Relatively new knitter asking for assistance

[MithraGoddess]

I don't know if theres posts about this before

but I'm just starting knitting.

I've made a scarf for my brother and used only knit and I used

Caron Simply Soft with size K needles and it came out so thick and plush that I'm eager to try out other easy patterns.

I want to do some socks or tube scarves or hats or armwarmers or leg warmers or anything!

The only thing that i'm afraid of is the 3 dpns used to make socks or hats

or the circular needles, I look at them and I keep thinking "how the heck do you use it?!"

 

If anyone's able to take the time to help me out and talk through this all with me and teach me I'd be ever so grateful. I'm not totally Knitting illertate but I'm just missing out on some mechanics knowledge, I know how to knit and purl and i can understand a basic 2 needle pattern.

 

if you'd like to help me please PM me if you'd like to talk over email or we can communicate in this thread

[Lady_of_Roses]

Welcome to the world of knitting!

 

I haven't made socks yet, but I do have some (hopefully) helpful suggestions for you. I'm looking forward to trying to make myself my first pair too!

 

DPNs are a bit awkward but not that bad. Be aware that you need to change the place where the stitches switch needles regularly or else you'll get what is called "laddering."

 

An alternative to using DPNs that I've learned about recently (tho have not yet tried) is called the 'magic loop' which uses an extra long circular cable. Google to see if any of the instructions make it look like something you'd like to do.

 

I know you need to be careful what kind of cast-on and bind-off you use or you may make the opening too tight and won't be able to wear them. I don't recall exactly which are the recommended ones for socks.

 

I hope this helps a little bit at least.

[LeahB]

I'm a fairly new knitter myself as well. I'm about at the same point you are. I haven't tried sock yet, but I'm dying to. I have heard great things in many places about the tutorials here. She has three different tutorials for socks. I have looked through the one for making socks with 4 dpns, but haven't tried it yet. It is nice, with lots of pictures. There is also a tutorial for two socks at a time with one circular needle and a tutorial for two socks at a time on two circular needles.

 

I think I first heard about these tutorials over on Ravelry, and if you are on Ravelry, you can find all sorts of pictures of people who have made socks using Silver's Sock Class.

 

Good luck!

[lisalu]

Well either one can be used to work in the round. Generally, DPNs (double pointed needles) are used for smaller items like socks or mittens. With circular needles you need to have enough stitches so that you can join the round without stretching them out so they are generally used for larger items - like a sweater worked in the round. They can also be used to knit large items like blankets back and forth because they hold more stitches than straight needles.

 

To work in the round with circular needles, you cast on all your stitches, then join your round holding the needle with the working yarn in your right hand and knitting the first stitch on the left needle. Now you simply knit around and around continuously. (Note that the beginning of the round will be where your yarn tail is)

 

To work with DPNs: this is a little trickier to master but more versatile. You can knit anything from a doily (flat) to a hat (tubular) this way. Generally they are worked on FOUR or FIVE needles - not three.

 

To begin, you cast all your stitches onto one needle. (This example is for four needles)

 

Slip 1/3 of the stitches to each of two other needles. You will have a fourth needle with no stitches.

 

Being careful not to twist the stitches, arrange your three needles in a triangle as follows: the needle with the working yarn is on the right side of the triangle (Needle Three), the needle with the first cast on stitch is on the left side of the triangle (Needle One), the bottom needle is Needle Two and the free needle is Needle Four.

 

Now with Needle One in your left hand and Needle Three in your right hand, insert Needle Four into the first stitch on Needle One and make the stitch with the working yarn from Needle Three. This first stitch is tricky because you are working with three needles. Be sure to work this joining stitch quite firmly.

 

Continue to knit to the end of Needle One, now it becomes your free needle and you proceed to Needle Two. Again, be sure to work the first stitch of the new needle very firmly. Knit the stitches from Needle Three and you have completed one round!

 

KEEP IN MIND:

 

On the first round, be very careful that the stitches are not twisted. The cast on stitches should all be facing inside the triangle as you work around. After a round or two you won't have to worry about that any more.

