Why am I changing needles in this pattern?

General Knitting
1

http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/na_knitting/article/0,2025,DIY_14141_3478784,00.html

For this shrug, it’s telling me to change needles after I have 8 inches until I have 23 inches and then change back to do another 8. Why, for a shrug?

I should say that I’ve changed the needle size, because of my gauge. I’ve only got 2 pairs of circs (still knitting flat), so I’m using size 8s and because I got 3sts/inch I’m casting on 48 sts instead of what the pattern calls for.

How necessary is it to change the needle size, do you think?

Thx,
dEEdE

2

Since it’s listed as a beginner pattern, they probably have you change your needles to increase the size of that part rather than deal with increases and decreases. Maybe you could increase a few stitches for that middle section and then decrease after it.

3

Ahhh that figures.

4

I made this shrug. When you change the needles, it widens the back part of the shrug and kind of defines the sleeves for easier stitching. You seam up the 8 inches on both sides. The shrug pic is on my blog.