Knitted "paper chains"

[BrendaP]

At church hub cafe last week I was asked 'can you knit?' and after saying 'yes' it was 'will you make some of this?' and a pattern from a magazine was produced.

Pattern says three strands of DK on four 7mm needles (and also instructed to knit the first roud through the back loops which isn't necessary with the thumb cast on that I usually do.  The biggest DPNs I have are 4.5mm so I used them and I followed the pattern for the first few links, but it was fiddly and the previous link had to be moved around at each needle change so I changed to using two needles.  The ends still need to be darned in so the time taken to join a seam about 2cm long is negilagble compared to the time saved!  I also used a variety of yarn thicknesses - aran is about twice DK and 4-ply is about half.

3 strands DK or equivalent.  5.5 mm needles.
Cast on 30st.
Work 6 rows stocking stitch.
Cast off.
Join the short ends of the knitting making sure that the loop is connected to the previous loop and darn in ends of yarn.
Repeat until chain is long enough.

Couldn't be simpler.

My chain is currently about 10ft/3m long and I have another two weeks before it's needed for decorating the church for Christmas.

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[Sheilago]

That looks great @Brenda P and will last a lot longer than paper chains. Also a great way of using silly little yarn scraps.

My sister might want to copy that for her charity shop window  : Thanks for the instructions- does the stocking stitch just curl up on its own?

[Ohsewsimple]

They look great @BrendaP.

[Acorn]

They're brilliant!!   

[Celia]

Love that I might be tempted and I don’t dooo Christmas

[BrendaP]

My sister might want to copy that for her charity shop window  : Thanks for the instructions- does the stocking stitch just curl up on its own?

Yes, that's the nature of stocking stitch.  Once joined into a circle just roll it so that the edges are on the inside.

[Cazlyn]

Looks great.

[Hideout Hen]

I didn't know you could knit paper chains.
They're fab. 

[charley]

Fabulous idea to use up scraps. Thank you for the 'how to'.

[HenriettaMaria]

@BrendaP This is a cunning little project!  Just for clarification, though, it looks like you're sewing them up purl side out.  Is that correct?

Also, I'm having trouble imagining how you join the links of the chain if you're knitting on double-ended needles and (therefore?) in the round.  Is there a trick to this or have I got the wrong end of the stick entirely?

[Ouryve]

I expect you would have to link them on the go, as you join in the round.

[BrendaP]

@BrendaP This is a cunning little project!  Just for clarification, though, it looks like you're sewing them up purl side out.  Is that correct?

Also, I'm having trouble imagining how you join the links of the chain if you're knitting on double-ended needles and (therefore?) in the round.  Is there a trick to this or have I got the wrong end of the stick entirely?

@HenriettaMaria
Yes, it's purl side out.  Stocking stitch naturally curls that way on a short wide piece.  On a long narrow piece it will roll from the sides with knit side out.

To work on four (or five) needles you cast on, re-arrange onto 3 (or 4) needles making sure the edge isn't twisted. 
Assuming you from left needle to right needle.

Before knitting the first stitch slip the previous link around the left needle. 
Knit the stitches on that needle.
*At the needle change slip the completed link onto the new left needle and knit the stitches on it.

Repeat from * until six rounds have been knitted.
Cast off, still moving the link to the new left needle each time.

I am used with knitting socks on 4 needles but my experience was that slipping the previous link around the needles was quite time consuming and given that all the ends need darning in anyway it really is quicker to use two needles and just sew the two ends together whilst darning in - though don't look closely at the sewing it's not done with the care and attention that a garment would get!

[HenriettaMaria]

Thank you, @BrendaP - I can visualise it now