 

When working in round you are always working on the RIGHT SIDE of the knitting. Therefore in Stockinette stitch you would not have a wrong side (purl side) as you would in rows. You would KNIT every round.

 

You always need to work the first stitch on a needle firmly to make a smooth round with no joining "line".

 

If you are using a slippery yarn, or have a lot of stitches on the needle (or are nervous about stitches slipping off the ends) you can put needle point protectors on the ends of the needles. It will slow you down a bit because you have to switch them from end to end as you knit, but they will keep your stitches from sliding off the needles, especially while you are learning.

 

Your yarn tail will indicate the beginning of the round.

 

For some items you may begin with DPNs and as you increase you may switch to a circular to accommodate all the stitches. An example would be a sleeve. Or you may begin with a circular and as you decrease you may need to switch to DPNs. An example would be a hat.

 

I hope some of this helps. I can take some pictures if you like to show you want I mean, but there are probably better video sources on Knittinghelp.com. Let me know if you have any questions. It isn't as complicated as it sounds once you get the hang of it.

 

Good luck!

[MithraGoddess]

Thank you very much for your help.

Would you suggest then that I try doing a circular piece, maybe a cowl, with circular needles to get used to a different technique?

I could do legwarmers in a circular needle as well right?

[lisalu]

Thank you very much for your help.

Would you suggest then that I try doing a circular piece, maybe a cowl, with circular needles to get used to a different technique?

I could do legwarmers in a circular needle as well right?

 

Yes you could do legwarmers with a circular needle - if you get one the right length. Either go by the pattern, or figure out your gauge and number of stitches to see what length you need. Legwarmers would be a good beginner project for working in the round since it is fairly straightforward with little or no increasing/decreasing.

[MithraGoddess]

What are the various kinds of circular needles and what gauges would generally be used for legwarmers or cowels?

[lisalu]

What are the various kinds of circular needles and what gauges would generally be used for legwarmers or cowels?

 

http://www.knittingonthenet.com/patterns/sockslegwarmers.htm

 

Here is a leg warmer pattern, for an example. It calls for DPNs but you could use a circular. You would need a shorter length, maybe 12" or 16" (they range anywhere from 12" to maybe 32" - I'm not sure exactly).

 

If you wanted to make your own pattern you would have to figure out the measurements you want it to be (how many inches around you want it). Then you would make a gauge swatch with the yarn, needles and stitch pattern you intend to use and see how many stitches per inch you get. Then from that you would figure how many total stitches you need, keeping in mind factors like ease and stretch. This is exactly like you would figure out a pattern in crochet.

 

The row gauge wouldn't be as critical in this kind of project, you would just knit until it was the length you wanted.

[MithraGoddess]

fantastic!

Thank you so much!

I'm trying to figure out how to do a stockinette stitch, or just purl in general because i think i've got the garter stitch (knit) down pretty good..

[Lady_of_Roses]

If you are doing something in the round instead of in rows, to do stockinette you just continue knitting around and around and don't have to purl!

 

For stockinette on rows you do one row of knit, one row of purls, and keep alternating the two as long as you'd like!

 

One note on stockinette for you though -- it will curl up on itself naturally. Typically you'll want to use some sort of border near the edges to keep it from rolling up on itself.

[sewmom]

I just finished my first knit hat, and I used the two circular needle method - kept dropping stitches on the DPNs and ended up frogging about 3 rows - good thing they were short rows! There's a tutorial about the 2 circular needle method (and DPNs) under Advanced Techniques at http://www.knittinghelp.com (BTW I love that sight, I am obviously a very visual learner).

[morehotcoffee]

When I first started using DPN's I used worsted weight yarn, cast on 30 stitches and putting 10 stitches per needle for practice. It was quite awkward at first. No I don't even pay attention to all those needles.

 

There is one thing that I probably shouldn't do. I was always twisting the yarn so I now cast on all my stitches on one needle, knit that needle then divide the stitches between 3 needles. It made it easier for me to see the stitches. I have done it the right way but I still continue to knit the first row. It doesn't really change the look of my work and since that is the easiest for me, I guess I will continue this way