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Knitting With Double-Pointed Needles

The following photos illustrate how to use double-pointed needles to knit a basic tube (to learn how to make a twisted tube, please see my tutorial on twisted tubes). This tutorial assumes you already know the basics of knitting. If you do not, please see the excellent tutorials at LearnToKnit.com. For another tutorial on how to use double-pointed needles (and in fact the one I learned from myself), please visit this page at Wonderful-Things.com.

Using double-pointed needles does take a bit of practise, so I recommend getting some scrap yarn and trying it a few times to get the hang of it before committing to a project.

Various projects I've made using double-pointed needles can be found in my knitting gallery. The needles pictured here are size US 3.

The more stitches per needle, the wider the tube will be. This tutorial uses five stitches per needle. With sport yarn and medium-snug knitting, that makes a tube about one inch in diameter. I find it's best to try to keep the number of stitches per needle about equal, so if stitches are being added/dropped, I rotate stitches as necessary to try to maintain a balance. This makes it easier to move the needles around as you knit.

Some folks recommend using a ring around the start needle to indicate where rows begin/end. I have done this, but found that I'm constantly dropping the ring, so I no longer bother. Instead, I go by where the starting knot is located at the bottom of the tube (see step 28). But if you wish, try using a ring to keep track of where you started. Put the ring between the first and second stitch to hold it on the needle.

This tutorial only uses knit stitches, but obviously purling is also possible. Simply enter each stitch from the other side as with normal purling.

For clarity, in some photos I have highlighted the edges of the yarn with black lines.

Knitting with Double-Pointed Needles Step 1[d]

You will begin by casting on as normal. Tie a slip knot on one of the needles. I've used a purple one to help you keep the needles straight at first; the rest will be turquoise. However, double-pointed needles usually come in sets of four all the same colour.

Knitting with Double-Pointed Needles Step 2[d]

Get a second needle and put it through the back of the first loop to knit the first stitch, as with normal casting on.

Knitting with Double-Pointed Needles Step 3[d]

Loop the yarn around the second needle as with normal casting on.

Knitting with Double-Pointed Needles Step 4[d]

Pull the loop through as with normal casting on.

Knitting with Double-Pointed Needles Step 5[d]

Pull the loop over the end of the first needle, as with normal casting on.

Knitting with Double-Pointed Needles Step 6[d]

Remove the second needle and pull the stitch snug, as with normal casting on.

Knitting with Double-Pointed Needles Step 7[d]

Continue this method as normal, putting one-third of the total starting stitches on this needle (in this case, five).

Knitting with Double-Pointed Needles Step 8[d]

Knit the next stitch, pulling the loop through as if you're casting on normally, but you will be doing something different this time...

Knitting with Double-Pointed Needles Step 9[d]

To start putting stitches on the second needle, stop the previous stitch short of looping it over the first needle. Instead, turn the second needle to line up with the first one, then pull the stitch snug. You now have one stitch on the second needle.

Knitting with Double-Pointed Needles Step 10[d]

Now take a third needle and insert it into the stitch on the second needle, beginning an otherwise normal casting-on stitch.

Knitting with Double-Pointed Needles Step 11[d]

Again, pull the loop through as a normal cast-on.

Knitting with Double-Pointed Needles Step 12[d]

And again, finish casting this stitch onto the second needle by pulling the loop over the end of the second needle.

Knitting with Double-Pointed Needles Step 13[d]

Remove third needle and pull yarn snug. You now have two stitches cast on to the second needle.

Knitting with Double-Pointed Needles Step 14[d]

Continue this way to put the required number of stitches on the second needle (five in this case). If the total number of stitches is not divisible by three, I like to put the extra stitch on the second needle or leave it one short, depending on the count. That way you can find a "centre" of sorts on the second needle if needs be.

When you have the proper number of stitches on the second needle, repeat the last few steps to put the proper number on the third needle as well, using the fourth to do the casting. Then you should have three needles with stitches lined up as shown in the picture.

Knitting with Double-Pointed Needles Step 15[d]

Now comes the trickiest part; you've finished the cast-on row and you have to go back to the starting point to begin to form a tube. You want the last stitch to be up against the first one, so start bending the needles around with that in mind, keeping the bottom edge towards the middle. If you twist an edge, your tube will have a twist in it.

Knitting with Double-Pointed Needles Step 16[d]

This photo shows the bending of the needles completed so the last stitch is up against the first stitch.

Knitting with Double-Pointed Needles Step 17[d]

To form the bottom of the tube and begin the next row, turn the entire needle assembly so that the first needle is facing you. Slide the first needle back through the stitches so you can begin to use the other end. This is why the needles need to have points at each end, so you can slide them back and forth and knit from either side.

Knitting with Double-Pointed Needles Step 18[d]

Put the fourth needle through the back of the first stitch as shown.

Knitting with Double-Pointed Needles Step 19[d]

This photo illustrates how I hold the entire needle assembly, with the fourth needle in back of the first stitch and the yarn looped around the fourth needle, ready to knit the start of a new row. Note how the other two needles are held loosely below the two needles I'm actually working with.

Knitting with Double-Pointed Needles Step 20[d]

Back to the hands-free photos for tutorial purposes, here again are the needles with the two working ones on top and the fourth needle about to pull a loop through the first stitch.

Knitting with Double-Pointed Needles Step 21[d]

When you pull the loop through, leave it on the fourth needle. As you get better using double-pointed needles, you'll be able to judge how snug to pull this stitch so there's no gap/stretch point in your tube. But while you're learning, don't worry about tension so much.

Knitting with Double-Pointed Needles Step 22[d]

Continue to knit normally along the first needle, taking the stitches off of it as you go and leaving them on the fourth needle.

Knitting with Double-Pointed Needles Step 23[d]

This photo shows all five stitches knit from the first needle onto the fourth, and the first needle is now free to work on the next side.

Knitting with Double-Pointed Needles Step 24[d]

Turn the needle assembly and continue to knit, this time removing the stitches from the second needle and leaving them on the first.

Knitting with Double-Pointed Needles Step 25[d]

Continue along each needle as before, always using the newly freed needle to begin the next side. The photo here shows the second row completed all the way around.

Note that the continued turning of the needle assembly as you work might eventually cause your feeding yarn to twist up. I find for long tubes, I occasionally have to hold the yarn up in the air from the source and let the needle assembly untwist.

Knitting with Double-Pointed Needles Step 26[d]

Here is a photo of what a tube looks like after several rows, looking down from above.

Knitting with Double-Pointed Needles Step 27[d]

Here is the same tube as the above photo, shown from the side. Note that you can determine where your start point is by looking for the starting knot. When you reach the stitch above and just to the right of the starting knot, you have completed another row. The next stitch you make on the needle to the left will be the start of a new row.



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Page last updated October 2, 2005.

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