How To Knit With Double Pointed Needles?

ByEvan Moyle

Hi ! Today I am going to share with you how to knit with double pointed needles. First of all, we shall proceed to you know what double pointed needles are.

Double pointed needles are made specifically for knitting small projects in the round. Both ends of the needle are pointed, which means you can use either end of the needle to knit. With this, you can join the needles in the round and knit on them. These needles come in a set of five.

There are different types of double-pointed needles. They come in various lengths and materials, word for different kinds of projects. You have to choose the lens and material that is comfortable for the type of project you want to use it for.

Wooden double-pointed needles are preferable for beginners; the wooden surface makes them easy to work with. There are steel double-pointed needles, and aluminium ones too.

The length of a double-pointed needle can be 4 inches short and up to 8 inches long. What you are working on determines the length of double-pointed needle you would get.

If the project you are knitting is small like a pair of socks, you might make use of the middle that is 5 inches. For broader projects like a hat, bag or a shawl, you can use a double-pointed needle that is eight inches long.

How Double Pointed Needles Work

It is quite a challenging task to knit with double-pointed needles. You will always have to transfer your project from needle to needle. Knitting on double pointed needles is like a process of the bus transfer.

How To Knit With Double Pointed Needles

You begin by casting on the stitches into the first needle and add an extra stitch. Move the extra stitch to the second needle and over to the last needle. Use the remaining needle to knit the first stitch. You can keep track of the beginning of the round by placing a stitch marker on your first stitch

When using double-pointed needles, you should divide the stitches accordingly among three or four needles. This will do your knitting to form a kind of triangle, and if it is joined in four needles, it creates a square.

Maintain a proper tension when working for one day to the next to prevent having a gaping column I’ve stretched stitches. This eventually happens when your tension is low and the point of switching from one needle to the next.

How To Knit In The Round With Double Pointed Needles

This is the oldest form of knitting. You need to follow the steps to produce a good project on your chosen circular needle.

  1. Make sure the stitches are evenly distributed along the entire length. This is done by sliding the stitches along the cable. In doing these, make sure that they don’t slip off.
  2. Start from the first cast on the stitch and move part of the stitches to an empty double pointed needle.
  3. Slip the transferred stitches onto another empty needle. This third needle retains the last third part of the stitches.
  4. Take a look at the work carefully. Your first needle should be on your right. Adjust your working yam and make sure the cast is running smoothly.
  5. Flip the work and move needle three to the position of needle one. Form a triangle with the piece.
  6. Make sure the working yarn does not pass through the center of the triangle. position it in a way that it can run up from the last cast to the outside of this triangle
  7. Proceed on stitching in the round by starting the first cast-on stitch. It’s at the tip of an empty needle to begin.
  8. When you are done knitting all the stitches on needle one, you rotate your work to needle two and begin knitting the empty needle. Ensure there is a firm tension to prevent laddering. 
  9. At the end of needle two, rotate your work and begin to stitch on needle three with the empty needle. At the end of needle three, you have reached a complete round.

Tips For Using Double Pointed Needles

For maximum use and safety in using double-pointed needles, consider these few tips.

  • When you are moving from one needle to another, ensure you tug before the movement. This will ensure that you have proper tension, and no gaps are forming in between the Needles.
  • Make use of stich protectors in protecting your stitches. This can be done by placing a temporary stopper at each end of the stitch. Double pointed needles do not have Stoppers at the end, and this is quite disastrous as the stitches can fall off the needle
  • Bamboo or wooden double-pointed needles are preferable, especially for beginners. They have a good surface that can hold the stitch carefully.

We hope this brief piece found you well, also, if you have any question or additional tips we might have missed, you can use the comment section to let us know. Goodluck with your project and happy knitting!!