HOW TO KNIT TUBULAR [AKA CIRCULAR] HEMS In general, it is best to begin double bed fabrics starting with either a circular [aka tubular] hem or ribbing. The tubular hem may also be useful for stockinette items. The sample pictured above has tubular hems at both ends. The hems were knitted at the same stitch size as the main fabric so they pull in a little bit in width compared to the width of the double bed fabric. Making a tubular hem at the terminal end of the fabric is the subject of another article. If one wanted to avoid the pulling in effect, a larger stitch size could be used for the hem. Another option is to make the hem full needle rib which employs every needle on each bed rather than every other needle. More stitches equals more width. The tubular hem used here begins with 29 needles in use on each bed, using every needle. The needles are racked so that they will alternate. At a very small stitch size, knit one row across. A zigzag forms where the yarn is alternately picked up by needles from each bed. Hang the ribber comb and weights in this zigzag row. The zigzag row is knitted using normal stockinette settings. The chart above shows the stockinette settings for the most common machine families. Your individual machine may have a somewhat different name. Brother may also be badged as KnitKing. Silver Reed may also be Singer, Studio or Empisal. Superba may also be White or Phildar. The cast on continues with two plain rows that will lock the zigzags down so that they can’t unravel. It is best to rack back to the position where the needles oppose for these two rows. They should be knitted at as small a stitch size as the machine will allow. Set the machine to knit one direction on one bed and the opposite direction on the other bed. The chart shows the positions required for various machines to do this. For Silver Reed knitters, a chart is found on page 15 of the SRP50 manual. It gives more specifica instructions for Silver Reed knitters than will fit into the chart above. These two circular or tubular rows complete the basic cast on but some knitters routinely knit a third row at the same settings to bring the carriages back to the right. Others set both beds for normal knitting and rack so that the needles alterate again and knit a fourth row to complete the cast on. Tubular knitting continues at the same settings except for increasing to a stockinette-suitable stitch size. 5/5 was used for the sample. Usually, Passap and Superba machines will have matching stitch sizes [or very close to matching] on both beds to get fabric that is the same gauge. This may not be true of Japanese main bed/ribber combinations. Often the correct size on the ribber dial will be up to two whole numbers smaller than that on the main bed dial in order to get matching fabrics on both beds. Since this is a two sided hem, matching fabrics are definitely needed. You can experiment ahead of time to get perfectly matched fabrics. Knit a few inches of tubular fabric, periodically placing yarn markers between the beds on each side of the work and tweaking the stitch sizes. Make note of the stitch sizes on both dials as you work. Remove the swatch from the machine and flatten the tube with the yarn markers at the edges where the fabric folds. The area where the two layers align most perfectly indicates the best stitch sizes. Record this information for future reference because the interval between the two stitch sizes will be quite consistent. Finish the hem by knitting at least 10 tubular rows. This is the minimum length that tends to lay flat and avoid flipping up. I often use this little hem for doll and baby items. For adult garments at least double that length is recommended. After the tubular hem, for stockinette projects, transfer all stitches to the main bed. For double bed projects, transfer to the needle configuration required by the stitch.  

The sample pictured is a double bed seersucker fabric, Instructions are in another article on this website.