reblog

Beanies are a fantastic project for those looking for a quick and easy project. No matter your skill level, it’s possible to make a beautiful beanie with any type of knitting needles and yarn. If you need a gift at the last minute, want to make something special for yourself, or wish to give warmth to a person in need, a knitted beanie is a perfect choice. It only takes a few hours or days to complete, making it the ideal quick knit.

Knitting needles for the Beanie

The best option for knitting a beanie is with double pointed knitting needles or circulars. You will need a set of five DPNs that are the right size for the project, but it’s important to have a basic understanding of how to use double pointed needles first.

Circular knitting needles can also be used, with either a smaller length than the circumference of the project or a long needle for the magic loop technique. For a 20-inch circumference beanie, the best option is a 16-inch circular needle. An interchangeable circular needle can provide a variety of tips and cords depending on your project’s needs, while the magic loop technique requires a circular needle with a length of 32-47 inches.

Yarn

For your beanie, you can use any yarn in your stash or even a single skein is sufficient. From your stash, you can use multiple shades to give it a spring or summery look.

Knitting Accessories

This seamless project will not require stitching with a darning needle. However, the needle can be used to add extra design features to the surface, such as a pom pom or tassel.

Beanie knitting pattern

To take your knitting skills to the next level, there is a great unisex beanie pattern. This can be worked up in one sitting, whether it’s while watching your favourite show, commuting, or taking a walk in the park. Comfortable knitting needles should be used, as well as other essential supplies such as stitch markers, a darning needle, and scissors. The pattern requires flat and purl stitches, and calls for lightweight, colourful yarn such as soft green, bright yellow, or blue. You can choose one colour or a combination of various shades, or use the yarn from your stash. As far as knitting needles, DPNs or circulars in sizes US 6 and US 8 will work best. It is also recommended to knit a gauge swatch first, to ensure the right size.

The steps to knit a beanie are simple:

Step 1 - Cast on 64 stitches with a US 6 knitting needle and divide the stitches into four double points. Each double point will have 16 stitches. Add a stitch marker on the second last stitch of the round.

If you are working with a single circular needle, then cast on stitches on the needle tip and stretch it over the needle length. If you are working with the magic loop technique or even two circular knitting needles, cast on stitches and divide them equally on both tips. For the beanie, divide 32 stitches on one needle tip and 32 on the other.

You need to join the round. For this, use any method you prefer. An invisible join such as casting an extra stitch and slipping it to the other needle tip is a good option. You can also explore other methods.

Step 2 - For 6-7 rounds, or 4 inches, knit one and purl one. The rib stitch pattern is very stretchy and gives the perfect fit. You can also experiment with knit 2 and purl 2.

Move the stitches to a US 8 knitting needle and knit in stocking (stockinette) stitch for 10-15 inches, or extra slouchy if desired.

Step 3 - To form the beanie shape, begin decreasing with a K2tog after every 14 stitches, until you have 60 stitches.

Step 4- Continue to K2tog after every 13, 12, 4 and 5 stitches, until you have 44, 36, 28 stitches, respectively.

Step 5 - Knit one round without decreasing, then K2tog after every 2 and 3 stitches until you have 28 stitches.

If you are knitting with circular needles you can choose to transfer the stitches to double-pointed needles. If you are working the magic loop technique or two circulars you can continue without moving stitches.

Step 6 - Bind off knitwise and use a darning needle to draw all the stitches in, then weave the yarn end into the stitches.

With this pattern, you will have a beautiful, warm beanie to keep or give away!

Source: https://ibusinessday.com/how-to-knit-a-beanie-in-the-round-in-easy-steps/

Learning to knit faster is something that requires a commitment of time and practice to achieve. Each individual's knitting style is personal and unique; tension, knitting gauge, the manner of yarn wrapping around fingers, and the chosen knitting needles are all shaped by one's habit. With regard to the hand used to hold the yarn, the knitting world is divided between those who knit in the English Style (otherwise known as Throwing, etc.), where the yarn is held in the right hand, and Continental Style (otherwise known as Picking, German, European, and more), which requires holding the yarn in the left hand. There are, however, additional knitting styles.

Many of the world's fastest knitters opt for Lever Knitting - which may also be known as Flicking, Peruvian, Catholic, Australian, Irish Cottage, and other names - a method that has become popular amongst knitters who produce their items professionally, although anyone is capable of learning it. This knitting style allows the knitter to produce pieces quickly, as well as providing a form of protection against knitting-related injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis, and other pains of the wrist and joints, since the hands are positioned with palms facing upwards rather than down, thereby enabling faster movement.

