Blog Information

• Posted By : Lantern Moon
• Posted On : Mar 02, 2023
• Views : 222
• Category : General
• Description : For every knitting project, you need to begin with a cast on. You make stitches on the knitting needles that will form the project's foundation.

Overview

• For every knitting project, you need to begin with a cast on. You make stitches on the knitting needles that will form the project's foundation. There are many ways to cast on stitches, depending on the knitter’s skill level and the project’s requirements. Socks require a stretchy cast on in comparison to a round basket. For knitting in the round, you can either choose a set of double-pointed needles (DPNs) or a pair of fixed circulars or interchangeable circular needles. But before you start with any needles, you need to cast on stitches. The steps to cast stitches are the same as single-pointed needles and circulars for back-and-forth knitting but the only difference is that you need to join the stitches.

  Anyway, let’s dive right into it.

  Here are a few tips to smoothly cast on stitches in the round and avoid common frustrations so you don’t have to rip out your project.

  1. Pay Attention to the Needle Length

  When you’re knitting in the round with a circular needle, the needle length is slightly shorter than your project’s finished circumference. This is because the smaller length will not allow the stitches to be stretched and the knitter can work comfortably. For example, if you have a 20-inch circumference, you can quickly knit with 16" circular needles.

  If you are working on knitting a circle with the magic loop technique then the needle length changes completely. You would need a length that provides enough space to make loops. Another way to accommodate a small circumference is the magic loop where you knit with a long circular needle of 40 - 47 inches. To knit a tubular project you need to join the round, in fact, that is how you can knit in rounds.

  For double-pointed needles too, the needle lengths are 6 and 8 inches. Whereas socks can be cast on 6-inch lengths, the 8-inch lengths are ideal for sleeves and necklines.

  2. Tighten Those Tails

  While generally you are asked to not tighten the cast on stitches when you cast stitches on circular needles tighten those tails. You would not like to produce a few loose stitches (or even a gap) on that foundation row. If you are a tight knitter use two knitting needles of the same size or different sizes to cast on loose and neat stitches.

  3. Use Stitch Markers

  Using stitch markers is a trick of neat knitting. While you may see the advanced knitters skip out on the use of stitch markers if you are just a beginner use them generously. Stitch markers are used to mark the first stitch to let you know when one round ends and another begins. Even when working with DPNs, place a stitch marker on the second to last stitch. Adding the stitch marker right at the start of the project makes things simpler.

  4. Cast Onto One Needle

  Whether you work with a set of DPNs or circulars, you need to cast stitches on only one needle tip. Even if the pattern instructs to cast on stitches 30, make sure to cast on an extra stitch. This will help you smoothly join the stitches in the round. For DPNs, once you have cast on stitches, divide them equally on the other needles. For instance, if you are working with 3 needles for the circumference and have 30 stitches then divide 10 each on all needles. While there are 30 stitches and 4 needle tips, you can divide 8, 8, 7 & 7. For circulars, you only need to cast stitches on one needle tip and move it on the cord and the other needle tip. While casting on the stitches make sure to not let the other needle tip point downwards or you may accidentally lose stitches. Place the circular needle flat on your craft table.

  5. Watch for Twists

  After you complete casting on the stitches and before you join the stitches and begin knitting your first row make sure all your stitches are aligned. All the stitches must face the same way around the cord and the needle tips. If the stitches are twisted when joined, there’s no fixing it. You’ll have to go back and start again. A quick way to check for twisting is to lay your needles onto a flat surface and see if your cast-on end is lined up.

  With these tips, you can easily cast on stitches for knitting in the round with your set of double-pointed needles or circular needles. You can browse through the Lantern Moon Collection for premium ebony wood needles in varieties of both fixed and interchangeable types as well as double-pointed needles along with all tools and accessories. While wooden DPNs are loved by knitters for the grab on the yarn and smooth stitch flow, the circular needles enjoy the benefits of wooden tips and stainless steel cords.

  Source by- https://medium.com/@lanternmoonhandcrafted/5-tips-to-cast-on-stitches-in-the-round-7b8350886d11?postPublishedType=initial