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Pros & Cons of Interchangeable Circular Knitting Needles

  • Posted on December 24, 2011 at 7:34 pm

There are two types of circular knitting needles. The first type is the fixed format. This means that the needles are permanently attached to the cord. On the other hand, the second type is the interchangeable circular knitting needles. Here, the needles attached to the cord can be exchanged for larger or smaller ones, depending on your preference and need. Interchangeable circular knitting needles can be purchased in sets that contain various sizes of cords and needles. They can also be purchased separately. Interchangeable circular knitting needles can be converted into straight needles by using end caps.

That said, what are the advantages and disadvantages of interchangeable circular knitting needles as compared to regular circular knitting needles? Is it better to use one over the other? The answer to that question is it depends. Interchangeable circular knitting needles are very useful in the sense that they can save you a lot of energy when knitting as you will no longer have to worry about not having the right needle length or size or hand before starting a project as interchangeable circular knitting needles come in sets that feature a multitude of sizes of cords and needles. Interchangeable circular knitting needles are also very convenient as you can mix and match the cables depending on what your project calls for. You will no longer need to place an order every time you need a different size of knitting needle.

Interchangeable circular knitting needles are also very lightweight, smooth and quick. While some users of interchangeable circular knitting needles claim that the tips sometimes come off, this scenario can generally be avoided by using the key to tighten the tips. You shouldn’t attempt to twist them on yourself as they inevitably start to untwist. That is what they key is for.

Interchangeable circular knitting needles made of bamboo or wood also seem to be a favoured choice among users and are said to be slick, but not too slick. For those of you who are constantly on the go, interchangeable circular knitting needles are the perfect choice as they are airline safe. Denise needles, for instance, are made of plastic and most airlines allow plastic and bamboo needles in your hand carried luggage. You no longer have to be unoccupied while waiting for your flight. Last but not least, interchangeable circular knitting needles are also very compact and easy to store.

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Choosing the Right Knitting Needle Size

  • Posted on November 16, 2011 at 6:53 am

Choosing the best knitting needles for the job the first time, will make you a happier person, help save the environment, and ultimately, make the world a better place. Keep reading to find out how and why.

Knitting can be relaxing and fun; however, it can make even the calmest of knitters go a little nuts trying to knit with sub-par knitting needles.

The market is flooded with all sorts of knitting needles of different brands, colors and sizes making identifying the best knitting needle a confusing process. I too was once a spry young knitter like you, and I too was faced with the challenge of choosing just the right needles without the arsenal of knitting ammunition knowledge that I now have today. Read through the article and you too will learn some of the ins and outs of the knitting needle world.

While choosing knitting needles there are some general factors that you will need to consider, and some factors that are more specific to your knitting style. First of all, the patterns that you plan to use dictate the size of knitting needles that you will need. That should be pretty obvious to most knitters. Therefore, the first step is to take a look at the label on the yarn skein for the exact size of the required needles. But that’s not all; the knitting needle required by a certain pattern may not necessarily be the size that is best fit for your supple knitting hands.

You see, everyone knits a little bit differently, some people are “tight” knitters and some of us are “loose” knitters. If you are a “tight” knitter than you may need to adjust the needle size to be a little bigger than what the yarn label says. Likewise, if you are a “loose” knitter, you may need to adjust the needle size to be a little smaller than what the yarn label calls for. Did you didn’t know about that one sweets?

Another thing to think about when buying knitting needles is that they are reusable (which is good for the environment and good for you). The knitting needles that you choose should be ones that you can see yourself reusing in future. So, I recommend buying the best knitting needles that you can find in the entire knitting universe, because if you keep buying the generic needles that break, or are ugly, uncomfortable, or too heavy, you will just need to buy new ones. Buying sub-excellent knitting needles can often cost more, due to the need to replace them.

Finally, for those of you who have been living under a rock, or who have never knitted before, there is another rule of knitting needle thumb that you should know well, and never forget. In most cases while knitting long rows, longer knitting needles are the best, while in case if scarves made from thin yarn, short needles are just right.

There are different types of knitting needles in the market. Choosing the knitting needle that best suites what you want to knit can be a challenge, but it’s a challenge that pays off in great knitted projects.

