn is loose or uneven, known as laddering. To prevent gaps, keep a tight grip on the yarn and pull a little tighter when making the first stitch on each needle. Shifting one or two stitches from one needle to the next is also suggested. This will also move the position of the space between the needles. In the needle management of DPNs, ensure that the working needle is always on top. If the working needle is trapped under other needles, you’ll knit in an uncomfortable position, overstretching stitches, etc. Finishing off Keep knitting with your DPNs till you have achieved your desired length. If you knit the hat's top or the socks' closed end, you will not need to bind them off. In case you need to bind off, go for the traditional methods and bind off your project. Double-Pointed Needles or Circular Needles- when to use The discussion on knitting in the round remains incomplete without considering all the available options- the double-pointed and circular knitting needles. The DPNs are some knitter’s choice, while many others prefer circulars. DPNs allow knitting even the smallest seamless tubular projects, such as socks, gloves, sleeves, and the crown of hats. Often knitting projects are started on circular needles but mid-way when the stitches are too few you need to switch to double-pointed knitting needles. This can happen the other way around where you transfer your stitches to the circular needle tip. Choosing Double-Pointed Needles and Sets Every knitter should carry a set of double-pointed needles. They are handy for various purposes. Even when knitting with circular needles, you may have to switch from one type of needle to another. A double-pointed needle set is a solid investment in completing your range of knitting tools if you plan to tackle multiple circumference projects. Explore the Mindful Collection for the finest stainless steel double-pointed knitting needles and accessories. You can also check out our tutorial on using DPNs for your knitting project. Source: https://medium.com/@mindulknitting/how-to-knit-in-the-round-with-doublepointed-needles-167f2770d934