I’m looking for a project to help me learn to use circular needles to knit a hat, but all of the patterns I have found require switching to double pointed needles at some point. I have none, and would like to learn one new thing at a time. I’ve never knit in the round before, so that’s the new technique of the day, so to speak… Any ideas or input? If it helps, I have size 10, 29" circular needles, and plan to use worsted yarn for this project.
The methods for knitting a hat in the round are…
A 16" circular needle and DPN of the same needle size. Two circular needles of the same needle size or magic loop with one long circular.
29" is really too short for traditional magic loop, but you may be able to do single loop although it’s still a bit short. I usually use a 40" for regular magic loop myself. Look up single loop knitting in the round.
Also 29" would be much too long for use on a hat even if you have DPN.
I knit everything on circulars. You may want to invest in interchangeable needles and some extra cables.
Agree with Jan. You aren’t going to really be able to do a hat on a 29" circular. Especially if you’re doing this to [I]learn[/I] to knit in the round.
I’d suggest considering a cowl instead. (Poked around and found this one - http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/autopilot - that is made with worsted and calls for size 10 needles.) It would allow you to do the in-the-round bit to learn it without any decreasing, for which you would need either a longer circular or dpns. Then you could save the hat for when you’re ready to learn decreasing as a technique.
Actually you can use a 29 inch circular needle to knit a hat if you learn to use a Traveling Loop https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyd0BkKC8tU
You will still probably have to go to either two circs or magic loop for the final few rounds however.