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Circular Knitting Needles – Basic Facts

  • Posted on June 16, 2010 at 11:30 am

                        

In spite of the fact that knitters that use circular knitting needles love using them, many new knitters and even experienced knitters have never tried using them.  I use them and I love to use them!  Circular knitting needles are so easy to use and comfortable, not to mention fast. 

Here are some wonderful circular knitting needle facts.

Circular knitting needles are similar to the ordinary straight needle.  The only difference between them is the flexible cord that joins together the two pointed needle ends. Circular knitting needles are made from the same materials that regular strait knitting needles are normally made from. 

As such there are several different types of circulars. These include plastic, bamboo, metal, wood, rasin and the Addi turbo which are composed of nickel-plated aluminum.  There are even interchangeable knitting needle sets available.  The most popular being Denise interchangeable.

Some may say that the materials that circular knitting needles are made of greatly affect the quality of knitting that the knitter can do.  But I think that it is really just a matter of each knitter’s personal preference.  My personal favorite is bamboo, but my best friend loves how light her plastic circular knitting needles are.

Circular knitting needles can be bought either in a fixed format or an interchangeable format. The fact that circular knitting needles come in interchangeable styles is a unique quality that only exists with circular needles.  For fixed format, the needle is permanently joined to the cord while in interchangeable format you can change needles according to the needle size that you prefer to use.

Circular knitting needles generally come in sizes ranging 3 to 15.  The cord that you use depends upon the circumference of the project that you want to make.  The most common cord length sizes range from 16 to 60 inches.  The length of the circular needles that you plan to use depends on the pattern that you plan to make.  Take note that the length your circular knitting needle cord should never be greater than the expected circumference of the finished object.

When knitting with circular knitting needles make sure that the weight of the stitches are well distributed on the cord.  If you are careful to do that you can easily carry on large projects or work with heavy yarns because circular knitting needles hold the stitches in place.  Many knitters say that knitting with circular knitting needles the best for bulky projects like Afghans and blankets.

Another interesting fact about circular knitting needles is that they allow knitters the ability to try out different stitches without any problem. The circular needles can help you without thinking about the twisting of the stitches.

Knitters who work with circular knitting needles know and rave about the enjoyable experiences that they have with them. They are great to use, you can work fast, neat and smooth. By using these needles you can easily produce beautiful and amazing craft projects. And once you are acquainted with circular knitting needles, you might wonder how you ever did without them!

 

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Bamboo Circular Knitting Needles – Are They Really Good in Quality?

  • Posted on June 10, 2010 at 5:05 am

Are bamboo circular knitting needles good in quality? What are the things you need to know about bamboo circular knitting needles? In this article you will know more about bamboo circular knitting needles and discover for yourself if these needles greatly suit for your yarn projects.

Did you know that bamboo circular knitting needles are made only of the finest material of an over six-year old winter bamboo grass which is grown in the high mountains? These bamboos are actually harvested, dried in the sun, cut to knitting needle size, then shaped to the right width, cured and sanded. The tapered end is worked by hand or machine to make the point end. These are just a few requirements for them to have a long and productive life, even in the hands of a highly-productive, work loving knitter.

But on the sad note, not all suppliers offer their sellers with such top-quality needles, and so there appears the risk of an unhappy buyer which in the end will turn into two, three then four and so on until there will be an entire revolt and the bamboo circular knitting needles will be entirely extinct from the face of the marketplace.

Despite all of that, there are still trust-worthy suppliers out there who are apparently manage to keep this industry intact by making sure that their needles are made of the best bamboo fiber, and will guarantee to last through a decent amount of years. This will compensate for others follies and leak of interest into the distribution of this item.

Bamboo circular knitting needles found to be easier to use and tend not to split the yarn as easily compared to other types of knitting needles. It can be carbonized and much more heavier than regular knitting needles but offering greater resistance and strength while at the same time firmly and securely holding the stitches together without this being overwhelming job.

In fact, bamboo circular knitting needles are a great choice for beginning knitters and any other knitters who like a warm, organic feeling to their knitting needles. They are very lightweight and smooth, helping more experienced knitters knit quickly without mistakes. Aside from that, bamboo circular needles give a similar experience to wooden needles but bamboo circular knitting needles often are cheaper, easier to find and available in a wider variety of sizes.

