If you don’t know how to knit a blanket with circular needles, you’re missing out on a lot of fun!
Circular needles are easy to use, convenient, and comfortable. You can say goodbye to the wrist ache that persists for days after you finish a large project. These round cables will make your experience a lot more enjoyable!
We’ll show you how to knit a blanket using circular needles. But first, let’s see the advantages of the knitting tool.
Reasons You Should Use a Circular Needle
Circular needles are commonly used for making hats, socks, and garments that require round knitting. So, why are we using them to make blankets?
There are multiple benefits to using circular needles. For starters, the cable that connects the two needles will hold the knitting work’s weight for you. That way, there won’t be any pressure on your wrists and arms, unlike the way it is with straight needles.
Secondly, circular needles are more comfortable to use than straight needles. You won’t have to turn the work the other way when you finish a row. This will save you a lot of time that’s better spent knitting.
There’s also the fact that circular needles are compact and easy to use anywhere. You can knit during a long train trip. Most airports also allow circular needles in, so you can keep yourself busy during an airplane ride.
All in all, circular needles are more comfortable to use for projects with a lot of stitches. A blanket naturally requires more stitches that most garments, so using a circular needle will make your mission easier and faster.
How to Choose the Right Circular Needles
Circular needles are pretty simple. There isn’t much to consider when buying them, but there are a couple of features that’ll improve your experience.
Material
Circular needles are either made of wood or metal. Both are equally efficient; you may want to choose according to your personal preference.
Metal needles work faster than wooden ones. They have smoother surfaces, which helps the wool glide more quickly from one hand to the other. Additionally, they’re highly durable. Your needle will stay intact unless you throw it into the oven, which is an unlikely occurrence!
On the other hand, wooden needles are preferred over metal needles because they provide a better grip. Some knitters don’t like the slippery feel of the metal ones. Plus, they’ll be warm in your hands, unlike the metal ones. People with arthritic joints will appreciate this feature.
Length
Contrary to common belief, your circular needle’s length doesn’t have to be the same as your blanket’s width. You can apply this in smaller projects, but it wouldn’t be wise to do it while knitting a blanket.
You can use a 32–36 inch long circular needle for pretty much any project. These sizes, in particular, are highly versatile. You’ll be able to knit a 7-inch wide scarf or a 50-inch wide blanket.
That being said, if you’re planning to knit an exceptionally large project, opt for a 40-inch long circular needle.
Interchangeable Sets
If you don’t want to keep switching between needles trying to find the right one, you can always opt for interchangeable sets. The beauty of these sets lies in their high versatility. You’ll have a bunch of cords and needle sizes to choose from. That way, you can select the combination that works best for you.
Additionally, this will enable you to change needles in the middle of a project if the gauge turns out faulty. If you have regular needles, you’ll have no choice but to abort the mission and get needles with a different length.
The Knit Picks wooden set is an excellent option to consider. It comprises nine pairs of wooden needles, along with four cables. On top of that, it comes at a relatively affordable price.
How to Knit a Blanket with Circular Needles: 4 Easy Steps
Here’s the part you’ve been looking for. We’ll show you how to knit a blanket with circular needles in four easy steps.
Tools You’ll Need
- Yarn
- Circular Needle
- Blanket Pattern
- Ruler
Step 1: Cast the Stitches
The first thing you should do is cast the required number of stitches using the circular needles. The number will vary according to the pattern you choose, so take care not to repeat the same number for different designs.
You’ll cast the stitches on the left-hand needle, as the way it is with straight needles. As the stitches grow more, they’ll move from the straight part and slide to the cable. This will help keep the weight off your hands.
Step 2: Start Knitting
After the stitches are cast, it’s time to start with the actual knitting. Keep in mind that the needle with the stitches on it should be in your left hand.
After you knit the first row, switch the needles between your hands so that each one is held in the opposite hand. Then, slide the yarn between the two needle tips and knit the number of stitches required for the second row.
Afterward, switch the needles between your hands again and slide the yarn between the two needles’ tips. Continue knitting with the same pattern until you’re done with the number of rows required.
Step 3: Check the Gauge
Now that you’re done with the rows, you should grab your ruler to check the gauge. In knitting, gauge refers to the number of stitches per inch. It’s a common term in knitting language; you’ll stumble by it a lot when looking at tutorials.
If the gauge is smaller than the one in your chosen blanket pattern, you’ll need to unravel the stitches and repeat the process. It would be best if you then used larger needles while keeping the cable length the same.
On the other hand, if the stitches turn out to be larger than they should, you’ll want to use smaller needles. An interchangeable set will come in handy in a situation like that.
After you finish the rows again, recheck the gauge to check if it’s correct.
Step 4: Finalize the Blanket
From this point onward, you’ll complete the rest as you do with a straight needle. There isn’t much difference in the process. To cast off, you’ll want to secure the stitches you did in the last row so they don’t unravel. Try to choose a stretchy bind off, so the final edge will be the same tightness as the others.
Afterward, start finalizing the blanket by tying the ends in. You’ll want to weave the ends into the stitches using a yarn needle. Then, cut them short, and you’re done. This step is done to avoid loose ends.
If you’re working on a blanket pattern that consists of squares, your finalizing will be a bit different. You’ll have to stitch all pieces together to create the blanket. It’s not a hard step; all you’ll have to do is join the edges together using basic seaming techniques.
When you’re done, bind off your work and weave the tails in.
Final Thoughts
When you try knitting a blanket with circular needles, you’ll wonder how you spent all this time knitting without them!
They’re much easier to use, and they’ll let you finish faster. Their most significant advantage lies in big projects, so a blanket is always the right place to start using them.
As long as your gauge is correct and your pattern is turning out alright, you’ll be fine!