Proof of Concept…
So I mean yes, it does seem to be technically possible for me to knit with circular needles…
But I’m still finding it deeply, deeply awkward. But I still fail to have suitable long DPNs in this size, and I still do not want to knit a hat on short DPNs (I’ve done it, it’s pain). So I’m still pretending this will work.
Tell me it eventually feels less like wrestling with an angry squid?
And in case it doesn’t, lots of lovely folks recommended the needles from Indian Lake Artisans when I posted about this on instagram. They apparently make awesome needles and can do them in custom lengths. I’ve placed an order and you can expect a full report when they arrive!
Edited to add: Don’t worry folks, I totally am magic looping it when I’m actually knitting! I just have the stitches all slid together for pictures/trying on (trying hats on being one of the few places where I’ll grant that circs have the advantage). I’m not trying to knit with one hat spread out over the whole cable, I promise!
I think you might be using much larger needles than necessary. With circulars you want to err on the side of short for the project rather than long. I use both dpns and circulars often and from the looks of that picture you could go down smaller and thus you wont be wrangling your stitches you will be gently shushhing them around the circle……
I find using the Magic Loop technique very helpful. I knit exclusively on circular needles and have used magic loop on everything from socks to baby sweaters, hats, even baby sweater sleeves to work great. Once you get over the awkward joining row and knit about 2 rows, the rest is easy. Hope this helps.
If I have to use a shorter circ than is ideal, I don’t magic loop. I just grab the cable from between 2 stitches across from my needles and carefully yank out the excess cable so i’m basically left with a short circ that you’d normally use for a hat and periodically pause to yank the excess cable out in a different spot. If the cable is flexible, i sometimes just periodically yank out the right needle to shorten the cable instead.
It looks like you need a much shorter cable on your circs. Might I suggest a nice set of interchangeable needles so that every project can have a cable of the most comfortable length?
I’d agree with the shorter circulars suggestion, it took a lot of trial and error for me to be comfortable after learning Magic Loop. And…I love my Indian Lake jump needles! They were last year’s Christmas gift and I love the way they work, and feel.
I agree with the prior comments, it looks like your cable is too long. You either want a total circumference (including needle tips) that is a bit shorter that your item’s circumference or a much longer cable so you can use magic loop. I also find that short needle tips help when not using magic loop. My favorite needles are ChiaoGoo and I like to use the spin cables better thatn the red cables. The spin cables are thin and very soft and they spin at the join so they don’t get kinked. It’s fun watching your knitting grow. 🙂
Glad I read the other comments before making my own, because others appear to have already said what I was going to say. Your needles are much too long, and that is almost certainly the reason you feel you are wrestling. 🙂 Switch to needles that are about the same circumference (including the needles themselves) as the hat you are knitting and I suspect you’ll have more luck.
Indian Lake needles are awesome! I have the sock size and they are totally fabulous. I use circulars for hats at the 16″ length but am also learning to use a knitting belt so that feels awkward.
I also think there’s a bit of a learning curve with any new or uncommon-to-you method. When I break out the DPNs – I usually Magic Loop – I always spend a little while feeling like I’m going to poke myself in the eye.
I agree with the folks above. You need to use the right tools for the job. For a hat, which is what it appears that you are knitting, the cable should only be about 16 inches, looks like you have 32 or 40 there. If circulars are done right you just keep going around and around and around, no wrestling and none of the needle swapping, and dropping and hunting for dropped needle, that comes with DPNs.
Will be interesting to see the hat that the swatch turns into.
Another vote for a shorter cable! I enjoy both DPNs and circulars and have never used the magic loop method. A shorter cable will make your work easier. You might also enjoy having shorter needles with your shorter cable. It makes the smaller projects easier to manage.
That’s a lot of cable, and yes, it is like wrestling with an angry squid at the beginning! You’d be happier with a 16″ circular.
If you do get interchangeable needles, the cable for making a 16″ circular isn’t very satisfactory with the normal length tips (5″?). But the longer tips are more comfortable to knit with, so I wouldn’t go for shorter tips to use with all my cables. Instead, I just have a bunch of 16″ circulars in different sizes.
Good luck!
Another vote for the main problem being your far-too-long cable. Ideally you should have to scrunch the stiches together on the cable in order to expose the entire length of the needle tips (something I’d only do when setting the work aside or putting it into a project bag) and, while actually knitting, the stitches should be relaxed around the entire circumference of tips and cable so you can easily knit from tip to tip without any pushing/pulling to make progress. (when the cable is the correct, short-enough length then the stitches easily move themselves around the circle as you knit)
Normally I would have assumed you were using magic loop or similar method with such a long cable but the way your stitches appear to be overstretched along the cable says otherwise to my visual input.