Is this true?

#1

First off, merry christmas everybody!

Ok, so I went to the yarn shop here at my city and asked for double pointed needles. [I]Every[/I] time I go in there I do the same thing: ask for DPNs, look at the yarn, buy something. And every time they tell me they don’t have any DPNs (they do have circs, however). So, I decided to ask the shop owner herself to bring DPNs, since they are easier to use than circular needles (I find this to be true for me). What she responded was: “We don’t bring them because no one uses them; everyone prefers circular needles”.

Is this true? For me, DPNs are better. I find it to be harder to transfer stitches on a circular needle than on a double pointed one. Is DPN usage really disappearing?

#2

I use circular for everything. I can’t even remember the last time I used DPNs

#3

I think it really depends on your personal preference. I honestly just despise all small circular knitting… I’ve tried everything except the square dpns and nothing ‘feels’ good to me. That being said… time to go cast on a second gloves for my partner… sigh

(BTW all of the yarn shops in my area carry both circs and dpns… and there are a LOT of shops here, so I’m assuming people must still be using them ;o)

#4

I like DPN’s much better then circular. :cheering:

#5

I prefer DPNs for smaller things like socks! Like my circs, too but for larger project like sweater bodies.

#6

D: No DPNs? How does the world make sense to them???

I got myself a set online at eknittingneedles.com

I have a set of circular needles(boye needlemaster) but I only use those as straight needles(for large projects done flat and such) and as needle holders.

I also got myself that little nickel sock DPN set yesterday off of the knitpicks website(links aaaall over this site).That was my gift of preference from a gift card…along with about 13 balls of yarn >_> I don’t even remember how many.I kind of went on a spree. checks self into rehab

#7

I always get pissed off at DPNs because there is always that extra needle in the way. So I’m knitting, and I’m knitting, and then a stitch falls off one of the needles and I’m pissed.

#8

LOL totally understand!!!

#9

I am in this boat. I just started using DPNs a few months ago when I decided to tackle socks and stockings. I love them. However, I love my circular needles just as much when I am doing larger pieces like sweaters, etc.

I have to order most of my DPNs online, though. The local shops tend to carry the most popular sizes and anything smaller than a 5 or larger than an 8 is never in stock.

#10

I have a full set of wood DPNs but hardly ever use them, usually preferring circular needles…because two tips and a cable are easier to keep track of than five pins, they’re much harder to lose one of, because I probably won’t sit on one and break them, etc.

However, I’m glad to have them. For instance, I can make do for i-cord with things like a pair of tips if I have to, but much easier with DPNs.

I suppose I can understand a small LYS owner not wanting to bring in more stock, though – it gets very expensive, trying to have all the sizes in all the materials in all the companies, etc.

I do have to say, though: they’re tools, not a religion. Sometimes I wonder if people have forgotten! :wink:

#11

I use my DPNS for many things and can’t imagine not having them.

However, I can understand why a small shop might not want to stock them.

There are many sources on the internet for DPNS. I have purchased two complete sets on ebay; 5 inch and 7 inch (wood) for some ridiculously low price (I think they were $7.00 a set). Knit picks also sells them

So rather than trying to pressure your LYS to carry something they don’t want to just pick up a set on the internet.

#12

I LOVE DPN’s and only use circs when I have to. Since I’ve moved to the boonies, I now have to order everything online as the nearest lys is over two hours away.

#13

Craziest thing I’ve ever heard. In the past couple of years, Knitpicks came out with their Options lines and carry a full line of DPNs in both the Harmony and Nickel-plated lines. Also, Kollage has a new full line of metal square needles in DPNs, both 5" and 7" and some in 6", and they just added on some new in-between sizes in that line. That would be an interesting thing for a company to do if their popularity was diminishing. It may be that they are not being used as much in Ecquador, but a way to check that out would be to contact other shops in the country and see what they say.

If she is the only one, I would point that out to her and ask if she’d carry them. Just keep something in mind: The majority of LYS owners get into because they love knitting, not because they know a thing about running a business or customer service. There’s no “you can’t be crazy” rule about running an LYS and if she’s got some weird idea about DPNs, then, well, she’s got some weird idea about DPNs. I have been in dozens of yarn shops in the US, Canada, France and the UK, and never, ever seen one without DPNs. (Which I love using by the way!:slight_smile: )

#14

It is so a case of personal preferance. Personally, I haven’t used straight or dble pted needles in years. I also own many straight and dbl pts, and though I don’t use them I just can’t get rid of them either. You never know when they will come in handy.

Even if the shop doesn’t want to carry them, they should be willing to special order them for you.

There are unlimited on-line shops you can order them from.

#15

I do prefer circular needles for most things, but for very tiny things like the few stitches at the top of a hat or starting a project with like 9 stitches DPN are better at first.

#16

Actually, I use both interchangably. I love working socks on 2 circs, but also love using dpns. I have no trouble with them. Sometimes I think I knit faster on dpns, cuz the change from one circ to the other circ is a little fiddley.

#17

It would be a pain to make a 3 or 4 stitch I cord with circular needles!

#18

i use my dpn’s more frequently than my circs… i HATE making socks on 2 circs, actually i hate magic loop too or doing much of any knitting on circs…

#19

I like using 2 circs on sleeves, mainly because I can flip the sleeve back and forth rather than try to spin the whole sweater.

On smaller things, though, I usually reach for the dpns.

#20

I prefer DPN’s over 2 circs or magic loop. I use circs for large projects but DPNs for socks, mittens, etc.

Go on line and order some DPNs!