Sock Needle Lengths

"Ellen" wrote in message
...
I would not call myself an expert or anything but personally I am happy
with 6" bamboo. I did buy some 4" but they make me a little crazed. I
do cuff down socks and so do not get to a small number of stitches until
the very tip of the toe and even then I graft when there are 6-8
stitches left on each of two needles. Maybe the last 2 or 3 rows at the
toe are a nuisance ...

When I graft my toes, I don't decrease down to that few stitches. I prefer
a rounder toe and only go down to around 14 stitches on each of the two
needles. I have a fairly small foot - I wear size 6 shoes and my socks are
usually around 9" long from heel to toe. I use 4 metal needles, not 5. I
have a set of bamboo needles, but find they tend to bend on me. YMMV

Shelagh

Lucky you if you can find different lengths , i am lucky if i can
find all sizes.
When we came to Usa, first thing i allowed myself was stocking up on
all sizes number wise not lenthwise] of DPs i could find, I was used
to the European having 5 needles thus after a while i bought another
pack and have 8 of those i used mostly,
Since i knit seamless DP are most important in sleeves knitting.
I also inherited some, and luckily those were shorter, thus i play ,,
to my greatest luck i also found some numbers that had a different
color [ both in plastic and in metal] , which makes pairing them
easier. I love my Dps since i knit mittens , gloves and many other
smaller items,,, And last and not least when working with 2 colors in
the round i have a system of first working one color on the Dp than
the 2nd color with the circular ,,, it is a very good reminder for
patterns etc...
mirjam


All my dpn are aluminum. Most are Boye, except for some really old
ones that I was given. Oh, and the weird #9s that were the only set I
could find in that size, which came with 5 (ick!) -- but the fifth was
gone when I gathered my work up after half an hour. The #10 and #13
are 10 inches, as is a gift set of #4. All the rest are 7 inches.
Well, labeled 7 inches; the actual lengths vary by half an inch. I
have 2 sets of #2 and 2 sets of #8; at least one set of nearly every
size between, and of three of the sizes smaller.

Pogo

I prefer the six inch double points. Because 5 in is too short when you
do the gussets but six inch is just enough bigger that you have room
for the extra stitches. 7 inch, is too long and like you they get in
the way, but I can deal with them, Anything longer, forget it.
Mary
DAB wrote:
Well I can't stand it anymoreG I have decided to try knitting socks using
double points. I have the DVD Sock I How to Knit Socks on 2 Circular
Needles by Nenah Galati and after watching it several times and working
along I just don't get it.....keep getting mixed up on which ends/needles to
knit on so thought it might be better to learn the regular way and then try
it again.

Anyway after making several Hats for Christmas and baby hats for preemies I
am getting used to using 4 needles....I switch to double points to do the
decreases. But noticed it gets pretty hairy when there are less than 10
stitches per needle...the needle points get into everything and makes it
hard for me to keep em from poking into stuff, so I mentioned this to a sock
knitting friend and she said you need to get shorter needles for socks....[I
have the 7 inch size] so I did a search at Patternworks...none of the local
yarn shops here have the shorter sizes and looking at the size list I am not
sure which to get:

. 4" lengths
. 5" lengths
. 5.75" lengths
. 6" lengths
. 7" - 7.5" lengths
. 7.75" lengths
. 8" lengths
. 10" lengths

So if I can get some guidance or opinions on which size is best for making
adult size socks I would be very thankful.

TIA
Donna

They do...they DO....vanish right before our eyes...

I thought I was the only slightly crazed person who loses that
needle...although, unlike your calm self, I drive myself nuts because I
just 'CAN'T BELIEVE' that I've lost it 'AGAIN!!' argh... DH thinks it
'is' only me...and shakes head with eyes rolling skyward..

Thanks for the giggle... ;o)


Ellen wrote:

I like using 5 needles altho when one of the needles
vanishes right in front of my eyes, I switch to 4 until the missing one
magically shows back up.

Thanks Mary...I was leaning towards the 6 inch needles.

Donna



marysaline wrote:
I prefer the six inch double points. Because 5 in is too short when
you do the gussets but six inch is just enough bigger that you have
room for the extra stitches. 7 inch, is too long and like you they
get in the way, but I can deal with them, Anything longer, forget it.
Mary
DAB wrote:

Hey - I just found this group and saw your post. I wanted to comment
about DPN's and Circulars. I like both for different reasons. DPN's are
good for little stuff - socks, baby sweater sleeves, etc. I like 5
needles or four depending on if I can figure out which needles will
hold what stitches. For instance: when I knit socks I like to put the
heel flap sts. on two needles and the instep sts on one IF possible. If
not, I try to use markers or different colored needles so I don't get
so mixed up about which needles I'm knitting on. (Instep orange metal/
heel flap and gusset(sp?) green.) I have some long ones 8" or longer
and I don't like them but they're heirlooms. The length doesn't really
matter to me until they catch in my shirtsleeves as I'm knitting, or
poke me, or the cats when they sit in my lap. ;-0.That's why I switched
to circulars. It took me a good year to figure it out, learning on my
own. I finally went to a group and they really helped.
1) Get two circulars same size but different lengths- that will help
you keep track of where you've knitted.
2) Get different colors or textures if you can for the needles: Get an
Addi Turbo(gold color) and a Wooden circ. -or however you can get a
contrast. I tried the nail polish on the needles to keep them separate
-it wore off so fast I got mixed up.
3) Never -EVER stop in the middle of the two socks on your needle
-finish whatever you're doing on both socks before you put it down. If
you end up with your yarn on the inside of your needles instead of the
right side, it's not easy to figure out which one you need to knit. I
took me several days for my first pair of 2 at once on 2 circs. Once I
figured it out I was ok, but I almost frogged them out of frustration.
4)Always start your next round with your yarn coming from the back
needle - to avoid yarn overs and added sts.

