How to Join Yarn in the Round on Circular Needles

Joining in the Round when Knitting

In a previous article that I shared late last year I received a comment asking for tips on joining work in the round.

Today, I'm here to acquiesce to that request and share my favorite tip on joining work in the round. 

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This particular method that I started using back in 2014 is not only secure, but it avoids that weird little jog that we see at the starting point of working in the round.

Stand by for a full photo tutorial of your new favorite joining in the round technique! 

Jogless Circular Cast On

This cast on uses a simple criss cross join for a jogless cast on.

One you have cast on all of your stitches for your project, bring the two tips of the needles together to begin working in the round.

The "purl bumps" should be facing your (it feels weird but it works). 

1. Holding the needle with the last stitch cast on in your left hand, you'll slip this last stitch purlwise from the left hand to the right hand needle. 

2. Next, with your left hand needle, you're going to reach past this slipped stitch and pull the second stitch (the first stitch you cast on) up and over the stitch you just slipped; this will look a lot like a PSSO (pass slipped stitch over) except you don't want to drop this stitch off your needle; leave it on your left hand needle.

Now it'll look like this with a weird criss-cross of the two stitches; essentially the first two stitches of each needle have swapped places; no stitches have been added or removed. 

The stitch that is now the first stitch on the right hand needle may loosen up a bit but thats ok. You can always tug it tight by pulling gently on the working yarn tail and the cast on tail. 

3. You can now turn your work so those purl bumps on on the inside. Place your stitch marker right in between those two needles and crossed stitches and start knitting your project. 

Et voila! No need to seam up that little first stitch when it's time to finish the project. Just weave in your ends and you're done. 

Why yes, that IS a pin up girl stitch marker. I love her. Her name is Betty. 

How do YOU join in the round?

Have you got another technique that you use for joining in the round? There's the obvious "cast on and just go" method, of course, but what about a technique that joins the work and avoids that little jog? We'd love to hear about it!