Sunday, March 16, 2008

How to Knit a Flat Circle

I've had a lot of people on the internet asking for this, and a lot of people saying it's impossible. Silly people. It's perfectly possible. I'll show you.
Step 1: Cast on one stitch onto a Double Pointed Needle.

Step 2: K1, P1, K1 in the same stitch.
Step 3: Turn the needle and Purl across the row
Step 4: Turn the needle again, Kfb all stitches.
Step 5: Turn the needle and Purl across the row.
Step 6: Turn the needle, Kfb all stitches.
At this point, you should have twelve stitches and something like this:
Divide these stitches onto three double pointed needles. Knit all stitches, joining the round.
Step 7: [Kfb, K1] around.
Step 8: K around.
Step 9: Repeat 7 and 8.
Step 10: [Kfb, K2] around.
Step 11: K around.

Repeat this process, increasing by one K stitch per set.
Ex) Next round: *Kfb, K3* Repeat
-K
-*Kfb, K4.* Repeat
-K
Etc, etc.


That's basically it. It's based on the head of Katamari Ichigo and on the teapot bottoms in Interweave's Fiesta Tes Set

53 comments:

  1. Just the help I needed. Sometimes the internet is a happy place.

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  2. You just saved me from spooning my eyes out. Thank you.

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  3. You just saved me from spooning my eyes out. Thank you!

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  4. Thank you for posting this! I'm adapting a crocheting pattern into a knitting one and part of it includes a flat circle.

    Here's where the pattern will be posted and I will credit, of course! =)

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  5. Hi! I wanted to thank you for this incredibly helpful tutorial. I'm making a pattern that needed a half-circle, and the start of your tutorial was absolutely perfect. I'll be linking to this post & your whole blog when I finish my pattern. Thank you again!

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  6. Not very smart to make a demonstration pic with dark yarn and a black background...

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  7. Well, anon, I made this in about ten minutes using the project I was working on and the location I was in. I apologize for my lack of consideration towards the colorblind.

    I think it should be noted though, that I made this as a service to the world, because there was no real how-to on knitting a flat circle when I did. I guess since you're complaining here there probably still isn't.

    So, be grateful :P

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  8. TY soo much for your post! Uhh, I'm trying to make eyes about 1.5-2 centimeters wide, do you know how I could make your pattern smaller?

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  9. You could make the pattern smaller by using smaller needles, thinner yarn, or both. Something 1.5-2 cm wide you might wnat to look at other options, though, like applique or embroidering them on. That might look better - it's all up to you though!

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  10. Thanks so much for posting this! I'm just learning how to knit, but I have a few ideas where I wanted to knit a circle and your instructions were great!

    I found this link that might help anonymous with smaller circles for eyes:
    http://www.ehow.com/how_5193688_knit-circle.html

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  11. THANK YOU! I have tried to figure this out on my own...and couldn't. I'm new to knitting and need to make some eyes for a hat. Perfect directions!

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  12. Im new to more advanced Knitting lingo....what does Kfb mean?

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  13. this was incredibly helpful thank you for posting this. i found a pattern for a bag that called for a 2 flat circles but it doesnt say how i was wondering though if i wanted to knit both circles together without seaming them later but still leaving an opening for the bag?

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  14. "what does Kfb mean?"

    It's a way of increasing. See here:

    Martyn

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  15. Thank you. I had the kfb, k1, k around thing but just could not figure out how to start without a big hole.

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  16. Thank you for this amazing tutorial! I was looking for an easier way to knit a flat circle than the more complicated way someone told me to try.

    It's to be incorporated into a sweater/jacket w/pattern I'm working on :)

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  17. kfb means 'knit front and back' in the same stitich. so you insert the needle in the front of the yarn and perform a normal knit stitch but you dont complete it - instead of pulling that stitch off the left-hand needle you insert the needle into the back of the same stitch and knit again and then pull both stitches off.

    hope that helped

    kemi

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  18. Hi there. I think I figured out some things in your instructions, however I am confused on other things. I was was wondering if you had a video to show how to knit the flat circle?

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  19. Thanks a ton! This will help me make eyes for my daughter's owl hat. It's gonna be great!

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  20. thanks. I'm making hockey pucks. I still have a small hole in the middle, though. But I can close it up after.

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  21. This tutorial is excellent and very helpful. Now I can proceed with my knitted owl hat.

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  22. after many attempts and three days of scouring the internet, i found this. thank you so much

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  23. Exactly what I was looking for! Thanks!!!

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  24. did you ever get it done? Can you send me a picture? I have been looking for a simple flat round no holes/lacey look knit circle afghan,for 2 years but could not find one. I kept trying increases at different intervals and different rounds and couldn't get the right combination figured out to make it round and flat. I may not be able to find my way back to this blog, so can you please email me at this address is pegschr@yahoo.com

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  25. Fantastic ... just what I needed. Thanks.

