Required two balls 50 g / 1.75 oz in light 3 – 100% Acrylic yarn – I used: Patons Astra yarn.
With two strands of yarn cast on 40 stitches on 16 inch (41 CM) number 11 (8.00 mm) circular knitting needles. I prefer Clover Bamboo Circular Knitting Needles.
Rib (Knit 2 Purl 2) for 6 inches.
Change to 16 inch (41 CM) number 13 (9.00 mm) circular knitting needles, continue in stocking stitch until work measures 8 1/2 inches in length.
To shape the crown:
Row 1 – Knit (k) 8 Slip 1 knit-wise(sl1k) Knit(k) 1 Pass Slip Stitch Over (psso) continue until end of row
Row 2 and every other row – Knit
Row 3 – k7 sl1k k1 psso continue until end of row
Row 5 – k6 sl1k k1 psso continue until end of row
Row 7 -k5 sl1k k1 psso continue until end of row
Row 9 -k4 sl1k k1 psso continue until end of row
Row 11 -k3 sl1k k1 psso continue until end of row
Break yarn, leaving a long end, draw through remaining 16 stitches. Pull through top inside the toque. Work in ends.
Required one ball 1.75 OZ ( 50g) in light 3 – 100% Acrylic yarn – I used: Patons Astra “Wild Wizard” yarn.
Cast on 80 stitches on 16 inch (41 CM) number 4 (3.50 mm) circular knitting needles.
I prefer Clover Bamboo Circular Knitting Needles.
Rib (Knit 2 Purl 2) for 2 inches.
Change to number 6 (4.00mm) circular knitting needles and increase 1 stitch (to 81 stitches); continue knitting in stocking stitch for 5 inches. With circular needles you knit each round. Please refer to the post “Toque” to shape the crown. NOTE – this is a lighter weight yarn – therefore smaller needles were used.
Required one ball in medium 4 – 100% Acrylic yarn – I used: Red Heart Soft yarn.
Cast on 80 stitches on 16 inch (41 CM) number 6 (4.00 mm) circular knitting needles.
I prefer Clover Bamboo Circular Knitting Needles.
Rib (Knit 2 Purl 2) for 2 inches.
Change to number 7 (4.50mm) circular knitting needles and increase 1 stitch (to 81 stitches); continue knitting in stocking stitch for 5 inches. With circular needles you knit each round.
To shape the crown.
Row 1 – Knit 7 stitches knit 2 together for whole round
Row 2 – Knit and every other round
Row 3 – Knit 6 stitches knit 2 together for whole round
Row 5 – Knit 5 stitches knit 2 together for whole round
Row 7 – Knit 4 stitches knit 2 together for whole round
Row 9 – Knit 3 stitches knit 2 together for whole round
Row 11 – Knit 2 stitches knit 2 together for whole round
Row 13 – Knit 1 stitches knit 2 together for whole round
Row 14 – Knit
Row 15 – Knit 2 together for the whole round
Break off enough to feed through remaining 10 stitches. Turn inside out and pull yarn so the top comes nicely together. Work in remaining yarn threads.
Ribbing measures 16 inches around; stocking stitch at ribbing 19 inches around. The top of the crown to end of ribbing measures 9 inches.
Required three 3.5oz (100g) in pattern colour and two 3.5oz (100g) back colour medium 4 100% Acrylic yarn – I used:
Cast on 240 stitches in the back colour (grey), on 29 inch (74 CM) number 10.5 (6.5 MM) circular knitting needles. I prefer Clover Bamboo Circular Knitting Needles.
Place yarn from another project through each of the 240 stitches. This makes it easier to pick up the 240 used when grafting scarf together.
Join the end stitch to the first stitch being careful not to twist and place a marker. Knit until the first ball of 3.5 oz (100 G) of back colour yarn is done, ending on last stitch. Change to main colour
K2 P2 – ribbing for 2 1/2 inches, ending on the last stitch
Begin pattern.
