Casting On w. Circulars

[Sleepystitcher]

I was recently gifted with the SnB Knitting Handbook and was reading the section on circulars. Now, I've been knitting off and on for 34 years, but have never used circulars. Casting on isn't the question, really, but knitting the first row. On straights, the last stitch you cast on ends up near the tip of your needle. Well, in this book Debbie Stoller says after you cast on with circulars, "Then bring the ends of your circular needles together in front of you, with the first cast-on stitch at the end of the left-hand needle, and the last on the right hand needle." The way I read it, it sounds like I need to switch hands/flip the circulars over before starting to stitch. Am I right? Or is she not explaining it clearly? I'm really confused and want desperately to master working on circulars. Thanks for any help.

[angieInCA]

Are you wanting to knit in the round or are you using them as straights and turning after each row?

[classic crochet]

You might try watching the videos here http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/advanced-techniques

I hope this helps

[lisalu]

If you are knitting in the round, then do the first row just like you'd do with DPNs. The working yarn is on the needle in your right hand, the first cast on stitch is on the needle in your left hand. Your bring the needles together and make the stitch on the left needle using the working yarn that is on the right needle, that joins the piece and makes it in the round. You never turn the needles just keep working round and round.

 

If you are working straight rows on a circular then you hold the needle with the working yarn in your LEFT hand and then you are knitting "off" the stitches onto the right needle. You turn at the end of each row. It is exactly like knitting with straight needles, you just have a cable between them.

 

Hope that makes sense. A picture is worth 1000 words so maybe you can find a visual reference.

[Sleepystitcher]

Thanks everyone, so far. I'd like to learn to knit in the round. It's been at least 20 years since I attempted to knit on DPNs, so that reference is lost on me, unfortunately. I don't know why this is so hard for me to grasp. At one time I was proficient enough to attempt an Aran sweater. (never finished it because it got lost in a house fire) But now some things that should be simple just seem to go right over my head. I wish I had someone close by to actually show me. This is one of the times I really miss my late DMIL, bless her heart.

[Aggie May]

:cheerIt probably depends on the method the person, who wrote the book, used to cast on the stitches.

It would also depend on whether they knit "Normal" or "Continental"

 

I use nothing but circular needles but I dont knit in the round, I still just knit rows.

 

:cheerYou never need to worry where your other needle is, you never loose you stitches when you put your knitting down and you dont have the weight of a large piece of knitting weighing on your hands as you work.

 

:clapEven if you are only knitting 10 stitches, circulars a the BEST!!!

 

Have fun.

Colleen:hug