When you are knitting in the round you need special needles. Circular needles are common for knitting large projects. But when a project is small, circular needles are often too big.
So, what do you do when the needles are too big? You use double pointed needles. Learn how to knit with double pointed needles below.
What Are Double Pointed Knitting Needles?
Double pointed needles are frequently referred to as DPNs. They are knitting needles with points on both ends. They are used for knitting small projects in the round.
Since both ends are pointed, you can knit from either side. This gives you the ability to join the needles in a round. Double pointed needles usually come in a set of four to five needles.
How to Use Double Pointed Needles
Circular needles are easier to use than double pointed needles. However, there are some instances where double pointed needles are the best choice. If you want to knit small round projects, such as glove fingers and socks, you need to know how to use double pointed needles.
When knitting with double pointed needles you will need to use at least 4 needles.
Steps on how to knit with double pointed needles for beginners:
- Choose Your Double Pointed Knitting Needles
The pattern you are working with will tell you what size double pointed needles are required.
- Casting On
This is the most difficult part of knitting with double pointed needles. Begin by casting on all the stitches needed for your project on one needle. Once you have the stitches on one needle, you need to slip the desired number of stitches onto two other needles.
The pattern should tell you how many stitches are needed on each needle. If it does not tell you, split the stitches up evenly.
- Holding the Needles
Find the needle with the working thread. Hold it with your right hand. Take the needle on the left in your left hand. This needle should have the first cast on stitch on it. Place your left thumb onto the middle needle to help keep it in place.
When you cross the tip of the left needle over the right needle, you should have a triangle.
- Joining the Stitches
Transfer all the needles into your left hand while keeping the pyramid shape. Grab the working needle with your right hand. This is the needle that has no stitches on it. Push the tip of the working needle into the first stitch on the left needle. The tip of the working needle should now be in the first stitch, behind the left needle.
Take the working yarn and wrap it around the working needle. To do this, take the working thread under the right needle. Go under the working needle and pull it around the working needle from the left hand side.
Then knit into the first stitch with the working needle using the working yarn. Push the stitch off, so it is now on your working needle. Tug on the working thread to make the stitch snug.
- Knitting the Length of the Needle
Continue knitting the length of the first needle. Once you reach the end, you will be left with 3 needles. Push the stitches to the centre of the needle. Turn your project so that the needle with the working yarn is on the right side.
Push the stitches on the left needle towards the tip, so they are easy to work with. Now take the working needle, this is the bare needle, and repeat step 4.
6. Knitting the Project
Repeat steps 4 and 5 until you reach the end of your project.
There are so many fun projects that require Double Pointed Needles. Now is the time to learn how to use double pointed needles.
Also, check out our beginner’s guide on how to use circular knitting needles and our best knitting kits for beginners.
Now that you learned how to knit with double pointed needles, give it a try with these slippers, socks, and mittens patterns.
Using double pointed needles can be hard at first. But once you get the hang of it, they are rather easy to use. Instead of passing up small circular projects, be brave and give them a try. But first, practice how to knit with double pointed needles.