Knitting in the round can be really fun and easy. This way of knitting lets you easily knit hats, mittens, sweaters, and socks. This technique is really easy once you get going. You don’t have to worry about whether you are knitting on the front of back of the work, because the front is always facing you. However, the initial step can be a bit tricky and messy-looking. When you join knitting in the round, it can often leave you with a bit of a gap on your first few rounds. However, there are techniques that can help you avoid that, and once you practice them, your knitting in the round will look flawless. Here are 3 techniques for joining your work in the round.
1. Swap Your Stitches
A very easy technique involves swapping the places of two stitches. When you are done casting on your stitches, simply slip the first stitch on your left needle purlwise to your right needle. Then take the stitch directly to the right of that stitch, and slip it to your left needle, bringing it over the stitch that you just slipped onto the right needle. Then you can just begin knitting the stitches from your left needle.
2. Slip the stitch over
A common and simple technique is to cast on an extra stitch and then slip it over your first stitch. Start by casting on the number of stitches you need plus one. Knit the first stitch, moving it to your right needle. Then slip the last stitch over the first stitch that you just finished knitting. Continue on with your project and you should notice a very snug join in your first round.
3. K2tog
Another simple technique, that also requires one extra cast-on stitch, is to knit two stitches together. Some people k2tog at the beginning of the round, but you can also do it at the end of the round.
Beginning of the round
Slip the last stitch of your round from the right needle to your left needle. Now knit the first two stitches on the left needle together, and continue knitting in your round.
End of the round
Knit all the way around your first round until you get to the last stitch. Knit the last stitch of the round together with the first stitch of the next round. Then you can just continue knitting your project.
Note: All of these techniques can be a bit more tricky when you are dealing with magic loop. The steps are the same, but you just have to be a bit careful not to twist your round or drop a stitch.
Have you tried these techniques to join knitting in the round? Let us know which one is your favorite, or if you have a different one that you prefer to use.
