If you’re a regular visitor to my blog, you’ll know that this year I set a goal to learn at least one new thing about knitting each month. Having found the slopped shoulder bind off in my copy of Cast on Bind off last month, I decided to see if there was a better way to make a circular cast on for a flat circle when I decided to make one.
Not something I make often, but when I have, I’ve cast on the right number of stitches, joined the circle as tightly as I could, then sew up the little hole at gets created in the middle. I was therefore delighted to find a a way to cast on for a circle that doesn’t create a hole. So while did it I made a tutorial…
Step 1
Take your yarn and make a loop with the working yarn running over the tail, then pinch the loop between your thumb and index finger…
Step 2
Take a crochet hook the same size as the knitting needles you intend to knit with. Put it through the centre of the loop and draw through a loop of the working yarn….
Step 3
Wrap the working yarn around the hook and pull it through the loop already on the hook to make your first stitch…
Seem familiar anyone? Yep, it’s a double crochet (single crochet if you’re in the US).
Step 4
Push the hook through the centre of the loop again and pull through a loop of the working yarn…
… wrap the working yarn around the hook and pull it through the second loop …
You will now have two stitches on your crochet hook….
Repeat Step 4 until you have the number of cast on stitches you require…
Step 5
If you pull the tail of yarn, the original loop of yarn will close up. Pull it up to get the loop out of the way, but don’t worry too much about the hole as you can pull it fully closed once you’ve got going with your knitting.
Step 6
Slip the stitches from the crochet hook onto your DPNs or circular needle, arranging them evenly between the needles, and begin knitting.
Step 7
Once you have got going, you can close the hole by pulling the tail tight.
Et Voila! How to cast on a circle (or sphere, if you wish) without making a a hole in the middle. Something I already knew how to do as a crocheter, but didn’t think of applying to knitting.
Dartmoor Creative - Bekki Hill 
I knew I was learning crochet for a reason! 😉
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🙂 Or am I just trying to tempt you back to knitting with the aid of a crochet hook 🙂
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No, I haven’t left knitting – I have two WIPs at the moment – but am strangely fascinated by the crochet processes at the moment so am getting distracted.
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I do enjoy crochet, but find it rather boring once I get going. Heaven knows why, knitting can’t be that much more interesting.
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Brilliant! I had NO idea this was transferable to knitting in the round!
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Yes, what a brilliant little trick – but quite obvious once you know it.
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Snazzy!!!
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That me, snazzy 😉
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Once again, Thank you! 😀 I am really new to this knitting thing and your tutorials are really helpful 🙂 I save them to a folder on my bookmarks bar for later on 🙂 They are so easy to follow xxx
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Thank you. That’s so kind of you to say. Good to know the tutorials will be put to good use. It’s amazing there are so many little tips and tricks, and even though I’ve been knitting for longer than I care to admit to, there’s always something new to learn. Hope you knitting’s going well 🙂
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Wonderful! And so easy too! Thank you 🙂
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Thank you 🙂 I love it when you can apply crochet techniques to knitting as I know how to do the stitches rather than having to twist my brain around hand positions when I learn some new knitting ways of doing things 🙂
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Thank you!!! That is really helpful xo Johanna
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You’re more than welcome . Good to hear that 🙂 x
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I got all confused for a minute, reading about casting on them seeing crochet. But now it makes sense, well sort of, it’s still a bit of a foreign language 🙂
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Sorry to have confused you. I’m sure it would make more sense if you did it, since it’s really a magic ring that you just don’t slip the stitch off the crochet hook.
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I’m easily confused! 🤓 🤣
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Me too. Not mention often easily confuse myself 🙂
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I was just contemplating this the other day. I was thinking of putting the loops straight onto a knitting needle as they were made but I think this way would work as there are never that many stitches at the centre.
This also gives you a bit more flexibility to actually be able to get in and knit the first few stitches as you can pull them tight afterwards.
Thank you for confirming that I was working in the right direction. 🙂
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Well done you. It’s amazing what you can come up with when you stop to think about it. That I think is the joy that it gives you room to work but you can close it up later 🙂
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