Socks: 4 or 5 needles...preference?

General Knitting
1

Just curious about something…

I’ve been knitting socks for years, I’ve knit countless pairs, always on sets of 4 dpns. Right now, I’m knitting socks on a set of 5 needles, and it’s driving me crazy! I didn’t expect there to be much difference, but I seem to be unable to control more than 4 needles! They jab and poke and are constantly in my way. :gah: I’m about half done with the foot, and I think I may switch to a set of 4 dpns for the second sock…if I decide to continue this pattern, which I’m really not enjoying (Embossed Leaves, by Mona Schmidt). (This pattern is full of weirdness, in my opinion, and I’ve had to make lots of personal adjustments.)
So, I was wondering if anyone else has a preference for a specific number of dpns when sock-knitting?

2

I prefer to do them magic loop, but I have done them with DPNs and I prefer 4 needles (3 to hold stitches, 1 to knit).

3

When I’ve used DPNs on socks, I had 3 to hold the stitches and the working needle. I much prefer circs and magic loop, 2 @ time.

4

I, too, prefer 4 needles total when I use dpns. But, now that I’ve learned Magic Loop, I rarely use dpns.

5

I’ve knit exactly ONE pair of socks, and I used 4 needles, but I guess I’m going to have to learn Magic Loop. That really seems to be the overwhelmingly favorite method. The first three attempts were a disaster, but now that some one (SalmonMaC? Jan in CA?) said to remember to keep yarn coming off the right needle, I think I might give it another try.

6

I’m clumsy enough with 2 needles. The thought of 4 or more is terrifying. Time to learn Magic Loop I guess :slight_smile:

7

Definitely a four dpns fan here. I knitted a hat with five needles and like you said, it was a totally different animal!

8

Thanks for all the replies, everyone. I have not tried the Magic Loop method…sounds intriguing. Is it difficult to learn?

9

No, it’s not difficult. Once you wrap your head around what you need to do it’s no problem. Learning on something larger than a sock is preferable. A hat is a good project. What’s nice about ML is you can start and finish on the same needles and have no seams.

10

Magic Loop is super easy and once you do a pair you will be addicted and then you can learn to do Magic Loop 2 at a time !! Never again will your socks end up 2 different sizes…or am I the only one that had that problem (repeatedly)?

When using DPN’s I learned with 5

11

My first pair of knitted socks risked being different sizes, ever after it’s been 2 @ time for me. I’ve even done sweater sleeves 2 @ time for the same reason, and mittens, and anything else I need 2 of that matches whether it’s flat or in the round. A mistake on one piece is a big, ugly, glaring eyesore, the same mistake on matching pieces is a design element. :wink: