OK…I’m ready to take the plunge and start knitting socks. I have tried DPNs and would rather not deal with these if I can create all the lovely socks I see on this site another way. I have seen (at Stitches) tiny circular needles for knitting socks, but cannot seem to
find them on the Net. Does anyone know what I saw or am I imagining these little circular needles?
Hiya Hiya make 9, 11 and 12 inch circular needles. I’m using a set of 9 inch size 2.5mm on a pair of socks now. For my size 13 feet I use the 11 inch. In fact since I tend to do knee high kilt hose I use a 11 on the foot the move to a 12 as I start the leg then to a 16 inch to finish off. With the single circular there are no ladders since you never move from one needle to another and you save time by never having to side the needles back and forth in to position.
I do knit in a 16 inch needle when it comes to the heel (toe up) and then go back to a single needle.
A lot of people don’t like knitting with the tiny circs. If you find you don’t like them you can always do magic loop or use two circs. I prefer two circs myself.
Jan, Did you teach yourself the 2 circ method? Did you already know how to make socks? I was excited to hear about the tiny circs on this thread–are they so small that it gets awkward??? What would you suggest using to learn socks?
Pam
The needles are very short to accommodate the cable so they can be awkward to hold. Some people have said they make their hands hurt. You may be fine though if you want to try.
I actually took a class, but there are lots of patterns for that now. There are videos here at the top of the page. I think that’s under advanced techniques, but not sure off the top of my head.
Many of us learn on this tutorial, but she has a toe up for two circs. It’s an excellent tutorial with great photos if you want to learn toe ups.
http://www.cometosilver.com/socks/
There are tons of patterns, but not as many tutorials that are good. See if any of these help. And do check your LYS to see if someone is giving a class.
http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-knitting-socks-with-two-circular-needles/
I don’t care for those short needles; I can barely stand 16" ones.
I used this site to learn socks w/2 circs:
http://www.socknitters.com/2circs/index.htm
if you google “knitting socks with 2 circular needles” you’ll find some more. I think there is a video right here, too.
And there is Magic loop, too - using one long needle. http://www.cometosilver.com/socks/
I use the HiyaHiya 9" circulars and I love them. I have no problem holding them or having hand cramps. I knit socks a lot faster with them too. I’ve never tried two circulars. But I don’t like DPNs. I was using magic loop until I tried the 9".
I say try them. The only way to know which method suits you best is to try them all and compare. Everyone is different and what works for one may not work for another, and what one person loves another will hate.
Here are some links of different brands of needles. I can’t vouch for the websites as I’ve not ordered from them, but you can see that they are available online and get an idea of what’s out there and prices. You can always see if your LYS can order them for you.
KA Bamboo 9" scroll down
Thank you for the links. I am going to order a set to try. I love that you feel you knit faster with these. Wish me luck!
I haven’t tried using small circs but I do make socks on two different lengths of circular needles. I finished a pair and and almost finished with the second pair in between other projects. I used Antje Gillingham’s book to learn how to do both at the same time. I did take a class for the first pair and was doing one then I put both up so they would be finished together. No second sock syndrome.
Here is what two socks on two circulars look like when I was making them and they are finished:
I was just looking at the Hiya Hiya 9"circs a coupel of days ago. Thanks Lieuvena for the other links. I am thinking I’m ready for the plung into sockworld, too. THe other night at my knitting group a fellow knitter pulled out her sock on Hiya Hiya needles. She loves them.
Knit on :knitting: :knitting: :knitting:
I really do love them. They make sock knitting so much easier for me. If you try them I say start with a fairly basic sock, just to get used to them. The small size made casting on a bit awkward at first, but now I have no problem with it. I did have to learn to hold them with just a couple of fingers as opposed to my whole hand as well. But after an hour or so of playing with them, it was no problem either. For me if I cast on less than 66 stitches or so, the first few rounds seem a bit difficult, but after a few rounds of ribbing, once again, no problems.
When you get to the heel, what I do is knit the heel flap and turn the heel on DPNs, then pick up the gusset stitches with DPNs, all the while leaving the rest of the stitches on the circ. I will knit the next round after the stitches are picked up all back on to another circ. If you only have 1 circ. then you can transfer the other stitches onto a DPN as well and then knit them back onto the 9". I’ll just use stitch markers to help me remember where to decrease. I can knit the whole sock except the heel flap and turn and the very end of the toe with the 9".
Hope that helps! Good luck with them!
The only time I don’t have both socks on the needles at the same time is when I pick up the gusset stitches. I pick up the sts for one sock and then put them on a holder after doing a round. Next pick up the sts for the other sock and knit a round and then put the other sock of the holder and back on the circs together. It is basically what Antje Gillingham says to do.
I got an email today from Webs and they are carrying the 9 inch circs now too
Those are Clover bamboo needles and they cost more that the Hiya Hiya metal 9" circs ($7.50) I looked at while visiting my LYS.
Hi there pm’d you:hug: