Length of Circulars

[Tammy]

I would like to find the right length of circulars so I can have my take along project on those and not have to worry about dpns getting lost while out and about. I'm not sure if I will buy them or make them. I know the things I would be taking with me would need to be about the size of a lady's large sock or man's small sock. I don't like the curved area on the needle part that some circulars have. When making something this size I usually use 4 or 5 dpns that are 4" long. I do not want to mess with using the magic loop for my take a long project as that slows me down. Knowing these things do you have any suggestions on the length of circular that would fit my needs? Is that from tip to tip or is that just the length of the cable/cord area?

Thank you for all of your help.

[erLo]

I don't understand why you are being so stubborn about making your own needles when you can get needles from KnitPicks (my current preferred). Pick your points buy different lengths of cords, screw them together and Bob's your uncle. As to having short circulars I can't advise you because I buy 40 inch cables or longer because I do magic loop. Have you tried using two circulars? It's just a matter of getting used to how tight to pull the first stitch (you do need a bit of space) without getting ladders. Meh.. I think the short ones are 9 inches but have heard that the needle tips are short and most people find short needles annoying and uncomfortable. I haven't tried them so I'm telling you what I've heard. You'll have to buy some and try them out.

[carolivy]

Hi Tammy, I have a pair of size 5 Bamboo circular needles that work great for making socks. They also do not have that little bend right before the cable. The cable part is just under 10" long. Stamped on the side of the needles is Takumi 5 3.75mm Clover. The needle length from tip to cable is 3.5" I have an aluminum cable needle that is a size 4 with the cable 8.5" but these do have the little bend in them. I think the bend is to make it easier to accomdate the curve on a shorter length. I like both of these for making the socks I do.

[Lynn]

I understand your frustration with the DPNs as a mobile option, Tammy. But I've come up with ways to get around the problems of them either falling out of the work or getting caught on something. There are professionally made tubes you can buy to keep both the needles and work in. But I just use a short paper towel cardboard tube. Needles and work fit snugly inside. The needles don't come out, don't snag on anything, and the work is completely protected. The only thing you have to be careful about is to watch that you don't pull needles out of live stitches when removing your sock from the tube to work. Just pay a little attention, and it's not a problem. Sorry, I can't help you with the original query. I don't use very short cables because I find them uncomfortable. I just got used to my DPNs years ago and am too stubborn to try to get used to cables for socks.

[Sherongb]

OK, this is probably going to be more than anyone wants to know but here goes.

1. The length given for circular needles refers to the total length, tip to tip. So the same cable, with a shorter tip on it, gives a shorter circular needle. If it's a fixed circular (which is what used to be the only way to get circular needles) it makes sense. But with interchangable needles it can be confusing depending on which length tips you can use. KnitPro has two different length tips so they can have 16 inch circular needles.

2. Which brings up the point that as the total length of the circular gets shorter you need to have a shorter tip length to be able to use it. If you look at fixed circular needles such as the Addi's you will find that the 16 inch have the shortest tip, then the 20 inch has a slightly longer tip, then the 24 inch and above have the same length of tip. Some people find the shorter length tips uncomfortable to use. Think of this: If each tip is 4.5 inches long then they total 9 inches leaving 7 inches of the 16 for the cable. That makes it hard to work with that configuration. Less tip length leaves more length for the cable and makes a more workable circular needle.

3. What's the best length to get: It depends on what you are going to make and how you want to work. I like 16 inch circulars. I use 2 at a time for longer things. Or for smaller things, such as make a hat on one 16 inch circular needle, then add in the second circular when decreasing for the crown. I do socks 2 at a time on 2 16 inch circular needles. Or you can, as someone else suggested, do the same items on 1 longer needle working magic loop. The best length for me may be the one length you hate to work with.

4. If you insist on making your own and are on Ravelry I suggest you do a search there for threads on hacking the cables for the Boye needle tips. They have a material list for making flexible cables to fit the Boye interchangable set. What they use should work for any circular needles you want to make.

