I’ve never tried it before (DPNs), but it seems to be easier…
What do you think?
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If possible, I always go for circulars. I hate dpns, unless I use them just to finish up a hat or something.
It depends I guess. I love my DPNs for sock knitting, although I haven’t tried magic loop or two circs, but I like circs for hats and garments.
I use circular or ML to get a base going but after that I’d rather switch to DPNs if the item fits.
I’m with Knitgal, love the DPNs…then I switch to circulars if the piece is large enough. It takes getting past the “Unruly Hedgehog” stage and somehow your hands and the needles become friends and it works out.
For small thinks I like DPN’s. I’ve tried magic loop a couple of times and just don’t like it.
For larger garments like a sweater body or a hat I use a circular. On a hat I move it on to DPN’s when necessary.
I’ve never liked double points, and managed to escape them forever the day I discovered magic loop.
I like DPNs for small things, too~sleeves, fingerless gloves, socks (the very few I’ve done) and circs for larger items, such as hats and sweaters and bags.
I’m trying to learn magic loop for socks (2 at a time) but haven’t quite managed it yet. 
I’m not giving up though!
I learned first with dpn’s then moved to magic loop and finally to
2 circs for small diameter knitting. I tend to grab 2 circs these days
because it’s the way I like best 
It’s also useful because I have
a 3 year old who likes to flop in my lap at any given time and dpn’s
are just to dangerous for that!
I would suggest learning all 3 methods and finding which one you
like best. I find it useful knowing them all though because at different
times with different projects I have found each one to be useful
Libbie
Hi
Think you hit the nail on the head there, Libbie.
I like Magic Loop for baby hats but preferred using two circs when I was finishing the rib of a cardigan, with the sleeve knitted top down.
DPNs are great for eliminating any ladders because it’s so easy to rotate the stitches but I can knit faster with 'Loop and two circs.
My black lab and three cats definitely prefer Magic Loop (can’t imagine why:teehee:)
Best Wishes
Ellie
Definitely circs!! Haven’t used dbl pts in years.
Yeah. . . the first fe rows on DPNs aren’t fun, but then it gets going and I love them. I have a set of circs and everytime I start a project with them, I end up frogging it because I just get these big, loose, loopy sts. I hate circs. I don’t know why I can’t seem to get a good tension with them. It really is a bummer.
I have a set of circs and everytime I start a project with them, I end up frogging it because I just get these big, loose, loopy sts. I hate circs. I don’t know why I can’t seem to get a good tension with them.
That’s why I don’t like circular needles: loose stitches (I end up frogging my project too).
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If you mean the loose sts on the cord, there’s nothing wrong with that and it doesn’t affect your gauge. The cord is smaller than the needles on purpose so the stitches slide easily and you can fit more on than straight needles. It’s the needle tips that control the size of the stitch and has nothing to do with the sts on the cord.
The cord is smaller than the needles on purpose so the stitches slide easily and you can fit more on than straight needles.
Yes, I know :). I think I get loose stitches because the circular needle is too long (27’') to knit a hat. So it’s hard to reach the point of the needle.
By the way, I just started a project (hat). I’m using DPNs and I like it. But, I should give circular needles a chance.
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Depends on what I’m knitting. I prefer DPNs for socks, maybe because they’re what I learned on. I prefer magic loop for anything else it’ll work for. I’m actually doing my first large diameter circular project right now, a seed stitch bag. I’m flying through it-just going round and round w/ no rows makes it go by really quickly.
It’s important to use the right tool for the project. If you try to use a screwdriver to hammer in a nail, you’ll find it very frustrating, but you wouldn’t say, “I don’t like screwdrivers!”
In knitting, trying to force the wrong needle to work in a project is just as frustrating.
Hats are normally worked on 16", so you are having to stretch your stitches out over 11 extra inches!! Of course that’s going to be frustrating!!
So…before you make the final decision on whether or not you like circulars in general, do try a project or two on the proper size and see what you think. 
I also love DPN’s for small projects but the circular needles are better for larger projects. Haven’t tried ML or two circs. :knitting:
As Lisa R says, you need one that’s the correct size OR you can use magic loop if the needle is longer than the item you want to knit. Hats are usually about 20-24" so of course 27" is too long. I use 24" to knit hats, but have to sort of ML it until I get a couple inches on the needle, then it works fine until I get to the top where I need to ML again.
I realize the cable is smaller than the needles so the sts will be loose on the cable, and I am using the right length, but when I am stitching, even on the needles portion, they are just super loose. I am not giving up though. I just need to have patience and get through a few rows and see how it comes out. I’ll get there I guess.
I did with DPNs. I used to avoid patterns with them and now I’m using them all the time.