How did you learn to use dpn's?

[sakura-panda]

I'm trying to picture how you hold the needles alongside each other. Unless your needles are extremely slippery your stitches should stay put after a few rounds. IME even with aluminum dpn they will stay where they're supposed to.

I just hold the two together so it is almost as if I am knitting them on one needle. They overlap a bit, but it's just for a few stitches. I'm not a tight knitter; I am afraid that if I don't do something to artificially keep the stitches close together, I may end up with ladders. So I hold them together until I'm confident that dropping the previous needle won't pull any extra yarn in the gap.

[GrumpyGramma]

I just hold the two together so it is almost as if I am knitting them on one needle. They overlap a bit, but it's just for a few stitches. I'm not a tight knitter; I am afraid that if I don't do something to artificially keep the stitches close together, I may end up with ladders. So I hold them together until I'm confident that dropping the previous needle won't pull any extra yarn in the gap.

I've not used dpn much but I find that if I tuck the end of the last needle under the tip of the needle I now have in my left hand, just making sure the stitches are close together and tightening the 2nd st. just a little takes care of laddering. If what you're doing works and isn't awkward, that's great. I just can't imagine me doing it that way. Have you watched videos so to see how others handle the needles? I'm not a really tight knitter these days.

[sakura-panda]

I've not used dpn much but I find that if I tuck the end of the last needle under the tip of the needle I now have in my left hand, just making sure the stitches are close together and tightening the 2nd st. just a little takes care of laddering. If what you're doing works and isn't awkward, that's great. I just can't imagine me doing it that way. Have you watched videos so to see how others handle the needles? I'm not a really tight knitter these days.

No, I've never watched a knitting video. I learned to knit at my (now closed) LYS and at that time my instructor told me that she had never seen any hold their needles the way I did, but it seemed to be working for me so she didn't try to correct it. I've been told the same thing about the way I hold a crochet hook, so I pretty much figure *everything* I do knitting and crocheting is not quite *right*.

[Jan in CA]

Generally I agree that "if it aint broke don't try to fix it", but you might find knitting in the round easier and more enjoyable to knit if you practice holding your needles different. Of course if you don't mind seams and seaming then it's really no problem.

[GrumpyGramma]

Generally I agree that "if it aint broke don't try to fix it", but you might find knitting in the round easier and more enjoyable to knit if you practice holding your needles different. Of course if you don't mind seams and seaming then it's really no problem.

I agree with Jan. In the interest of helping you look at other ways if you're interested:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9OrDriAmtI (skip up to about 6 min. to see how he knits if you want to skip him casting on and joining)

There are lots of other videos if you don't like this one.

[suzeeq]

That was Jan....

[GrumpyGramma]

That was Jan....

Thank you. I'm sorry about that. Please don't revoke the blessing you bestowed, it seems to be working! I apologise to Jan, too.

[Jan in CA]

What are you two talking about?

Oh I see...you edited it. Ha!

[suzeeq]

Thank you. I'm sorry about that. Please don't revoke the blessing you bestowed, it seems to be working! I apologise to Jan, too.

No no, wouldn't think of it...

[sakura-panda]

This place is so fun! You get help even when you don't need it!

I just find stockinette/garter stitch tedious and somewhat boring; I don't enjoy straight knitting that's all garter stitch either.

However, as I am both trying out DPNs for the first time AND a project where I am making two identical object (legwarmers), I did not want to take on too much by trying a stitch pattern more complicated than a simple rib. (I'm doing stockinette on the leg part and rib at each end, needlessly fearful that they will end up uneven and lopsided. )

This is in-the-round project #3; my first two (a baby hat and a dog sweater) were done using magic loop. I swore off round knitting after the dog sweater but then decided to give DPNs a chance. I'm having a much better experience, even though I find it a bit tedious when I don't have any other distractions (like conversations or TV.)

Thanks for the helpful and well-intentioned suggestions! What I really need though is a way to make an all knit stitch project less tedious -- that's the part I'm not enjoying so much!