What exactly is Lever Knitting?

In Lever Knitting, the knitter holds the working yarn in their dominant hand and threads it around the working needle without completely removing the dominant hand from the knitting needle, creating a sort of levering motion in a back-and-forth direction. Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, famously known as the Yarn Harlot, is one of the many knitters who use this method to produce pieces quickly.

The Benefits of Lever Knitting.

Lever Knitting is fast technique of knitting. Many knitters who make use the craft for regularly producing garments and accessories work this style to be fast on their knitting. The knitting style avoids delays due to wrapping yarn around the needle tip, as well as efficiency thanks to the fact that one need not pause to add more yarn. You simple use the knitting needle for all the action. Additionally, this style can reduce knitting-related injuries as mentioned before. If not for the benefits, it is worthwhile learning new techniques, as you never know which would work in achieving results.

How Lever Knitting is done?

The process of Lever Knitting involves the holding of the yarn in the right hand, similar to the English knitting style, but one of the needles is kept stationary in a position that acts as a lever or pivot, while the other knitting needle does the actual work. The yarn is typically wrapped around the fingers of the dominant hand and the hand is moved in a back-and-forth motion to form the stitches, distributing the yarn tension across the fingers of the hand while resting at ease in the palm. This smooth, uninterrupted flow cuts down on the strain of making the yarn work over the needles. It is often used by professional knitters, who have to be able to knit for several hours a day without discomfort.

Lever knitting is simple to learn with a pair of single-pointed knitting needles, one of which can be placed beneath the arm while working and is thus only manipulated by the other hand. With practice, this style can also be used with circular needles and double-pointed needles.

When learning a new knitting style, one may experience frustration, particularly if they have been knitting for many years. As the hands must be reprogrammed to perform in a different way, the knitter should remain dedicated to their practice, seeking advice from online tutorials and adhering to the new style of knitting without reverting to the old style. Many in the knitting community have discussed their experiences of learning this method and, although it can take a while to become accustomed to it, the efforts are often considered worth it.

The Mindful Collection, a unique range of knitting needles and accessories created to enable knitters to take advantage of the meditative properties of the craft, also helps those with knitting-related injuries. This collection comprises of stainless steel needles and accessories, a sustainable material with many beneficial features. Each set of needle tips carry an inspirational word to aid the user in their concentration, aiding them to stay in the present moment while they craft.

Source: https://fistpal.com/blogs/45993/Want-to-Knit-Faster-Try-Lever-Knitting

The continental style of knitting means knitting while holding the yarn in the left hand while working the stitches. Most knitters of the community learn to knit in English style but the continental style is later adopted for its quickness, ease and just for expanding knitting skills. Even if you learn to knit in the Continental style, it is worth learning the English knitting style.

The continental knitting style can be worked with any knitting needle (single-pointed, double-pointed, fixed circular or interchangeable circulars.) The needles are held in both hands as you do for any knitting but the yarn is tensioned in the left hand (index finger). In the English style of knitting, the needles are held in both hands while the working yarn is only held in the right hand. But no matter which hand holds the thread to make stitches, you still use both hands when you knit.

In this blog, we will discuss the continental style of knitting.

What is the Continental Style of Knitting?

The Continental style of knitting hails from Europe and is sometimes called German knitting. It is also known as "left-handed knitting". The yarn is held in the left hand while it is picked or scooped by the knitting needle tip and therefore also goes by the name of picking.

The knitting style is not dependent on the project or the stitch pattern. It is simply the way the yarn is held in the left hand. Cast on the number of stitches as mentioned in a pattern or for practice 30 stitches would suffice, on any knitting needle, you prefer for the project. You can go ahead with any single pointed needle or circulars if you are knitting back and forth. For your project knitted in the round, you can choose circular or double-pointed needles.

Hold the Yarn in your Left Hand 

Now hold the needles like you usually do. The needle with the cast on stitches in your left hand. The working yarn is wrapped in your left index finger. You can tension it with your middle finger or palm. Do experiment with different methods to find what's most comfortable.

The Knit Stitch

For the knit stitch, insert the right-hand needle tip through the loop of the original stitch. Make sure that the working yarn is held behind when you form new stitches.

Slide the stitch off the left-hand needle and see the knit stitch form on the right-hand needle.

You can continue this for a row or as the pattern suggests.

The Purl Stitch

For the purl stitch, first, bring the working yarn to the front of your project.

Insert your right needle tip, wrap the working yarn and pull the yarn through the stitch.

