rounded needles (fingerless gloves pt 2)

[ladynikon]

Hi all,

I picked up some round needles.. well they are straight needles with a plastic cord attached at the ends.. I heard you need these to knit socks and gloves. The patterns I looked at for my fingerless gloves call for double pointed needles? Whats the difference? Is it the preference of the pattern creator?

[dharmagwen]

What you got are cable needles, used for hats in particular, & if small enough, socks maybe (I haven't made socks yet). You probably need double pointed needles (dpns) to make gloves (I am just starting my first pair). Dpns come 5 to a pack, coz you need about 3 or 4, plus a working needle. They are straight like a regular needle, but without the stopper at the end to keep the yarn from falling off. Each needle has a point at each end. That way you can work from both ends of the needle. You can see how to use them on a video here on this site.

You can also use very long cable needles to make things in the round with the Magic Loop Method, which lets you knit straight, but it turns out being a circle (in the round) when you are done. There is a great video of it here on this site. You might could use it for your gloves. I am just starting on the Fetching gloves from the knitty site. I'm using dpns. Which ones are you knitting?

[sara_jayne]

Great answer dharmagwen!

Just a point to clariy, when needle are conected by a cable they are called "circular needles"....cable needles come in several different varieties and are used to hold stitches while cables are worked.

[dharmagwen]

Thanks for the correction...you are absolutely right. I call them cable needles because, in my mind, they have a cable connecting them. I just bought real "cable needles" to start on the Fetching gloves I'm making.

FYI, for the person that started this, cable needles are actually short double pointed needles, they come 3 to a pack usually, in 3 sizes. Some are straight, and some have a little "U" shape in them to hold the cable stitches.

[ladynikon]

wow so much information thanks.

[ladynikon]

Which ones are you knitting?

These..
Here is what I was looking at. http://www.dimbleby.net/knitting/myp...1/gloves1.html

these as well..
http://wendyknits.net/knit/mitts.htm