Knitting in the Round

[NotQuiteCockney]

I'm doing my first circular knitting project (a baby hat), finally, and really enjoying it. I keep thinking "ha! I won't have to sew this up!" which is really helping my enjoyment.

But of course I have a few questions:

1. Does anyone use the Denise needles' smallest cord? I tried, and found it impossible to knit with. Just far too triangular.
   
   
2. Is knitting with DPNs really annoying? I felt like I was knitting with a pointy octopus, IYSWIM. I tried starting the hat on the DPNs (before i realised the second-shortest Denise cord would do the job) and found it very annoying and there were big gaps between all the DPNs. I know I can sort out gaps with a crochet hook when I'm done, but how do I avoid them? And how can I make working with DPNs not so annoying? Should I be using three or four to hold the hat?
   
   Thanks ...

[bundle]

NQQ no experience of this, sounds a bit teccy for me but sure tamum or someone will be along to help! and if you do get really stuck I have a lovely 4ply cotton crochet pattern for a hat

[tarantula]

Hi NQC when Im kniting I use four needles (stiches on three and one for using IUSWIM). What I do to stop the gaps appearing is every few rows I knit one stitch from the next needle on needle I have got the stiches on and then use the spare needle to continue the row and so on round till I have the correctno of stiches on each needle again. That way the gap between each needle isnt at the same stitch all the time. Does taht make sense?

[throckenholt]

knitting in the round is much easier - no seams ! Only problem is it can get heavy of you are doing something big.

If you are doing something big then those ones with nylon in the middle and a needle at each end are great. But for small things you have to use lots of double ended needles. What is a DPN ?- I am feeling dense today !

[NotQuiteCockney]

bundle - when you crochet a hat, do you need to sew up at the end? Or can you crochet in the round? (I really really hate sewing up.) I should learn to crochet, I was raised to believe it was evil or something (my mom knits, used to make patterns, even), but that should be a reason to crochet, really. (And I knit european style, which isn't what I was raised to, anyway.)

tarantula - that sounds like a good idea, I will try that. I probably just need more experience with DPNs.

throckenholt - a DPN is a double-pointed needle. Or a double-ended needle, as you seem to be calling them. I just find them v annoying to work with, but I probably need to practice more.

[bundle]

NQC, no sewing up just a bit of counting at beginning - x number of double crochets - the simplest stich - and then 2 doubles into the same stitch to increase your circle size...you carry on like this until you get the right diameter for the crown of the head and then go straight, until the brim, or just leave it as a skullcap shape. piss easy

[NotQuiteCockney]

bundle, I don't mind counting. I do tend to do things by "eye" a bit with knitting ... e.g. this hat, I've changed the pattern a bit, and I'm not really counting things, just watching where I am, what was in previous row, etc.

I know my sister crochets (she's a rebel, too), I might have a chat with her about it. I already own a few crochet hooks, they're dead useful for fixing knitting errors ... and I have a good book on the subject. I'll have a go when I'm home again, I'm sure.

Oh, is crocheting mostly done in cotton etc? Or is it wool, too?

[NotQuiteCockney]

bundle, that way round does seem the right way to make a hat. With knitting, you seem to start out at the brim, and go up. So you don't really know how deep the hat will be until you are done, which is a bit of a puzzle. (maybe some other patterns do it the other way?)

[bundle]

oooh that sounds scary. no you start with loop of just 4 stitches, join them together and go round & round, keeping a contrast thread at beginning to work out where you started. you do therefore get a slight blob when you finish, although it's not noticeable. i'm doing a pink one with lime green contrast stripes atm