Epstein - Knitting in circles: 100 circular patterns for sweaters, bags, hats, afghans, and more

Copyright 2012 by Nicky Epstein

All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by Potter Craft, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
www.pottercraft.com
www.crownpublishing.com
POTTER CRAFT and colophon is a registered trademark of Random House, Inc.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Epstein, Nicky.
Knitting in circles: 100 circular patterns for sweaters, bags, hats, afghans, and more / Nicky Epstein.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. KnittingPatterns I. Title
TT825 .E64215 2012
2011046904

eISBN: 978-0-307-58707-7

Fashion photography by Rose Callahan
Swatch photography by Heather Weston
Technical illustrations by Therese Chynoweth

Cover design by Jess Morphew
Cover photography by Rose Callahan and Heather Weston

v3.1

A double dedication to Jo Brandon, my lifelong friend, and Debbie Macomber, who dubbed me the SISTER OF MY HEART
it is more than mutual!

Knitting in Circles is the second in a series of books on knitting techniques incorporating geometric shapes. After going around the block in my previous book, Knitting Block by Block , it seemed only natural that we explore circles. Over the years, Ive used a variety of circle shapes in my designs and I thought it was finally time to share their many unique and beautiful uses with knitters of all skill levels.

In this book Ill teach you different ways to shape, create, and embellish knitted circles, using traditional methods as well as some Ive come up with on my own.

As youll see, a few circlesor even just one great big onecan be transformed into fabulous and fashionable knitted sweaters, shawls, afghans, jackets, and more. Every circle in this book can also make an instant . Youll be astonished at just how many fabulous ways there are to use them!

Although knitted circles have been around for some time, there has never been a book like this. Ive created one hundred circles and twenty original designs so you can gain an in-depth understanding of all the fun and creative possibilities a knitted circle can offer. Ive also included detailed design diagrams for every project and exclusive so you can choose your own look for each piece.

Knitting circles is very travel-friendly. I like to bring along individual circles to work on, just so I dont have to carry an entire garment. And because they are small, you can practice techniques that might be new to you, like entrelac, Fair Isle, domino, or reversible cables. Get your circle of friends knitting them, too, and you can quickly make wonderful gifts for loved ones, friends, or those in need.

So circle the wagons, start thinking in circles, experience the circle of life, and enjoy knitting round and round. I loved making this book, and hope it will inspire you and other fellow knitters to think in new, creative ways as you begin Knitting in Circles

Happy Circle Knitting!

( LEFT TO RIGHT ) variegated lace weight, metallic, mohair lace weight, hand-dyed baby weight, beaded silk with sequins, wool DK weight, hand-dyed sequins DK weight, silk and wool worsted weight, variegated worsted weight, hand-dyed tweed bulky, wool bulky, wool super bulky

With all the amazingly beautiful yarns we have access to, you can make the same circle, and get a wide range of incredible looks, simply by changing yarns. Try solid, glitter, self-striping, texture-stranded, thick and thin, beaded, and sequin yarns. The choices are almost endless. Hand-dyed yarn can create beautiful striping and, in effect, often make circles so gorgeous they can take your breath away.

Be adventurous and try some of the unusual yarns in your LYS or in your stash. You will be amazed at how knitting a circle can change and enhance the essence of yarns, even with the simplest of yarns.

These circle swatches show a variety of yarns in different weights, textures, and dyeing methods.

As in all knitting, gauge is important if you want your circles to be approximately the same size. Using a variety of yarn weights and the corresponding needles will change the size of your circle. The same circle pattern knit in lace, DK, worsted, and bulky will give you small to large versions. When you are making a piece, carefully consider adjusting your yarn choice to get the size and drape that you wish.

Note: Almost all the circle samples in this book were made with the same gauge, 45 stitches per 1 (2.5cm) using Cascade 220 Superwash yarn, but because of stitch patterns or different techniques, the finished circles vary up to to 1 (6mm4cm).

Designing with circles can open up a whole new world of knitting for you.

In this book, you will find one hundred circle patterns, along with design diagrams for the twenty projects I created using them. You can use the circles I have chosen or design your own look by using any circles that appeal to you. Select the same circles to repeat or get playful with lots of different ones.

Using the , make copies of the circles of your choice, cut them out, and arrange them as desired into the provided design diagrams. Moving and rearranging the circles into different configurations is very satisfying and will help you release your inner designer so you can create your very own one-of-a-kind masterpiece.

The size of your piece will depend on the size of your circles. Choose the yarn you want to use and work a gauge swatch. This will allow you to determine the size of your circle. Most of the circle samples in this book were made with a worsted weight yarn. Here are the gauges I used:

For a 10 circle

18 stitches and 24 rows = 4 (10cm) on size U.S. 8 needles

For a 9 circle

20 stitches and 26 rows = 4 (10cm) on size U.S. 7 needles

As , depending on the circle patterns you choose, your finished circles may vary slightly in size. Here are some ways to adjust circle sizes:

Change yarn weights. For smaller circles use lighter weight yarns, and for larger circles use bulkier weight yarns with corresponding needle sizes.

Add or subtract rounds, stitch counts, or rows.

Change the needle size up or down. To make a cable circle the same size as a stockinette stitch circle, you may need to go up a needle size.

Block your circle to size. Blocking a circle can add up to 1 (2.5 cm) more.

Add an edging, like rib or , to increase circumference.

If you have a difficult time making your circles uniformly sized, dont fret. Youll be happy to see that by overlapping the circles, using edgings, or adding the are excellent examples of gauge changes.

See for methods on joining your circles.

Now get your creative juices flowing and start knitting in circles.