Knitting in the round.

[elephantoverthehill]

Hi I hope someone can help. I've looked at a couple of Youtube videos but can't seem to find an answer to this very basic question. When using a circular needle do you just keep knitting? ie no purl rows. I have used circular needles before to do the necks on jumpers but as that is always a rib, I have never really thought about it. I am trying to knit a scarf that is knitted as a tube so there is no front and wrong side. TIA.

[Cauliflowercheede]

Yes. Imagine it as a spiral. You just knit.

[elephantoverthehill]

Thanks Cauli

[Chocolateteabag]

Yep - just keep knitting! If you do a hat or sleeve and the cord is too long, you put a twist in it to shorten - then knit to the loop, pull through then knit on.

[Ausparent]

Just dont try and do stripes as they are a nightmare

[KatyaZamolodchikova]

Yes, but if you just knit and knit and knit, you will get stocking stitch not garter stitch. For garter you’d need to swap between knit/purl at the start of every other round.

[elephantoverthehill]

Chocolate I remembered that bit . What do both of you use for row markers? Do you just use a different coloured bit of wool?

[elephantoverthehill]

Ausparent It's a Gryffindor scarf for DD so stripes will need to be tackled

[SchadenfreudePersonified]

Yes - just put a loop of contrasting colour wool onto your needle at the start of a row.

I've done patterns in the round, and as long as you don't lose count you will be fine.

[SchadenfreudePersonified]

Oh - forgot to say - slip the coloured loop over the needle each time you come to it, don't knit it in.

(Apologies if this is obvious, but it wasn't to me the first time I did it )

[elephantoverthehill]

Thank you Schadenfreude. I was actually wondering about having the markers on every row.

[elephantoverthehill]

Darn it! Well not literally, four rows in and I twisted it. My circular needle is really too long, the actual needles are too long. I am tempted just to do it on 4 needles (I am sure I purled on 4 needles). Either way it is a trip to Dunelm Mill tomorrow.

[StatueInTheSky]

if you do not like the "step" you get from changing colours, then have a google for jogless stripes....it minimises that step effect.

[elephantoverthehill]

Statue I will look at the video but the instructions on the pattern say to block the scarf along the end of the rows so I hoped that would hide that, do you think it will sufficiently.

[Jinglebells99]

If your circular needle is too long, like 100 cm, you should try magic loop. You divide the stitches half on either needle, last stitches worked on the back needle. You pull the needle out from the back stitches so those stitches are on the cord and knit the stitches on the front needle. When you have knitted thoseyou line the stitches up again. It sounds complicated but is actually quite easy. I've knitted three Hogwarts scarves! I think I actually used a 40cm circular needle but recently I've been knitting hats and it's less of a strain on the hands to use magic loop.

[liz70]

To avoid twisting, I knit/purl (for st. st. obviously) the first three or four rows back and forth before joining in the round, then just sew that very short bit up at the end.

[elephantoverthehill]

liz70 that sounds very logical and sensible'.
Jingle Thank you. I have read, reread and reread. I think I need a diagram .