An appropriately interested pattern designer posted a question recently on a forum I regularly read about how knitters would like to knit projects. Specifically she asked if one preferred to knit in the round using circular needles or flat knitting with straight single pointed needles (SPN). She didn't follow up with what her reaction to the results, but I'd like to because I was a bit surprised.
An overwhelming 55% of respondents said they would prefer to knit in the round, with 27% having a preference to flat and the remainder 18% with no preference. This is really no surprise because most people I know would rather knit in the round rather than knitting flat because it avoids having to sew up seams. Thus I want to devote the rest of this post about why so many knitters might prefer knitting in the round.
To be clear knitting in the round does not necessarily always mean one uses circular needles. The question was posed in such a way that some respondents focused their answer of circular needles rather than knitting in the round. So perhaps that alone explains the high percentage. Let me break it down for those who might not understand the rather subtle differences here.
Knitting in the round refers to creating an object that will not need a seam. The project is knit in a circular or tube-like shape. Many knitter do not like seaming garments together because either 1) they were never taught how to do it well or 2) they do not enjoy all the finishing work required when there are seams. One should block all the piece, then sew up the seams and finally block the entire object again. When knitting in the round all that fiddly work can be avoided and the knitter can move from taking the item off the needles to blocking.
Knitting in the round can also be done with four or five double pointed needles (DPNs) as well with a circular needle. See how setting up to knit in the round using four DPMs look thanks to the photos from Knit Picks below:
Although it is a bit hard to see, there will be a tube created once more than the first row or two are completed. These four needles will create a tube looking something like the photo below.
Additionally, knitting in the round can be completed using a circular needle like illustrated in these photos from Knit Picks:
The point of illustrating this for you is that the question was do you prefer to knit in the round using circular needles or knitting flat with straight needles. It is pretty clear from the first two photos DPNs are straight and yet they can create items that are knit in the round.
Circular needles are often used by many knitters to create flat items that need to be seamed. Here's a photo of the Fisherman's Pullover I was working on some time ago. As you can see it is being knit on a circular needle instead of SPNs even though it will have seams to be sewn when it is complete.
So why do many knitters prefer knitting in the round on circular needles? Here are some of my guesses:
In the end I understand why the designer did not follow up with the results. Perhaps she too understood the ambiguity of the question.
An overwhelming 55% of respondents said they would prefer to knit in the round, with 27% having a preference to flat and the remainder 18% with no preference. This is really no surprise because most people I know would rather knit in the round rather than knitting flat because it avoids having to sew up seams. Thus I want to devote the rest of this post about why so many knitters might prefer knitting in the round.
To be clear knitting in the round does not necessarily always mean one uses circular needles. The question was posed in such a way that some respondents focused their answer of circular needles rather than knitting in the round. So perhaps that alone explains the high percentage. Let me break it down for those who might not understand the rather subtle differences here.
Knitting in the round refers to creating an object that will not need a seam. The project is knit in a circular or tube-like shape. Many knitter do not like seaming garments together because either 1) they were never taught how to do it well or 2) they do not enjoy all the finishing work required when there are seams. One should block all the piece, then sew up the seams and finally block the entire object again. When knitting in the round all that fiddly work can be avoided and the knitter can move from taking the item off the needles to blocking.
Knitting in the round can also be done with four or five double pointed needles (DPNs) as well with a circular needle. See how setting up to knit in the round using four DPMs look thanks to the photos from Knit Picks below:
Although it is a bit hard to see, there will be a tube created once more than the first row or two are completed. These four needles will create a tube looking something like the photo below.
The point of illustrating this for you is that the question was do you prefer to knit in the round using circular needles or knitting flat with straight needles. It is pretty clear from the first two photos DPNs are straight and yet they can create items that are knit in the round.
Circular needles are often used by many knitters to create flat items that need to be seamed. Here's a photo of the Fisherman's Pullover I was working on some time ago. As you can see it is being knit on a circular needle instead of SPNs even though it will have seams to be sewn when it is complete.
So why do many knitters prefer knitting in the round on circular needles? Here are some of my guesses:
- When knitting in the round the knitter does not have to purl to achieve a stockinette stitch look. Since the right side of the item being knit is always facing the knitter the need to purl is often minimized.
- Circular needles tend to be more versatile than SPNs. As just mentioned it is possible to knit both in the round and flat with the same needles.
- When knitting with circular needles there is less space needed because they curve. If one is trying to knit in a confined space like on an airplane, this becomes an important factor.
- Knitting with four or five DPNs can be confusing and cumbersome for some knitters. Although one is working with only two needles at a time having those extra needles tagging along can be difficult until one really gets a hang of it.
In the end I understand why the designer did not follow up with the results. Perhaps she too understood the ambiguity of the question.
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