These needles actually do not really need a lot of care but if you use them a lot, you may find out that they will benefit from a light sanding every now and then to keep them nice and smooth and to keep the tips from breaking your yarn. With just a little bit of preservation you should be able to enjoy your bamboo circular knitting needles for the years to com.

Bamboo circular knitting needles thus offer a great utility in the hands of those willing to simplify and at the same time optimize your work, whether it is something as a complicated as a sweater or a pullover or even something as simple as a pair of socks. Bamboo circular knitting needles are simply a must in any knitter’s arsenal of knitting utensils.

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7 Easy Ways to Knit Socks with Circular Needles

  • Posted on June 4, 2010 at 8:35 am

Do you ever think that knitting socks with circular needles is very difficult? Just think of it in a different way. Knitting socks using sets of circular needles is moderately easy and only requires some knowledge and skills of knitting. There are plenty of ways to get socks on your feet and they might even be faster because you can knit two socks at a time if you like.

This article is a about a simple tube sock that explains you how to knit on two circular needles. It includes how to measure for a pattern, determine the correct gauge and how to join rounds on two sets of circular needles.

Here is a step by step guide that will help you knit socks with circular needles:

First step is to gather all of your materials to use such as 2 circular needles, needle markers, yarn, and select what needles you want to use. You can actually choose from 16’’ to 29’’ which are proven best in circular knitting projects especially knitting with socks.

Determine the length of the foot which is from toe to heel is the second step. You need to keep in mind the measurement from the heel to the end of your ankle. Then measure the calf around your toes and around your instep. Mark all the measurement at each point and illustrate an image of a foot.

The third step is you start on cast on process. It is just like your normal cast on and take note on the required number of stiches. Then you need to join two edges from the two sets of circular knitting needles with the non- working needle hangs down with the work in the middle. So at this moment your stitches will not slide off. You can then begin to knit with your working stitches then shove them to the center of your circulars. Lift up the other side at the combination part of the stitches and then work on that side. Eventually, you can repeat the steps; push your stitches to the center then return to work on the other side of the needle. This is actually the process of making rounds.

The fourth step is to cast on 12 inches stitches on one of your circular knitting needle. You need to knit 12 rows first and start to cast off. You need to determine how many stitches and how many rows will equal to 1 inch to provide your measurement gauge. Take note your foot diagram number and multiply the width of the stitch number and the length of the row number to give you how many stitches to cast on where you need to increase and this will also determine the starting to the end point of the sock tube.

The fifth step will tell you the simplified pace to knit on a seven stitches. For instance, you use seven stitches and this will actually increase to the width of the toes each row from the toe. Begin to cast on seven stitches with the working circular needle. Move four stitches to the other circular needle. The next thing you need to do is to transfer all the stitches to end of the circular needle to let the lead yarn to be orderly placed.

Moving on the stitches on the other side of the circular knitting needle is the sixth step. You then knit along one stitch and put a mark on it and knit the residual stitches. Your stitch increases are completed with the stitch marker that you mark awhile ago. So now, you have one marker and two stitches. You can then do this process on the other circular needle and knit towards the marker. Lift up the last knitted stitch and move it to the left circular needle then knit it again. Repeat this step to the next stitch to make four stitches linking the markers. Then knit along the end of the row. Afterwards, make another increase, get your circular needle and knit until the marker, move it over again and lift up the residual stitch located below. Then you will knit into place and just before the other marker. Just continue making increases until you get the equal gauge to go with the measurement of your foot.

Keeping on the increases is the seventh and the last step.  This will include the increases done at the ankle or calf. You then will need to knit the preferred row numbers until you reach the cuff. By doing this, you need to knit two stitches then purl the two stitches along with the width in order for the number of rows to finish a 2 ½ inch cuff. Moisten the sock and stitch the toe opening shut. That’s the end of the step and you can now repeat the 7 steps on your second sock.

The biggest benefit to knitting socks on two circular needles is the stability of the work. The needles do not slide out to the stitches the way double-pointed needles tend to do. This makes a sock makes a sock project very portable and easy to try on as the work progresses.

Now, grab your circular needle sets and yarns and start knitting with good quality pair of socks!

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Addi Circular Knitting Needles

  • Posted on June 1, 2010 at 4:53 am

If you are looking for wonderful needles that can increase your knitting speed – Addi Circular Knitting Needles are the one you are looking for. Just read below to discover why Addi circular knitting needle is the world’s famous and a staple for serious knitters around the world.

