Hi,
I was looking at more patterns for vests and found this one: Cable Moss Vest
I want to knit the vest on straight needles, but I can’t tell what needles I’m supposed to use for this. The description says:
[I][B]Needles:[/B] US 5, Straight, 16” and 24” circular; US 7 straight—or sizes to obtain gauge.
[/I]Thanks! I never thought it would be so hard to find a v-neck cardigan vest pattern for straight needles online!
What needles?
the most important instructions come last (in red!)
[I][B]Needles:[/B] US 5, Straight, 16” and 24” circular; US 7 straight—[COLOR=Red][B]or sizes to obtain gauge.
[/B][/COLOR][/I][COLOR=Red][COLOR=Black]Basicly, you need 2 sizes of needles, [B]US size 5[/B] and [B]US size 7[/B] (or smaller or larger needles in order to get correct gauge)
they suggest that you have both [B]straight[/B] and [B]circ’s[/B].
but its not clear why… you might be able to get by with only circ’s (since these can be used to knit flat or to knit in round)
but if the vest in knit in round, you might end up using the circ as a stitch holder (and the straights to knit up front)
If the vest is knit flat, you might end up needing the circs to finish the V neck of vest (but if that is so, you’d likely only need the smaller sized needles (for the ribbing)
I PRESUME the vest has ribbed details (like ribbing at hem, armholes and neck) and ribbing always looks better knit tighter. so body of the vest (in stocking knit or some pattern) is knit on the larger needles, the rib detail will be knit on the smaller.
[/COLOR][/COLOR]
of troy,
Thank you so much for your answer. I know I am going to have to break down and learn to knit on circular needles eventually, but I am still surprised at the lack of patterns in classic styles that call for straight needles. If I could knit in the round I’d have ten appropriate patterns by now.
I am still most interested in knitting Penny Straker’s Whit Vest for my MIL but haven’t heard back from the seller on whether or not it’s knit flat or in the round.
Knitting in the round isn’t hard, especially when you are knitting something big like a vest or sweater…
And there’s a video to help you and everyone here is such a great help, I’m sure you can do it!
Since it’s a vest that buttons up the front - you aren’t actually knitting in the round. You will probably have all the left front, back, and right front stitches on the circular needle, but you’ll still be knitting across the row, turning and knitting back, just like when you use straight needles. You just need circular needes to hold so many stitches.
I do have some size 10.5 circular needles I purchased in order to make a booga bag, but never got the right yarn, and then got sidetracked with Christmas knitting. Everyone who uses this method certainly seems to prefer it. And that’s the truth about this site!! :cheering:
I see! That’s quite different than what I was imagining. Some of the patterns I liked involved “knitting in one piece to the armholes” and then “dividing for armholes” or else involved steeking the armholes…I don’t know how to do those things and didn’t want to practice on a present, which this vest is going to be. Thank you for this information! There’s always something new to learn in knitting. I’m just sorry I started so late because I’d like to learn everything! 
KNitting in the round is hard for 1 row. the cast on row!
but if you learn to knit in round by picking up stitches at an armhole or neck edge, and then knit a finish on these edges… you’ll hit yourself in the head (like the v8 commercial!) and say 'what was i afraid of?"
Knitting in the round from the get go… (cast on) can be a bit tricky… you have to make sure your cast on row is straight (not twisted)
one “work around” is to cast on 1 extra stitch, and to knit 1 or 2 (or all the ribbing!) to make a base (that can be clearly seen!) then to join by knitting the last stitch togeher with first stitch, and later sewing up the small seam (the extra stitch is the seam allowance for this small seam!)
the actual knitting is the same… (it sounds like its different… but it won’t feel that way!)
But–NOTE: many many knitters (me included) knit to a different gauge on circ’s.
many knitters PURL looser than they KNIT and with out purls (and only knits) the tension/gauge is tighter.
Its less noticiable on ribbing or in a stitch pattern but it can be very noticable on stocking knit!
when you decide to learn to knit in round, don’t forget to take an scrap ball of yarn and knit in round, then divide work and knit with straigths and see if your gauge changes!
True enough. Which is why I’ve started doing gauge swatches for circular knitting the way that’s described here – doing a flat swatch but always knitting the same direction. (Kind of like i-cord, only without pulling it tight, so there are loops of yarn in the back leading from where you end one row and where you begin the next.)