circular knitting - any advice for a newbie?

[florenceuk]

OK I completed my stripey fingerless gloves but they were knitted flat and my seaming was pretty bad, so I want to try another pair using circulars. Any views on dpns vs two circulars (which some on the net seem to rave about)? I'm currently using bamboo needles which are great as I'm a bit of a cack-handed knitter, should I look for bamboo dpns (or circulars)? I presume if I'm adapting my current pattern I just miss out the two stitches that would otherwise have been sewed into a seam?
Also has anybody ever looked at the Purl Bee blog - I like this cardy: cardy which is knitted on circulars so more reason to learn!

[viticella]

Gloves are quite a challenging first circular knit, how brave of you! You end up with about 5 stitches sliding around on each needle and it's never easy. I prefer twin circulars for larger in-the round projects like hats, and dpns for socks or smaller things. But you could go either way.

Some short, fine bamboo needles would be nice for glove fingers as they would be too light to fall out of the few stitches. I think Brittany do some 5 inch birch ones too.

Yes if you miss out the seam stitches you should get the right size.

Had not looked at that blog but I have the purl book (Last-minute knitted gifts) and it's really gorgeous.

[warthog]

my pearls of wisdom (probably more like plastic beads of wisdom ):

i would use two circulars and i've found addi to be the best.

when casting on, after you've assigned each needle their stitches and you're about to start knitting, swap over the first and the last stitch so that the join is smoother.

whenever you finish a needle and move onto the other side, make that first stitch very tight.

this video explains the technique: small diameter circular knitting, on two circular needles. i have used magic loop knitting but it's not my favourite...

[Pruni]

Message withdrawn

[Marina]

Respect to you all. Despite being a fast German knitter, circular knitting, gloves, socks - have never tried
Some good tips here!

[florenceuk]

thanks for the tips! Maybe I should try a hat first, it sounds tricky. I did try continental knitting but my tension was dreadful (very loose on the knitting and tight on the purling) and I would need to do a lot more practice before I got it right.

[Pruni]

Message withdrawn

[warthog]

german knitting is great, but i'd agree pruni, german purling is like knitting with fingers that are too long. they just seem to get in the way! even the tutorial videos i've watched seem to struggle and don't do it very fast...

[Marina]

This is reassuring in a funny sort of way. My tension overall is fine but I do struggle with german purling and I always thought it was me (as you do).

[florenceuk]

Yes I watched the videos and practised (on my pink square) and eventually gave up and reverted to my rather basic English technique which at least has the virtue of being consistent.
Plannning a trip into JL tomorrow to stock up on needles as work gives us a half day off! DH thinks I'm mad...

[warthog]

i can't think of a better way to spend a half day!

[Marina]

Me neither
Enjoy. I was reduced to glossing over the true end time of a course last week and haring off to Johnny Loulous for 30 mins when I should have been dutifully trudging off home to cook sausages

[Zofloyya]

Re German/continental style purling: I have had several German knitty friends, who knitted EVERYTHING in the round. German purling, for them, did not exist. A bit of a clue there, perhaps...

love the purlbee blog, thanks for posting that florenceuk

[warthog]

zofloyya - interesting... but how would you knit a jersey? or a scarf? it's fine for tubular things, but there are plenty of things that aren't...