Affiliate links may be included for your convenience. View our privacy and affiliates policy for details.
If you want to knit a small tube without using double-pointed knitting needles, knitting in the round with two circular needles is a great options. Some people find this method easier than working with double pointed knitting needles, and you can make a tube of any size, from sock to a sweater or even smaller.
It’s also a great option if you need to knit a tube but you don’t have double pointed needles in that size. For instance you might have DPNs in sock yarn sizes but not super bulky, so you can use two circular knitting needles instead.
Getting Set up for Circular Knitting
In order to do knitting in the round with two circular needles, you’ll need two circular knitting needles of the same size. It’s super helpful if they don’t look alike because you want to knit with the same set of needles on the same set of stitches consistently. Also if you know which needle you started with you don’t need an end of round marker.
Grab the yarn you want to work with and cast on all your stitches onto one needle. Here I’m using 30 stitches.
Slide the stitches to the opposite end of the circular needle. Pick up the second needle and slide half of the stitches (in this case 15) onto this needle.
Then slide the stitches on the second needle to the other end and the stitches on the first needle onto the cable. This way the ball end should be where you can knit the stitches on the second needle first.
Knitting in the Round with Two Circular Needles
From here, use the other end of the same needle that the stitches are on (the second needle) to knit all the stitches on that needle. This will automatically join the round.
When you get to the end of that needle, slide the stitches down onto the cable. Turn the work over so you have access to the other knitting needle. Slide the stitches up to the needle point so you can knit them.
Using the other end of the same needle, knit these stitches.
You’ve just knit one round in the round using two circular knitting needles. Isn’t that fun?
From here, just keep on going around, changing needles when needed, and always working the stitches with the same needle that they are on.
One good tip for keeping the stitches near the needle changes neat is to pull a little extra tight on the yarn after you make the second stitch on each needle.
Just keep knitting as much as you need and you can bind off as normal.
I really like knitting in the round with two circular needles. It feels faster than working with double pointed knitting needles and I think it’s a great option for newer knitters because the needles you aren’t knitting with are out of the way, and because you can slide the stitches you aren’t using onto the cable, there’s less danger of dropping stitches.
Do you ever use this technique? I’d love to hear your thoughts about it!
