How to Join Sweater Pieces to Knit in the Round with Two Circular Needles
When making sweaters in the round from the Bottom Up, I like to use two circular needles to knit the yoke in-the-round (same concept as socks just many more stitches). First, I put half the sts of one side of the sleeve on Needle #1; repeat with a second needle for the remaining sleeve stitches.
Making sure I have the under-sleeve facing the underarm of the body of the sweater, I place the stitches that have been on a piece of scrap yarn back on the needle. The Front section goes on one needle; the Back section goes on the second needle.
Now all that’s left to do is align the under-arm of Sleeve #2 with the underarm area of the sections and slip its stitches back on the working needles as for Sleeve #1, front and back.
That’s it! Now the large amouts of stitches are spread out over two needles, making it really easy to manage the bulk. This also eliminates the *squeeze effect* you get if you use one long circular (where the joins of the pieces are tight and awkward to work).
I go for easy. Maybe I’ll go for fast… ;p
Hummm….I’m trying to visualize whether I can join the sleeves on the Ribby Cardi using this technique?
Seems like there might be a method to the madness.
Hi Cindy!
This would work really great for that! I would recommend seaming the pieces first. Some people have knit the Body in one piece to the underarms and the sleeves in the round and done this very thing :)
The Key Largo is nice but it does pill a bit. I made my sister a tank with it.
I guess all I have to do is get there. After I figure out how to count stitches at the cast on to get the right number of ribs on both sides. Sheesh!
I’ll let you know how it goes. (I am knitting [eventually, hah!] the body in one piece, and plan to knit the sleeves in the round.)
Oooh, nice score at the yarn sale. Thanks for the tutorial. Just one more thing I love about this place!
I too couldn’t resist the sale. I scored 16 Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran in cream at 35% off and 12 Anny Blatt Cashimer in lavender (85 wool 15 cashmere) at 75% off, and a couple skeins of Noro. I’m soooo tempted to go back on tomorrow!
I currently have pieces of an EZ EPS sweater on needles and I alway knit in the round with two circulars unless I have a compelling reason not to. I expect I’ll consult this post again when I get to the unification.
Here we had an LYS who reopened this weekend with a store-wide 50% off sale after a fire. Based on the reports of chaos I’ve read, I’m happy I decided not to rearrange my schedule to go.
I have about six sweaters that I haven’t sewed up yet. Maybe I’ll try now.