Slip the stitch you worked to the left needle to finish the purl stitch.

The purl stitch in the Continental style of knitting is much more comfortable for many knitters than the other styles.

Continental and English Knitting: What’s Better

When you begin to learn to knit, the knitting style you learn comes naturally to you. But, experimenting with different styles won’t hurt, in fact, you might find other styles working better for you.

• While English knitting has you throwing the yarn over the knitting needle tip, continental knitting has you very gently picking up the yarn with the needle tip. Each knitter has their own benefits of working with the same.

• Many knitters who have learned to crochet first, find the continental knitting style works better. It is because, like crochet, the working yarn is held in the left hand. This also works the other way if you are a master of continental style, you will find crochet easier to work with.

• Continental knitting also is suitable for left-handed knitters. With the yarn held and guided with the left hand, the knitter finds it much easier to knit.

While there is no one better than the other, generally switching or exploring new knitting styles has multiple benefits.

• The more varied movements decrease the chances of developing RSI or other related fatigue injuries.

• Changing the knitting style affects the tension and in turn your gauge. Oftentimes when nothing else like changing the needle size, type or even the yarn weight works, a changed knitting style will help you get the gauge.

• Colourwork knitting especially Fair Isle or stranded knitting will become easier and smoother when you work with both Continental and English styles at the same time. You can alternate stitches for a different hand-and-wrist action on the same project, reducing hand and arm strain if that's a problem. Many times working with two colours or two yarn threads can be made simple by working with both knitting styles. You can hold one yarn in the right hand and the other yarn in the left hand.

So whether you knit in English or Continental style, happy knitting!

Source: https://ext-6117053.livejournal.com/1748.html

Double pointed needles are one of the oldest knitting needles, as old as knitting itself. In the past days, DPNs were the only option for knitting in the round. Today, while there are options of knitting with a circular needle (with a smaller length than the circumference of the project), the magic loop technique as well as two circular needles, DPNs are still loved by knitters. They are particularly used for projects such as baby socks, hats and sweaters but can be used for adult-size socks, hats and more.

With tapered points on either end, the double-pointed knitting needles (DPNs) are perfect for knitting small circumferences. Unlike the regular straight needles, DPNs come in sets of four or five of which three or four are used to make a circumference and the extra needle is used to knit. This gives the freedom of a circumference you want to create. While circular needles are restricted by the needle tip and cable length, double points do not face any such barrier. In fact, many knitters who cast on projects with circular needles for the entire project, switch to double points when the stitches are very few or when you have decrease to shape a hat or other projects in the round.

Like other knitting needles, the double-pointed needles come in a range of sizes 6″ and 8″ in a standard range of sizes. The 6-inch needles are ideal for knitting gloves, mittens and socks and 8-inch knitting needles are for hats, sweaters, and larger items. Working with the multiple tips while knitting in the round can be intimidating at first, but with time and trial, you will discover your ease of work.

How to knit in the round with double-pointed Needles?

Knitting with DPNs is similar to working with any other regular knitting needle. You cast on stitches, join the round, and knit or purl the stitches until you have completed the pattern instructions or knit the desired measurements.

Cast on

Cast on stitches in your preferred technique on one single needle tip. Casting stitches on multiple needles will be difficult to manage so it is best to cast on one. Say, for example, you have cast on 30 stitches then divide 10 stitches into three needles so that each needle has about the same number of stitches. If you are working with four needles, move 8, 7, 7 & 8 stitches. While moving be careful not to drop any stitches.

Place the needles with the cast on stitches and form a triangle or a square as mentioned in the pattern of the knitting project. Take care to not twist your stitches as it will result in wonky loops.

Join the Round

Joining the cast on stitches is the most important step when knitting in the round. There are many ways to join the stitches, the simplest way is casting on an extra stitch and simply slipping it into the knitting needle and joining the round.

Knitting in the round 

Now, using your extra (fourth or fifth needle) that is not used for the circumference start to knit the stitches. Like regular knitting, the needle with the first cast on stitches is held in the left hand.

After knitting, the stitches will be transferred to the extra needle in your right hand. Now, rotate your project clockwise and use the needle that has just been freed up to knit along the stitches on the next needle.

Continue going round after round. Use stitch markers generously. To mark the start of the round place a stitch marker on the second last stitch on the needle or use a locking stitch marker. While you work with two needles at a time, the rest of the needles will hang on the project as you. When you switch between the knitting needles make sure to avoid gaps or ladders. Keep a tight grip on the yarn for the last two stitches of the round particularly.

