Lots of Beginners Questions :)

#1

Ok, I’m very new to the knitting world, and have started some basic stuff like scarves, but I found a pattern that I was told was easy (suuuure it is! lol beginning to think i’m in over my head already) but I’m having difficulty starting it.

It’s a cupcake hat for my daughter, and the pattern calls for size 15 needles (double pointed) but I am having a very hard time finding needles of that size that are double pointed. I originally bought a circular needle thinking I could do it that way but it stretched the stiches too far and it just wasn’t working out. So, my question is do I have to use double pointed or does the circular needle work and perhaps i just had the wrong length (only calls for 40 stitches to cast on with)? If I do need to use double pointed needles what length do they need to be?

Sorry for all of the questions-the people I’ve been learning are also semi new to knitting as well so we’re kind of like the blind leading the blind! :slight_smile: Any help/tips would be much appreciated. Thanks!

#2

The circular can work if you use the Magic or single loop techniques which pull a bit of the cord out between sts, which effectively shortens it. ML is for longer needles and there’s a video on the Advanced Techiques page, single loop is found here. 40 sts on that size needles sounds about right if you have bulky yarn.

#3

Ok so knitting with a circular needle is different then your typical knitting with a straight needle? If that is the case for a begginer, which would method would you recommend doing? If double pointed is the way to go, do you have any ideas on where to find double pointed in that size?

Thanks so much for your help-and patience. I didn’t realize there was so much to knitting-different stitches, methods, tools, etc…

#4

NO, knitting with a circular needle is exactly the same as straights (the needle does the “work” on both types) it’s the “cable” that holds lots of stitches for a large project and a smaller circular would have the same effect (for less stitches) it’s the diameter of the “round” project to join in the round. That’s where DPNS would come in handy, because you can still knit in the round with the dpns holding your stitches…Make sense? and yes they do make dpns that size (well mine are vintage…) so you might have to do some checking…

#5

Technically circular knitting is exactly the same. Knitting is knitting. There are various methods to use them though. -

One circular needle can be used on hats if there are enough stitches to fit comfortably around the cable and needles. (if you do this you need to have another method though when you come to the decreases)

Two circular needles can be used with stitches on each cable and you knit one side then other.

One long circular needle can be used by using the magic loop method. If you use a short cable like a 24 you need to use the single loop as Sue posted.

There are tutorials in the video section. None of them are hard they’re just something new to learn. I prefer to use magic loop on hats and I prefer a long cable… at least 32 and preferably longer. I have interchangeable needles so I have what I need most of the time.

Look up double pointed needles on Google and you’ll find lots of them. I suggest you don’t buy super cheap ones though. They aren’t always good. I like the Clover ones or ones like the ones I linked to.
http://www.knitpicks.com/needles/Double_Pointed_Knitting_Needles__L300303.html
http://www.yarn.com/webs-knitting-needles-double-points/

#6

Thank you all for the help/suggestions/clarifications and links! I found a local shop that sells them so I’ll be stopping by soon to pick some up! :wink: