Hi all…this is my first post here. I am going to attempt a baby blanket…this is my first major project. The pattern says to cast on 135 stitches…the lady at AC Moore recommended I get circular needles for this project…but how do I use them? So confused…thanks.
Merged: New here....circular needles/Circular needles
You’d use them the same as you would two separate needles. When you finish knitting one row of 135, switch the needles in your hand and work another row in the opposite direction. 
Because there are so many stitches on your cast on, she probably recommended the circular needles for the length. Just knit across using one tip to knit into the other tip. Then turn the whole thing around to knit back the other way. You’ll have to slide your work from one end of the needle to the other to get at the first stitch of the next row.
The main purpose of circs is to knit things round and round, but I don’t think this is the case here.
And welcome! 
LOL…ok…but when the little part of the needle gets too many stitches…do I pust them onto the plastic wire part? They seem so huge sitting on there, I’m afraid they will get knotted or something? Am I being stupid…I know…but I just don’t want to mess this up! Thanks.
Yep…you got it. Just push the sts onto the wire (the cable) and keep on knitting. That’s what the cable is for and no worries, the sts won’t get tangled
Just let them slide down to the cable. They won’t get knotted and they’ll retain their shape.
If your cable is curled, put it in hot water for a few minutes to straighten it out.
BTW There is no stupid here. Just uninformed!!
yup just let them run down on to the wire. that’s what it is there for! and a real nice advantage of circs is no more digging around under the couch to find the needle when you drop it! i learned on circs and have never used straights (except for flex shafts!)…never will either!
ek–you and I are playing ‘Dueling Answers’–good thing we have the same answers, though, isn’t it!!
I agree … ever since I learned to use circs, I don’t like to use straights anymore. And I totally can’t wait to get my interchangeable set.
NO KIDDIN’! The “stupid” questions are the ones i know the answers to darn it!..lol Keep asking them…it makes me feel smart…lol
:rofling: :rofling: :rofling:
Aww…thanks for the quick replies ladies! I appreciate your help! I was going to try starting this now at my desk…but I’m not sure how that will go over, so I will wait til I get home tonight. If and when it starts to look like an actual blanket…I’ll post a picture
aah…spoken like a true knitter. to bad we don’t have anybody around here who does stealth knitting at their desk to help you out with that! :angelgrin:
:eyebrow: I used to do Stealth Knitting, but then office relocated and now I have no hidey-holes to hide my hands. Acutally, I am not SURROUNDED by windows - no hidey-holes at all!!! :verysad: So now I keep my knitting in my car so as not to wonder off into the land of temptation during the work day. Because honestly, I’m sure I’m along … I’D RATHER BE KNITTING!!! :lol:
OOooooOO … knitting peek’tures!!! :drooling:
I too am attempting to use circular needles for the first time to make a baby blanket. I had read the answer to the previously posted question about the circular needles and I think I understand that you cast on the required stiches (in my case 171) and then start knitting the first row and that end of the first row, you switch the needles in your hands. I am a left handed knitter but I start with the left needle and knit onto the right needle, then I would put the right needle (the one with all the stiches) in my left hand and start again. Are you flipping your work or does that not effect it. I really confuse myself by thinking about this. Please help my confused my brain!
PS - Thank you for the tip about straightening out the cable with the circular needles, I was thinking on letting it sit under a heavy book, but I like your idea better.
Hmm … you call yourself a “left handed knitter”, but it sounds like you knit just like I do and I’m right handed.
Once I cast on, I put that needle into my left hand and knit the sts onto my empty right hand needle. So for knitting the blanket on circs, there’s no flipping. Just simply switch the needles in your hand.
I hope that’s a little helpful :??