I’m knitting a cardigan and got to the section where I’m knitting the sleeves. The instructions are to knit them with double pointed needles. It’s the first time I’ve knitted with DPN’s and it’s all going very well apart from the section when I transfer from knit needle to another looks slightly different and it’s not completely seamless as I hoped it would be. I’ve got ask the stitches on three needles and using a forth one to knit onto. I’m not sure if when I use the fourth needle I’m transferring correctly as the tension with these sections is slightly looser. I hope you can help me,.
This is a common issue when using dpn’s. Try to avoid pulling too tight and obviously too loose where previous stitch worked is some distance away from new stitch. Try to have previous needle lie across the new working needle sort of making an “x”, keeps things close together but also helps stabilize all these needles. Still might have a bit of a ladder but will probably even out after the item is washed and/or blocked. There are a lot of videos out there on preventing ladders. Despite this, periodically this has happened when I wasn’t paying attention and have had to tink back to correct but in the long run I am always happy I do that because it’s so obvious I suspect it would never ease into place.
You are knitting in the round? I ask because it’s not completely seamless as I hoped it would be makes me think you might be doing a seam. Assuming you’re knitting in the round, the usual reason for using dpn, are you familiar with other methods of knitting in the round and can avoid laddering (the loose stitch when you move from one needle to the next caused by excess yarn between stitches) with it? If so you can adapt and apply the same technique or you can change to that method. If not, as KnittinGigi already suggested, you can look for videos demonstrating how to avoid ladders. I could find one or more but what I think is helpful might not be for you. Some knitters move the stitches at the ends of the dpn from one needle to another to avoid the vertical line of ladders. I find paying attention to keeping needle tips as close together as possible and to tension at needle changes to be sure the first few stitches on the new needle are snugged to correct tension generally takes care of the problem. Sometimes using 4 needles holding the worked stitches instead of 3 will help solve the problem as this can allow keeping tips close together and needles in a line easier.
I’m still really struggling with this after following loads of instructions videos. After about 3 attempts and ripping out So I’m wanting to know if I could actually do this with circular needles instead so save me wasting more time! It’s a baby cardigan age 0-3 months. In total in the surround there are 36 stitches. Would I need a special type of size of circulars for this to work? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated
What is the name of your pattern?
You could try the 20cm needles although they are sometimes a strain on the hands and fingers. What will also work is to use 2 circular needles to knit a small circumference.
You might also take a look a flexi flip needles which are a little easier to knit with than dpns.
An alternative is to add a couple of stitches to the sleeve width and knit the sleeve flat, then seam it. This is easier with a cuff up sleeve than one that is knit from held stitches at the shoulders.
My thought was also the same. Current socks I’m working on, are toe up. I struggled with the Judy’s magic cast on with dpn’s. I must have started over 10 times and gave up and used flexi flip needles to do toe and then switched to the dpn’s. I normally use size 2 for my socks. I didn’t swatch. I think they are going to be a little loose but maybe will shrink a little or so I hope. Maybe 2nd sock I’ll use size 1. Probably not the best thing to do that but I don’t want to start over.
So I’m wanting to know if I could actually do this with circular needles instead so save me wasting more time! It’s a baby cardigan age 0-3 months. In total in the surround there are 36 stitches. Would I need a special type of size of circulars for this to work? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated 