[Tammy]

I don't understand why you are being so stubborn about making your own needles when you can get needles from KnitPicks (my current preferred)..........

Well there is a couple reasons I'm stubborn about it. I don't know yet what my preferred needle size is, or length. I don't want to spend the money to get something that is completely wrong for me. When I spend the money I want to be 75% sure at (least) that I'm getting something that works for me. I have a bit of satisfaction and connection to my gramp when I make my own. Right now my cost for hand made ones is my time. Since I enjoy it as it's own separate art form then it is worth it to me.

Hi Tammy, I have a pair of size 5 Bamboo circular needles that work great for making socks. They also do not have that little bend right before the cable.......

Those sound like they could be good ones to try!

[Tammy]

I understand your frustration with the DPNs as a mobile option, Tammy. But I've come up with ways to get around the problems of them either falling out of the work or getting caught on something.......

Thanks for the suggestion. I will have to try that out as it might give me the best of all worlds. Making small stuff, taking it with me and not having some of the problems dpns have.

OK, this is probably going to be more than anyone wants to know but here goes............

Not to much info for me!!!! I love learning new things so I appreciate you taking the time to help. I will be checking the site on Ravelry for sure.

[Sherongb]

First: I can use double pointed needles and use them when I have to. I have pulled one needle out, thinking it was the one without stitches on it enough times that it is not my preferred way to go. Yes I could use one of those tubes or something similar, or just stick the extra needle into the work, and have done that many times.

Second: I think it's great that we have so many different types of needles to use that we can each use the one that works best for us. There is no one type or way of working that is 'the best'.

So Tammy if making your own needles makes you happy please go ahead. BUT if you are making socks please do look at the yarn you are using before deciding on which size needle to make. I am a tight knitter and use a size 2 (usually) for fingering weight socks. I have made some worsted weight socks with size 5 needles. Socks tend to wear through faster when knit at a looser gauge. So with sock yarn many people use a gauge of 7 - 8 stitches per inch, with some going to 9 - 11 stitches per inch to get them to last longer.

I would ask CarolIvy what weight yarn she is using those size 5 needles with for sock making. And how long her socks are lasting. I have pairs I made over 5 years ago at 7 or 8 stitches per inch that I wear and wash weekly (well at least a few pair don't wear them as often since I now have over 2 dozen pair in my drawer), no problems with them.

[Tammy]

Sheron thank you for telling me about the Boye Needlemaster Hacks!!!!!!!! Love them. Can't wait to try them.

So far the smallest I have made is size 3 and I don't plan on trying to make smaller than that. That said I am learning more and more as I try different things the saying of the right needle for the job. It isn't so much which needle type bamboo, wood, metal etc as which needle and which yarn together work. I love my little wooden needles but I am using RHSS for son's golf club covers. I have found RHSS does not like my wooden needles. Yeah yeah yeah I know it isn't the best yarn but for what it is going to be used for it is perfect. Ok so wool would have been a better project choice but I had this in the right colors and not the wool. So I am using my needlemasters with no problem.

I won't be making socks, I hope to make toys and sock size was for size reference. I may make slippers but that is a whole different animal.

[carolivy]

....I would ask CarolIvy what weight yarn she is using those size 5 needles with for sock making. And how long her socks are lasting. I have pairs I made over 5 years ago at 7 or 8 stitches per inch that I wear and wash weekly (well at least a few pair don't wear them as often since I now have over 2 dozen pair in my drawer), no problems with them.

Sheron, I used the size 4 for the main body of the sock but used the 5 for the cuff. I tend to knit very tightly and if I knit the whole sock with the same size needle my cuffs are too tight for me to get my foot into. I made the pair that I am currently wearing over 10 years ago out of sport weight yarn but I only wear them in the Winter as they make my feet toooo warm to wear during warmer weather. All of the other socks I have made have been given away...sigh