DPN Adventure

[blueygh2]

I'm terrible with double pointed needles. I drop stitches off both ends of the needles, I look like an idiot trying to work around the other needles. And then I start screaming explitives at my knitting and thats just never attractive. Grown man yelling at yarn just looks pathetic.

That made my day. Terrific. Must see! :D

[hyperactive]

I love my dpn. No problems with them.

Reading some of these posts makes me realize where the problems can be, though.
The trouble disappears with experience, never fear!

For those, that fear to loose stitches off the needles:
Do you drink wine? Or at least have some cork?
Cut pieces of cork (slices or smaller) and pin them on the rear end of a needle when knitting. [small pieces are good, because they don't get in your way and do not tend to be pulled off] Or on both ends of a needle that is in the back of the work. Pull off the cork when you need the needle.

It is cheap, it works great, and when the holes wear out and the things son't stick anymore, use them for bigger needles and take new ones.
cork also does not give a sticky feeling to needles, so it does not prevent your work from gliding when you want it to!

I have my ways of preventing the dropping (or just deal with it), but when it gets tricky I think of the cork (and am usually too lazy to go to the kitchen, anyway).


Oh, by the way: there are wooden dpn (bamboo and other wood): those are a lot less slippery! Might be worth a try!

And since I am German, I can add to the language matter:

sock needles would be called "Sockennadeln" in German, if southern Germany also "Strumpfnadeln".
Most likely your sets will say "Nadelspiel", though. That would mean "game of needles" - or more correctly: set of needles.

From all I know German dpn-sets always have 5 needles and the German way is to have the stitches on 4 needles and 1 for knitting off with.
In the US and videos I have seen people with 4 needles in a set, though. The stitches on 3 needles, 1 for knitting off. Well both works, I prefer the 5 needle method.

[blueygh2]

Actually it says Strumpfstricknadeln, but I do understand german, so I know what it means :D

[hyperactive]

Wow, I only ever see "Nadelspiel" on packs. Maybe I just don't look. Where are you from anyways... if you want to say... Europe is big :D

But for everybody: "Strumpfstricknadeln" means sock needles.

[blueygh2]

luxembourg. the country :D
But I'm frequently in belgium and germany as well.

[linknit41]

The first time using dpns, the stitches kept slipping off,so put point protectors on the needles not in use. Then found wooden (birch) or bamboo, and they are not so slippery. If intimidated by so many needles--just think that you are only using 2 needles at a time. That helped me cope and now love using dpns,(except aluminum ones) and knitting socks and preemie hats. linknit41

[blueygh2]

So far, it goes well. Once I grasped how to do it. And the stitches haven't fallen off the needles yet.

[newwooley]

I knit my first sock on bamboo DPN's. I didn't have a clue as to what I was doing but the more I worked with them, the better I got. Practice is key with these. I bought a huge set on 6" ones on eBay so I've got all sizes and they are also great(and an excellent bargain). I've been knitting lots of little round things and didn't want to worry about having all sizes. Its good to read that you are getting along well with them.

[AngelaR]

I do great with DPNs and have no trouble with them, but I always have socks OTN, so it could be habit. But I do remember, last year when I decided to so Christmas stockings that the only problem I remember having with them was being scared that the stitches would fall off the needles. None did and after that I was just comfortable with DPNs.

[margz3]

My first foray with DPN's was on a hat - used them at the end when knitting in the round was no longer do-able. Felt like all thumbs, but I got through it. Then I tried again with a small bunny...eh, worked "okay". Tried on socks...over and over again. Not much luck. Then I learned how to knit using two circs, and then magic loop - never had to fight with those DPNs again!!