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  26. I'm very grateful for these instructions but I always wind up with a hole in the middle. Is the hole supposed to be unnoticeable? Because mine is rather larger and I was wondering if I'm just doing something wrong?

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  27. SoreLoser: Strange, it should be unnoticeable. Do you cast on losely? If that's the case, maybe you could sew the hole shut with the yarn tail? Or join to knit in the round sooner?

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  28. wow...just...wow. im a fairly decent knitter, and follow patterns easily and this one was super easy! that, and it will come in VERY handy for all the random things i make. thank you so very much!

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  29. I just want to let you know that I used your instructions in a pattern I created.

    http://bakuhatsu-no-subarashii.blogspot.com/2011/07/spirited-away-no-face-knitting-pattern.html

    Thanks for making such great and easy instructions

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  30. Thank you so much for this. making flat circles with increases and decreases was driving me bonkers!

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  31. Thank you for posting this! This is very clear and easy to follow for me. However, I have one question. How do you join the stitches between steps six and seven? Do you knit two stitches together?

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    Replies
    1. Wow,
      I've surfed so many times on "knit a circle" and never found something this clear before.
      Thank you.
      I just have to finish my existing project and then I can start the biggest circle of knitting ever. Can't wait. Many thanks.

      Delete
  32. Thanks for this! Ready to get started and just want to clarify something. Step 9 is to repeat steps 7 & 8. Should we do that ever time? Repeat each increase set twice? So should step 12 be to repeat steps 10 & 11, or should we go ahead and start the *Kfb, K3*? Hope you know what I mean. :/ Thanks!

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    Replies
    1. I think I understand what you mean, and, no, repeating each increase set twice will make the circle crinkly. Only repeat the first one twice!

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  33. Yes, ok, got it! Although...hmm...what I'm knitting is a little pond, so crinkly might look sort of neat. Well, we'll see. Thanks for explaining!

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  34. I'm going to use your pattern to make 2 ears for a Mouse hat I'm making for my 21-month old daughter. Once I get the desired diameter, how do I finish off the last row? Just by binding off? Or should I use a kichener stick on 2 circles so that it appears smooth on both ends. Appreciate your help!

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  35. Hi! Thank you SO much for this tutorial! Somehow, though, mine turned out as cone-shape. What did I do wrong? :)

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  36. Nevermind - figured it out! Always help to thoroughly read the directions. :) Thanks again. This was very helpful!

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  37. Thank you for sharing this. It has saved me a lot of grief figuring out how to knit a circle by increasing and decreasing stitches.

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  38. THANK YOU THANK YOU. Knitting bags for felting and freaking out over how to make a nice round bottom with DPNs. Lifesaver. I'll be shouting out your tut in my post later this week. I'll drop another note when I do! :D

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  39. Thank you so much, you solved my problem and saved a great deal of frustration.

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  40. Thank you so much and to all kind people who share their knowledge on the net.

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  41. I'm an expert knitter but obviously not an expert mathematician. First I have 1 st. then I increase that st by 2 so now I have 3. Then I increase each st by 2 so now I have 9 . Then I increase each st by 2 so now I have 18....... How did you end up with 12 ???? I hope I'm not too late to get help as I see the blog was started in 2009.

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  42. Never mind. I found a post from someone else who was having a problem. Your reply explained that K,P,K was for the first stitch only and that Kfb : Knit front and back :increases a st by 1 (not 2 ). Now I just have to figure out the "Repeat" which suggests that a set is 4 rows (7.8, Repeat 7.8, means that the K st is 1 in the first step 7 and therefore 1Knit st in the repeat step 7. Same for the K2 , (Once in the Increase row and again in the repeat row)
    I'll go back and see if I can see if you have addressed this, but if I don't come back and say I've found the solution. Please help me.

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  43. I'm back. I figured it out. Eureka !
    "Repeat" row 7 and 8 does mean repeat both rows.

    ""repeat"" in the other rows means repeat the rows instructions to the end of the row.

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  44. Hi there,

    I used this awesome pattern in a tea cozy I pattern I put together. Do you mind if I link to your page here from within my pattern write-up?

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  45. nearly 7 years after you posted this i've stumbled across it. and it's just what i need to start a center-out spiral blanket! thanks so much for the easy step-by-steps! cheers, 'topher (XtopherCB on ravelry)

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  46. Anxious to try this, have been trying to find a way to knit a sun blanket for my sunny granddaughter.

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  47. hi, is there a video tutorial for this please? i would love if someone could make a vid of a garter stitch circle

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  48. Thank you so much for this pattern. My mom has been bugging me to show her how to make this circle for a particular hat she likes to wear. I had to translate it into Spanish (not easy for me). Merci Buckets!!!! :)

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  49. Do you think this would work if, from step 7 forward, I used a yarn over as the increase instead of a kfb?

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  50. I started at 100 stitches and added it as a brim to my Gandolf hat. Worked perfectly!! Thank you :)

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  51. Thanks for this! And I see the Katamari Prince in the background, no??

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