I’ve only ever made basic scarves using regular knitting needles.
I started to attempt to make an afghan (no pattern) and I just didn’t have enough room on my needles so I went out and bought circular needles.
Do you use them the same way? How do you avoid the stitches getting smaller as you move them down from the needles to the cord?
Thank you!!
You can use circular needles to make a tube of knitting, and that is a little different but not hard to learn. It sounds like you just want to use it for holding a lot of stitches and working back and forth. That is not different at all. Treat each end of the needle as you would a straight needle. When you get to the end of the row exchange the needle tips in your hands so that you are ready to begin the next row.
You don’t have to worry about the stitches getting smaller as they move to the cord. They were sized by the big part of the needle as they were knit and they are just resting on the cord until you are ready to work them again. That is a non-issue. Just knit on them and don’t give it any thought.
One issue might be super tight knitting that is hard to move from the cord, back to the thicker part of the needle. That would be the only problem you might have.
Yes, the needles don’t change size as they move to the thinner cord. Unless you knit very tightly which stretches the yarn when they’re around the needle ends and then the sts relax when they go onto the cord and so they might be tight when you push them back to the other end. But you may not have a problem with that.
You knit a row then switch the ends just as if they were 2 separate needles to knit back the next row.
I do all my knitting on circulars now. I can knit a lot faster on them than straight needles, and they’re easier on my hands.
I don’t knit on straight either… good luck hope you afghan goes well and post pics when you are done.
DITTO!!!
I haven’t used straights in a long time now. I use circs for all my knitting except sock knitting, for which I use DPN’s. I find that you can knit faster and easier with circs, they don’t take up as much room, when knitting or when storing your knitting. It is more comfortable to knit in the car with circs. It is easier on your wrists to use circs because the weight of the knitting is in your lap not being held up by your wrists. I think you’ll like them. You use them just as if they were straights; knit, turn, purl, etc.
If you decide you like circs, you may even want to look into getting a set of interchangables.
Good luck with your afghan!
Like everyone else, I only use circulars now. It’s a lot less stress on your hands when you have a big project going. Don’t worry about the stitch size going smaller unless you knit very tightly.
It won’t make the stitches in the middle get smaller [same as when you knit round with a circular needle.
I just got the Denise Interchangables Circular Needle set, so I’ve only been knitting with those [I love the plastic needle tips and the cord is very flexible and light, very comfortable knitting]–even for straight knitting.
You do the same as you would, except the right needle is attached. When you get to the end of a row, just turn as you usually would.
Another advantage of circulars is that you’re not constantly retrieving one needle from the floor. 
I don’t think stitches get dropped as easily as on straight needles either.
Great, thank you sooooo much everyone!! If it doesn’t come out too horribly (or maybe even if it does) I will post the pics.!! Thanks again!!