Question for knitters

[Rachels]

I'm new at the knitting thing, but I LIKE it! I want to try making a simple rolled-brim hat for Abigail. I can figure out from my books how to knit in the round on circular needles, but the double-pointed idea leaves me confused. Can I knit a whole baby hat on circular needles, or will I have to get a knitting lesson and switch to dps once I start the decrease?

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

[egoldber]

Personally, I love circular needles and use them for almost everything. (They are SO convenient for the car!) So with a hat, I usually start with 16" circulars and then change to dpns only when I have to.

It is very easy to switch. Just knit from the circular needle to the dpn, using a new needle every few stitches so that you get an (approximately) equal number of stitches on each needle. It sounds hard, but it is straightforward once you do it. But I find dpns to be a pain compared to circulars.

HTH,

[Dcclerk]

I'm still a relatively new knitter but have made a ton of hats. (Everyone in my family got one last Christmas and it's a big family:) ) I always use circular needles for the entire thing, and don't tend to knit in the round. When I have, the whole thing got a slant to it (I'm sure because I'm not very good). I just knit as if I have the regular needles and then sew up a seam in the back. It ends up looking really good as long as you use a ladder stitch.

By the way, I always go into the knitting store and ask questions. Honestly, people hang out for hours on end at the one I go to. Sure it is overpriced (Kate Hudson and Goldie Hawn are frequent shoppers) but the wealth of experience of the owners and others make it so that formal lessons are unnecessary.

Good luck!

[tiffany04]

I second Beth's love of circulars -- they're great for knitting "flat" too, since you don't need to worry as much about losing stitches if you put your work down for a while. Plus there is one less needle to lose.

Once you get started you'll find that it is less complicated than it seems. If you do go into a local shop for help you might want to make sure that you stop in at a time when they're not too busy with other customers.

good luck!

[christic]

I share everyone's frustration with dpn's! I'm working on a circular yoke sweater for my daughter now, and the sleeves were on dpn and the body on a circular. I just found it very awkward to hold the dpn or something, and they seemed looser than I thought they should be. But now sleeves and body are all on one big circular and I'm happier and starting the second color tonight--which I've never done before.

The hardest part with dpn is getting started without twisting stitches and getting the stitches divided up after you cast on. So starting with circular and then switching to dpn as Beth suggests would be much easier than working the whole hat on dpn and wouldn't require lessons at all.

Good luck!