Can I knit a child's sweater w/dpns instead of 16" cable?

[WildMountainHoney]

My dd has seen and loves the Knitty Briar Rose sweater. I thought I'd be brave and try it for her, but I don't have a 16" cable. I do have some dpns that I should be able to get gauge on. Anyone do that? I've done a few hats w/dpns, I'm just worried her sweater will be too big to fit on the dpns.........and I don't want a bunch of ladders....

Any opinions?

[knitasha]

I have a wonderful picture of Eleanor Roosevelt happily knitting a large, heavy sweater on four very long dpns -- they must be at least 14" long.

Whether you can knit a child's sweater on your dpns depends on the length of the needles, the thickness of the yarn, the size of the sweater and the number of stitches you have to knit off squeeze onto each one.

Assuming you have a set of 5 dpns, cast 1/4 of the stitches onto one of them, plus a couple to account for any increases. If the stitches are reasonably spaced, go for it. If they are squeezed together and popping off the needles, you need either longer dpns or circs.

The question of ladders comes up frequently here. Search the topic in the archived threads. One general suggestion: Don't tug on the first stitch you knit off a new needle in an attempt to tighten it. This just exaggerates any tendency to ladder. Second general suggestion: You won't get an obvious line of loose stitches if you knit one or two stitches from each new needle onto the old needle so you're constantly changing the place where the looseness might occur. Third: use a yarn that can be blocked to minimize any unevenness.

[WildMountainHoney]

Don't tug on the first stitch you knit off a new needle in an attempt to tighten it. This just exaggerates any tendency to ladder.

Interesting, I've never heard that - I tend to knit kinda loose overall, and I have actually so far had good luck with coming from behind the previously knitted needle, and pulling tight until the 2 needles touch (the previous needle and the new working needle). And a recent knitting daily said to pull tight - I am interested in how doing so is exaggerating?

Well, I tried, and the stitches are far too packed on the needles. I might try to find a sweater knit in pieces instead of in the round, as dh isn't too hyped about me buying even MORE needles (just bought the harmony options set).

[suzeeq]

You should be able to find a circular needle for $5 or so. Can you do them on 24"? Seems like that would be okay for a child's sweater, you can do the neckband and sleeves on dpns.