Knitting Small Circumferences
Overview
The invention of circular needles dramatically changed modern knitting, allowing many objects to be knit all at once in the round. This works great for larger circumference items, like sweater, hats, and cowls, but what about small circumferences like socks, mittens, and sleeves?
There are lots of different approaches for knitting small circumferences, and here, we discuss a few of these and share our opinions about each. Want to skip ahead to the video? Do that here!
Why Do We Need Alternatives?
Circular needles work because most of the needle is a long flexible cord - long when compared to the length of the needle tips. For example, if you’re knitting a sweater on a 32”/80 cm circular with 5” needle tips, more than 2/3 of the circular length is made up by the flexible cord, and the rigid needles make up less than 1/3 of the length. This provides plenty of length for maneuvering the needle tips. Alison’s rough rule of thumb is that you can knit comfortably on circulars when your needle tips are less than 1/3 of the total length of the circulars. Keep in mind that ergonomically, a longer needle tip is more comfortable for your hands.
What happens when you want to knit a 16”/40 cm circumference with those same 5” needle tips? Now, you have 10”/25 cm of rigid needles and only 6”/15 cm of flexible cord; your needle tips make up more than half of the total length. You won’t be able to knit comfortably at all! That’s where these alternative methods come in.
How to work Small Circumferences in the Round - 4 ways
Magic Loop
Magic Loop uses a looong circular needle, much longer than the circumference of the object you’re knitting. It’s a flexible approach that can be used on a wide range of circumferences, from very small to quite large, and it works great if you don’t have the exact circular needle length you need. It’s also a great approach when working 2 identical objects at a time, like sleeves and socks. However, you really do need a lot of extra length for this method to be effective, at least 12”/30 cm and preferably a lot more. When in doubt, use the longest needle with the most flexible cord you can find.
Pros
Flexible, works with just about any circumference.
Tidy, can help keep stitches grouped like when working the top & bottom of a sock.
Easy approach for two-at-a-time knitting.
Cons
The long cord can easily catch on other objects or get caught underneath you, pulling the needles out from the work. 😭
It can be difficult to maintain a consistent tension at the boundaries between the needles, especially if carrying more than one yarn, like stranded knitting or brioche.
If the cord has too much tension in it, it can pull the stitches apart at the boundaries, resulting in ladders of loose stitches.
Double Pointed Needles (DPNs)
Double pointed needles are excellent for their flexibility and affordability. They’re especially handy when the circumference of the object changes, like for the crown of a hat. You can knit with very few DPNs to quite a lot!
Pros
Flexible for lots of circumferences.
Affordable, with 5 in a pack.
Some Bamboo/Wooden DPNs give nice friction to keep stitches on the needles.
Cons
Stabby McStabberson: it’s too easy to impale yourself!
Tangly: all those points can easily get tangled in the yarn, especially if more than one color is used.
It’s easy to drop stitches off the ends.
Ladders of loose stitches frequently appear at junction between DPNs.
Flexible DPNs/Addi Flexi-Flips
This is not a paid promotion, but Andrea LOVES her Addi Flexi-Flips! They have all the same benefits as DPNs, but with some added features. She especially loves the dull tip, as it’s less stabby (a note to the manufacturers: could you please make them with both ends less pointy?!)
Pros
Feature a less-pointy end which prevents Stabby McStabberson.
Longer length with less rigidity reduces dropped stitches.
Flexible middle reduces strain on stitches at edges.
Cons
Heavy and slippery, they sometimes fall out of stitches.
Really expensive by comparison, and if you lose 1, you’re out of luck.
Shorties
Shorties are exactly what they sound like, circular needles with short tips. Because the needle tips are typically 1-2”/2.5-5cm, you can knit a 7-8”/17.5-20cm circumference comfortably, as the flexible cord will make up more than 2/3 of the total length.
Andrea does not enjoy knitting with shorties, as they hurt her hands. Alison has only recently come to prefer this method for stranded colorwork, as the resulting fabric is so much improved over other methods where tension at the boundaries can be a problem.
Pros
The continuous circle without boundaries between needles often yields more consistent tension when knitting colorwork and brioche.
There’s minimal risk of stitches dropping off the ends, like with DPNs and Flexi-Flips.
Cons
The short needle tips are not as ergonomic as longer needles, which can hurt hands and wrists with time.
Less flexible in terms of length, though interchangeable sets give you a little more flexibility.
Want to see these approaches in action? Check out the video below.
Put it into Practice
We think the best way to figure out your favorite approach is to experiment! Knitrino has a lot of patterns to practice with, and here are some that we love.
Knitrino works on iOS and Android Devices. To see these patterns, open Knitrino or click the images below from your phone. 📱
Pacifica Mittens: Knit in worsted weight yarn on US 5/3.75 mm needles.
Socks in Bloom: Knit in fingering weight yarn on US 1.5/2.5 mm needles.
Harmony Mitts: Knit in fingering weight yarn on US 4/3.5 mm needles.