Knit With Double Pointed Needles
Double pointed needles are great for many projects, such as socks. Although they can be intimidating because they look like you could accidentally poke your own eye out, they are very easy once you get started.
These instructions apply for a pattern that requires only three active needles and one inactive needle, but it can be adapted to include more. You will need to know how to knit, cast on and cast off.
Steps
- Cast on the desired amount of stitches onto one needle. It's easiest to work with a number of stitches that is divisible by three.
- Slip two thirds of the stitches onto the second needle.
- Slip the last third of the stitches from the second needle onto the third needle.
- Hold the needle with the working yarn in your right hand. Move the needle in your left hand (i.e.: at the other end) to the tip of the needle that is in your right hand.
- Join the yarn. Make sure all the stitches are facing the same way. Take your fourth needle and begin knitting and/or purling so that all the stitches become connected.
- Understand that when you are done with the first needle, it is empty and becomes your working needle. You then move on to the next needle, and so on. Make sure to knit the first two stitches after switching needles very tightly. Otherwise you will end up with loose ladders where you change needles.
- Keep knitting around in a circle or a spiral. Knit and/or purl a few rounds; there should be a tube forming.
- Knit until it is the desired length, and cast off as usual, discarding spare needles one at a time.
Tips
- Ensure that none of the stitches are twisted. If you join the two ends of the work twisted and start knitting, your entire item will be twisted - you'll have to unravel it all and start over
- When knitting flat, to achieve stockinette stitch you would need to alternately knit and purl each row. When knitting in the round, to get this look you only need to use the knit/garter stitch because you are always knitting from the same side of the work.
- You can knit hats, socks, mittens etc. with double pointed needles. It eliminates the need for seaming after finishing the project.
Things You'll Need
- Double pointed needles
- Yarn
