how on earth you knit with these??!!!. In order to address my aversion to circular needles I bought some 9" long as per the pattern instruction for socks. It was impossible to cast on with them but I got round it by using straight needles the same size and transferring the stitches. However, I then couldn’t knit with them either, just doesn’t work as there’s not enough of the cable between the needles for adequate manoeuvre iyswim. The cable would have to be much longer and/or the needles much shorter. They sell a lot of these on Amazon and eBay so I think it’s probably me 
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Circular needles, anyone know....
It looks like flexible double point needles for knitting in the round, socks for example. I have one set, they come in a set of three. Two are used 1/2 and 1/2 the circumference of sock and the third is your working needle. I did like them for the fact they were better for keeping them in place especially if you’re out somewhere using time to knit and you’re not fussing with three or four dpn. Also called flexi flip, I think those are from Addi. I think my brand was Hiya. I don’t knit a lot of socks but I’ve done maybe half dozen pairs and I used these on one or two pair but it’s been awhile. Hope that helps. Oh just check out some videos on how to use. There’s a very basic overview from Very Pink Knits.
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Many thanks for this…I thought there had to be an explanation! I did see sets of three advertised but went for this on it’s own as it appeared to be the right length. I’ll check out the videos as you suggest, to find out how to use them
I don’t think you’ll have any luck using this alone.
What exactly did your pattern say for the needles needed?
What you need to know is what size needle you need, not length for these type knitting needles. Now a regular circular needle will tell both, size and length.
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A usable 9" circ will have much shorter tips. I’ve never tried the really short circs because even on a 16" circ the tips are too short for me to use. They make my hands hurt because I have to grip the tips with my fingers. Longer tips don’t require gripping as they can simply rest in my hands. I do small diameter knitting on one long circ, magic loop. I even do socks or other tubular things two at a time on one circ. You can also knit in the round using two circs. DPN are favored by many but not me.
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I agree that that looks like a single Flexi-flip, which could work for socks, but you’d need the other two.
As you already figured out, the needles are too long and the cable too short to use as circulars. 9" circulars have very short needles (1-1/2"), and a 5 or 6" cord.
This is a really good demo and review of some brands:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xDq6K5wWTk&ab_channel=VeryPinkKnits
If you don’t like circs in general, this may not be the project for you to try to get used to them.
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Thank you to all for the extremely helpful replies…looks like I will have to make further purchases! This is what the pattern specifies:
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Oh no!
Maybe single needles of this style are used for some other purpose. Or perhaps these are supposed to be a replacement for losing one from a set of three.
It’s so easy to accidentally buy the wrong thing online or even in a shop. I’ve done it so many times, but usually you can pass things on or sell them, depending on the size of the boo-boo.
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I agree. That was my thought, that it was being sold as a replacement for one missing from a set. Interesting the result of this post to me, was got me to thinking I hadn’t seen my set recently. So it sent me on a treasure hunt looking for them. Was actually in the first place I looked but didn’t recognize it, so I looked other places and found all kinds of interesting things before I located them where I initially looked. So thanks for that.
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Here is a video which shows a “normal” 9 inch circular for sock knitting, see 2 mins in at the materials section.
I’m not recommending this particular brand just using this as an example so you can see what you’d be aiming for.
Personally I still wouldn’t be able to knit with it, I can’t do small circumference knitting, that’s just me, we’re all different. I would find this actually impossible.
Th other options in your pattern DPNs or double pointed needles come in a set of 5; magic loop needs a long cable on the circular needle, there is an example of this in the same video. In this tutorial which I picked at random she mentions needing a second needle to finish her sock as she wasn’t able to complete on the 9 inch. You might bare in mind that this is from someone more experienced if you’ve never used a circular before you might still need more than just the single circular to complete a project.
I hope you manage to get what you need so you can try out your sock project. It might be the perfect thing to start you on sock addiction… or if you’re like me you will vow never to make socks. Either way you will have learned a great deal.
Clearly I can’t help with socks but lots of people here can so do post if you get stuck. I’ll look forward to seeing your progress.
Interesting that it is possible to knit them with 9" needles…just not my ones! As you and GrumpyGramma say it does look pretty fiddly though and probably also not suited to DK, which my pattern is of course. The magic loop looks good (not come across these before) but I think I’d have to stop and start the video quite a few times before I got the hang of it. 
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Nothing wrong with starting and stopping videos…it’s part of what makes them a great way to learn new techniques! Videos are endlessly patient with go-backs and re-dos. They never scold you, or make that “huff” noise as you frog yet again.
But it can be good to look at more than one. Everyone learns differently, and maybe one teacher’s wording isn’t exactly what you need. I often like Norman’s tutorials, because many are text and photos, which I often find easier to follow than a video:
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Unfortunately yours isn’t a circular needle even if it was sold as such (and if it was labelled or described as a circular needle you have a reason to request a refund). As others have said yours is a flexible double pointed needle, not a circular needle.
I’d return it for a refund if possible.
I’d go with magic loop for experimenting with smaller circumference knitting because with a longer cable you also have the option of using it for something else (maybe a cowl or a top) as another experiment nd learning experience.
Pause is very handy for tutorials. The slow motion setting is alo great, go into settings and reduce the speed to something comfortable.
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That’s what I did when I decided I had to learn magic loop. Stop-back up-play and repeat endlessly or so it seemed.
ETA If you’re stuck with one seemingly useless needle you might use it other ways. I’ve read that they’re great stitch holders. If your do a really huge cable with lots and lots of stitches it could be used as a cable needle. I’ve seen photos with extremely wide cables.
The magic loop it is then! (thanks ColoCro for the tutorial). I’ve just checked the listing for the needle and it does say circular needles but you have the option to order more than one (so I probably won’t try and return it as not one of my more expensive mistakes!). As you say it might come in handy at some point. Thanks again to all…I have learnt SO much on this site 
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Yes Very Pink Knits has great tutorial on them plus many sock tutorials. Great resource for knitting
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I recently decided I wanted to make my first pair of socks. I bought some tiny short little needles on Amazon, and was horrified when I first tried to use them. It seemed ridiculous! I thought it was just simply not possible to use something like that. I was really upset for wasting my money. But then I realized that lots of people use these, and like them, so it must be possible. I realized I needed to change my grip completely. Instead of putting four fingers (plus a thumb) on the needles I could only put two fingers (and a thumb) on the needles. It took a little bit of practice, but then I liked it a lot. Certainly way more than using four or five straight needles. And more than magic loop which has you moving things around all the time. I got used to it and made a nice pair of socks. It’s nice that you just go round and round quickly without stopping. And no weird ladders. I will use them on the next pair of socks. I actually bought two sets… A metal set and a wooden set. The wooden set I didn’t like it all. They felt like they could break very easily, and the wooden portion feels like a toothpick. The metal ones were much better. I strongly preferred the: ChiaoGoo 9-Inch Red Line Circular Knitting Needles, 1.5/2.5mm. I did not like the Knitters Pride wooden ones. I believe they were both about the same price. I will never use the wooden ones
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I’m hearing you! I bought a pair of circular needles, at suggestion of wool shop employee. Honestly, I have never been so frustrated knitting, so, back to my dear old Mum’s collection of straight steel needles.
cheers Glenda
I agree with Knittingigi, these are part of a set of three - two will be holding the work and the third used to knit the next half round. Hope this helps. I only EVER use circular needles for all knitting as they so adaptable. Jenny