Circular needles are becoming more and more popular in the industry of knitting and crocheting and the Addi circular knitting needles are the best selling needles in the range. One of its popular line products is the Addi Turbo circular knitting needles.

Addi Turbo has a consistently smooth join and high quality construction throughout. These are perfect needles for beginner or advanced knitters who want the ultimate in speed and precision knitting. Addi turbo circular needles are made of hollow brass and have perfectly shaped tips that are nickel plated. The lightweight tips allow the stitches to glide over for fast, comfortable and quiet knitting.

Once you knit with the ‘Turbo’, you will crave the speed, pliability, seamless join, and lightweight feel. Nickel plated brass tips will not tarnish, rust, or discolor. The flexible nylon join is extremely pliable.

It comes with variety of sizes you can choose for from 40cm, 60cm, 80cm, 100cm, and 150cm length that are just perfect for knitting all around!

Addi Circular Knitting Needles also presented their newest product, the Addi Turbo Lace Circular knitting Needles. These needles are specifically designed for the needs of lace knitters. It has a shaper tips that enables the knitter to manipulate many strands of very fine yarn. The needles themselves are made with hollow brass with a fine resin protective coating to seal the brass and provide a hint of drag to the needle surface to allow the knitter to keep control over fine lace stitches.

The coating also deadens the sound of needles hitting each other. The light red transparent nylon cord is thinner and more flexible than standard Addi Turbos and the connection to the needles at each end is perfectly smooth and well-tapered allowing stitches to pass over the connection with no catching.

These needles come in very wide ranges of sizes from 1.5 to 8.0mm and in lengths from 40 cm (16 inches) to 150 cm (60 inches).

The good thing in here is that circulars work just like straight needles have the same technique but the benefits are better weight distribution of the knitted item which reduces the tension on your wrists and the added joy of never searching for that missing straight needle down the side of the sofa !

The Addi Turbo Circular Knitting Needles continue to be the most popular online today! You won’t believe how smooth and fast you’ll be able to knit!

Just enjoy knitting and crocheting on these Addi Circular Knitting Needles and experience the finest needle in the market.

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How to Use Circular Knitting Needles

  • Posted on May 31, 2010 at 10:45 am

Knitting with Circular knitting needles is a worthwhile experience. It is like knitting in a round or as you would use like in regular knitting needles. These needles are useful for knitting in a round which will let you make seamless garments like hat, bags or sweater sleeves. These are also useful when you are knitting heavy materials such as afghan or shawl.

If you have never tried circular knitting needles, I would really recommend them for ease of use, speed and comfort once you get to use to them.

Here is an easy step by step instruction on how to use circular knitting needles in your craft projects:

Step #1: Gather the all the materials or things that you will need such as circular knitting needles, yarn, stitch marker, knitting pattern (optional).

Step #2: Cast on the required number of stitches. You need to cast first on or pick up stitches to have a foundation of stitches on your circular needles just as you would in straight knitting. In preparation for joining, arrange the stitches so that they are not twisted.

Step #3: The hardest part in knitting with round is joining the ends together. You need to twist all the stitches to the opposite end of the needle and the most important thing to remember is you must avoid twisting when you join because once you twisted them you will never make it untwisted again. So you are making sure that the stitches are took off on at the same directions.

Step #4: Hold the needles together with the first stitch that you cast on at the top of your left hand needle and the last stitch that you cast on at the top of your right hand needle. You will need to bring it up and pull it real tight and knit the first stitch.

Step #5: Put a marker at the top of the needle on the right hand. This will mark the beginning of a new row every time that you come to it. You can also use a thread with different color.

Step #6: Just keep on knitting and you will go away round. Your knitting will be joined together because of the way that you are holding the needles. You will find that you need to periodically redistribute the stitches evenly around the circular needle so that they do not pull.

Step #7: Continue working until you come to the marker.  This marks the completion of the first round.  Slip the marker to the right needle and continue working the number of rounds required.

Step #8: Then you can do whatever pattern you want.

That’s it! This is the simple process in knitting using the circular needles or knitting on a round. Just remember all the steps listed above and you are ready to go knitting with your circular knitting needles.

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