It is also recommended to move the stitches after a few rounds. Keeping the working needle on the top always as if the needle is trapped under other needles, the stitches might be overstretched and uncomfortable to work with.

Finishing off

Continue knitting with your DPNs till you have achieved your desired length. Different projects and patterns will have different ways to finish off. The top of the hat or the closed end of socks, may not need to bind off as you can now work them with a darning needle.

With this, get ready to start on knitting projects with DPNs. You can have individual needles or a double-pointed needle set. Explore the Mindful Collection for stainless steel knitting needles. Perfect pointy tips, smooth surface, sturdy construction and inspirational word imprinted on the needle tip make it the perfect DPNs for your projects.

So, are you now ready to take up double-pointed knitting needles?

Source: https://knitpromindful.bcz.com/2023/03/04/how-to-knit-in-the-round-with-double-pointed-needles/

Flat and knitting in the round are just different ways of knitting. To simply explain it means the path your knitting needles take to complete a project. You can knit a project flat, back and forth rows after rows or in the round, knitting a seamless tube. A scarf has to be knit flat while a sweater can be knit either way. Choosing to knit flat or round depends on the project’s requirement or a pattern designer’s instructions and even your knitting needles. Single-pointed needles are exclusively used for knitting flat (back and forth rows). Double-pointed needles are exclusively used for knitting in the round, especially small circumference projects. The range of circular needles- fixed circulars as well as interchangeable circulars is versatile needles used for knitting back and forth as well as in the round.

Knitting Back and Forth (Flat)

Knitting flat means working across rows making a square, rectangle or any flat-shaped knitted fabric. You start with a basic cast on and knitting a row on one needle (generally the left knitting needle), and when you reach the end, all knitted stitches are on the other (right) needle. To knit the next row, turn the project. The stitches are once again on the left-hand knitting needle which you knit and see them transfer to the right. Repeat the process for every row till the pattern instructs or you have the required length. To knit flat, the options are either single-pointed needles or circulars.

With Single Pointed Needles - STNs come in a pair with a stopper at one end and a pointy tip at another. The classic needles are available in different lengths and sizes. They are ideal for flat-knit projects such as dishcloths, scarves and even parts of knitted garments. When it comes to heavy-weight blankets or scarves, the needles do not provide the required length and stitches have to be adjusted. The heavy weight on the needles strains your hands and wrists and makes it difficult to knit with.

With Circular Knitting Needles - These knitting needles are multipurpose. The needle tips are available in a standard range of sizes and cable lengths joining them together. In the case of fixed circulars, the cable cannot be changed while the interchangeable circular needles the cables and the tips can be changed according to the project’s requirements. Here too, you cast-on stitches on a knitting needle, then knit back and forth, turning the project after every row. The cable length allows knitting quite smoothly as the weight of the project lies on the lap and does not strain you

Knitting in the Round

In this knitting, you always knit round and round without turning your work. This way you always have a seamless tube for socks, hats, sleeves, etc. You simply cast on stitches, join the round and go knitting on the right side of the project. This way solves the issue of seaming. You do require the wool needle for weaving in yarn ends but not for shaping the project.

With Circular Knitting Needles – Knitting in the round was the reason why circular knitting needles were invented. They provide multiple ways to knit a round. You can either knit with a circular needle smaller in length than the project circumference or you can use an extra-long needle (including the cable) for the magic loop technique. Another way used by advanced knitters is using two circular knitting needles of the same size and length. The reason for its multipurpose use and versatility is the construction of the knitting needle, small tips and smooth and flexible cables.

With Double Pointed Needles – Knitting in the round with double-pointed needles is as old as knitting itself. DPNs are available in different lengths and in a standard range of sizes in a set of five. The double points are joined together to form a triangle or square while the extra needle is used to knit. You can knit even the smallest circumference with DPNs, baby booties or tips of mittens. Managing the multiple needles with pointy tips on both ends is challenging but with time and practice you can master knitting with DPNs.

So, single-points, double-points or circulars and knitting flat or in the round, it really comes down to your preference and the project. With the Mindful Collection, you have an entire range of stainless steel knitting needles imprinted with an inspirational word that helps knitters focus on the mindful aspects of the craft. In addition to the needles are knitting accessories including cables, stitch markers, scissors, a row counter and other essentials. No matter whether you are a beginner or a seasoned knitter, it is always recommended to have the entire range of knitting needles for your creativity and smooth knitting experience.

Source: https://writeupcafe.com/flat-vs-knitting-in-the-round-everything-you-need-to-know/