Pattern
Row 1 – K6 K2tog M1 K1 M1 K2tog K5
Row 2 and every other row knit
Row 3 – K5 K2tog M1 K3 M1 K2tog K4
Row 5 – K4 K2tog M1 K5 M1 K2tog K3
Row 7 – K3 K2tog M1 K7 M1 K2tog K2
Row 9 – K2 K2tog M1 K9 M1 K2tog K1
Row 11 – K1 K2tog M1 K11 M1 K2tog
Row 13 – K1 M1 K2tog K11 K2tog M1
Row 15 – K2 M1 K2tog K9 K2tog M1 K1
Row 17 – K3 M1 K2tog K7 K2tog M1 K2
Row 19 – K4 M1 K2tog K5 K2tog M1 K3
Row 21 – K5 M1 K2tog K3 K2tog M1 K4
Row 23 – K6 M1 K2tog K1 K2tog M1 K5
Knit these twenty four rows twice in the main colour.
K2 P2 – ribbing for 2 1/2 inches, ending on the last stitch.
Change to back colour knit until the total (first ball and these) back colour measures the same as the pattern and two inches of ribbing (approximately 11″ length ). Leaving 1 1/2 inch ribbing border of the main colour on the back. Total length over all 22inches.
Pick up the stitches from the start (remove the off setting yarn) and graft the two sections of the back colour together. Be careful not to twist. Break off yarn leaving an end of 10 inch thread. (note you actually need more length but better to do it in several to graft 240 stitches).
Grafting
The best way to join stitches held on 2 separate needles. Have the two pearl sides of the scarf facing each other and the both needles from the start pointing to the right. Thread the end through a blunt-ended wool needle.
*Putting the wool needle, as if for knitting into the first stitch of the front needle, draw it through the stitch and slip the stitch off the needle.
Putting the wool needle, as if for purling, into the second stitch of the front needle, draw the wool through and let the stitch remain on the needle.
Take the wool under the front needle and putting the wool needle, as if for purling, into the first stitch of the back needle, draw the wool through this stitch and slip off the needle.
Putting the wool needle, as if for knitting into the second stitch of the back needle draw the wool through and let the stitch remain on the needle.*
Bring the wool forward under the needles and repeat from * to * until all the stitches are worked off.
Final thoughts: I have made several of these circular scarves. Easy to knit. The grafting of the 240 stiiches of the start and the end is the most tedious part. Measurements from nine to eleven inches wide and approximately seventy-eight inches around. Keep in mind that I am a very loose knitter.
Recently I decided knitting with circular needles was the way to go. Over the past year or so I have made many pairs of socks, a man’s sweater, several scarfs, gloves, toques all on circular needles. I had never used circular needles before except to make afghans.
I was determined to knit a sweater on circular needles having never done it. I thought it was a good idea. While I like the fact when you are done there are no seams to sew, I did not like not being able to measure the pieces for size against the person you are making it for, as I went along.
I searched the Internet for ideas, a great tool! I actually found a circular needle pattern on Pinterest. By the way I never take a pattern, recipe and do exactly as told, I only use it as a suggestion. I am a very loose knitter; interesting my mom and I can pick up each other’s knitting and carry on as we have the same tension.
I choose a variegated 100% Acrylic medium (4) weight yarn.
I always have two or three knitting projects on the go, as I get bored with working on the same project day in and day out. I always buy two pairs of the same size circular needle, a requirement as far as I am concerned for small projects like socks, as it makes it easier with two needles. One of the problems I have encounters is twisting the stitches and ending up with the round actually having a twist in it – not good!
Circular needle Men’s Sweater
Close up
Lessons Learned:
Ensure the dye lot number is the same on each ball of yarn
Always knit a swatch to ensure you can achieve the correct gauge as required in the pattern
Be careful not to twist when joining the circle of stitches
Final thoughts:
I liked the fact the whole project was knit on circular needles because for the most part you are just knitting (instead of knitting and purling). I also liked the fact there were minimal seams to sew together. I did not like not being able to measure the actual sweater pieces against the individual I was making the sweater for. I do not like how the collar sits. I plan to change the collar.
Works up in a few hours. Enjoy!
