Knitting on circular needles

[Doodlekitty]

Been on all night and I just can't do it! I only want to make a hat! Can anyone explain it, please?!

[BlueChampagne]

Have you tried a youtube (or similar) tutorial?

[MoaningMingeWhingesAgain]

Tutorial is good idea.

First of all - is this an adult hat? You will want to make one on a 40cm needle.

Cast on your stitches, make sure they are all the same way up, then start knitting the first cast on stitch to join it to the last cast on stitch. It will seem easier after a couple of rounds.

[Dutchoma]

I am not much good a magic looping, so if there are not enough stitches to go round even a small circular I cheat, cast on two more stitches than it says on the pattern and do it on straight needles. Then make a neat little seam up the side after casting of or, more likely threading the last few stitches with a needle and then make a little seam with the same thread.

[BlueChampagne]

Between casting on and starting to knit, make sure it doesn't get twisted.

[fossil971]

I typed a long answer ,but could you give a bit more detail as to the problem?

I'll paste it in anyway but don't wade through if your problem was something completely different

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Are you knitting it flat (to sew up) or in the round (like a tube)?

If you are knitting flat then just knit back and forth - I use circular needles for a lot of my flat knitting too. see here

If you are trying to knit a seamless tube in the round, could the needle be too long? It needs to be shorter than the final knitting. I'm knitting a hat in the round on a 40cm circular needle - I've needed to slightly adjust how I hold the needle because the "ends" are so tiny but it's going OK. as seen here.

If the top of your hat decreases to very small you will have to go down to double pointed needles. as here

Knitting with 2 circular needles (half stitches on each) is not too hard if you have two circs the same size. The dangly ends of the needle not in use tend to annoy me though! shown in action on a teacosy