I have a long needle to try the magic loop method but I'm not ready for
that yet. I got 2 socks cast on and then couldn't figure out what to do
next!
For now, I'm really happy with 2 socks 2circs, toe up. Hang in there
and keep knitting.
Jeannie
jeannieshandsatwork.blogspot.com

DAB wrote:
Well I can't stand it anymoreG I have decided to try knitting socks using
double points. I have the DVD Sock I How to Knit Socks on 2 Circular
Needles by Nenah Galati and after watching it several times and working
along I just don't get it.....keep getting mixed up on which ends/needles to
knit on so thought it might be better to learn the regular way and then try
it again.

Anyway after making several Hats for Christmas and baby hats for preemies I
am getting used to using 4 needles....I switch to double points to do the
decreases. But noticed it gets pretty hairy when there are less than 10
stitches per needle...the needle points get into everything and makes it
hard for me to keep em from poking into stuff, so I mentioned this to a sock
knitting friend and she said you need to get shorter needles for socks....[I
have the 7 inch size] so I did a search at Patternworks...none of the local
yarn shops here have the shorter sizes and looking at the size list I am not
sure which to get:

. 4" lengths
. 5" lengths
. 5.75" lengths
. 6" lengths
. 7" - 7.5" lengths
. 7.75" lengths
. 8" lengths
. 10" lengths

So if I can get some guidance or opinions on which size is best for making
adult size socks I would be very thankful.

TIA
Donna

willi wrote:
They do...they DO....vanish right before our eyes...

I thought I was the only slightly crazed person who loses that
needle...although, unlike your calm self, I drive myself nuts because I
just 'CAN'T BELIEVE' that I've lost it 'AGAIN!!' argh... DH thinks it
'is' only me...and shakes head with eyes rolling skyward..

Thanks for the giggle... ;o)



:-) Yeah my husband thinks I am nuts. Once he figured out that the lost
needles never show up on his side of the bed he calmed down. He eyed my
circs the other day, which I was using for a back and forth project, and
I could see the question forming in his brain about why I knit round
stuff on straight needles and straight stuff on circs but he came to his
senses and decided that he need to go do something else :-)


Ellen

"Ellen" wrote in message
...
willi wrote:
They do...they DO....vanish right before our eyes...

I thought I was the only slightly crazed person who loses that
needle...although, unlike your calm self, I drive myself nuts because I
just 'CAN'T BELIEVE' that I've lost it 'AGAIN!!' argh... DH thinks it
'is' only me...and shakes head with eyes rolling skyward..

Thanks for the giggle... ;o)



:-) Yeah my husband thinks I am nuts. Once he figured out that the lost
needles never show up on his side of the bed he calmed down. He eyed my
circs the other day, which I was using for a back and forth project, and I
could see the question forming in his brain about why I knit round stuff
on straight needles and straight stuff on circs but he came to his senses
and decided that he need to go do something else :-)


Ellen


What a wise man!

Love & higs
Christine

LOL thanks for the advice JeannieG I think I will start with the 5 needles
and move on to 2.....there is no way I could keep track of 2 scocks at the
same time.

Donna

wrote:
Hey - I just found this group and saw your post. I wanted to comment
about DPN's and Circulars. I like both for different reasons. DPN's
are good for little stuff - socks, baby sweater sleeves, etc. I like 5
needles or four depending on if I can figure out which needles will
hold what stitches. For instance: when I knit socks I like to put the
heel flap sts. on two needles and the instep sts on one IF possible.
If not, I try to use markers or different colored needles so I don't
get so mixed up about which needles I'm knitting on. (Instep orange
metal/ heel flap and gusset(sp?) green.) I have some long ones 8" or
longer and I don't like them but they're heirlooms. The length
doesn't really matter to me until they catch in my shirtsleeves as
I'm knitting, or poke me, or the cats when they sit in my lap.
;-0.That's why I switched to circulars. It took me a good year to
figure it out, learning on my own. I finally went to a group and they
really helped. 1) Get two circulars same size but different lengths-
that will help you keep track of where you've knitted.
2) Get different colors or textures if you can for the needles: Get an
Addi Turbo(gold color) and a Wooden circ. -or however you can get a
contrast. I tried the nail polish on the needles to keep them separate
-it wore off so fast I got mixed up.
3) Never -EVER stop in the middle of the two socks on your needle
-finish whatever you're doing on both socks before you put it down. If
you end up with your yarn on the inside of your needles instead of the
right side, it's not easy to figure out which one you need to knit. I
took me several days for my first pair of 2 at once on 2 circs. Once I
figured it out I was ok, but I almost frogged them out of frustration.
4)Always start your next round with your yarn coming from the back
needle - to avoid yarn overs and added sts.

I have a long needle to try the magic loop method but I'm not ready
for that yet. I got 2 socks cast on and then couldn't figure out what
to do next!
For now, I'm really happy with 2 socks 2circs, toe up. Hang in there
and keep knitting.
Jeannie
jeannieshandsatwork.blogspot.com

DAB wrote:
Well I can't stand it anymoreG I have decided to try knitting
socks using double points. I have the DVD Sock I How to Knit Socks
on 2 Circular Needles by Nenah Galati and after watching it several
times and working along I just don't get it.....keep getting mixed
up on which ends/needles to knit on so thought it might be better to
learn the regular way and then try it again.

Anyway after making several Hats for Christmas and baby hats for
preemies I am getting used to using 4 needles....I switch to double
points to do the decreases. But noticed it gets pretty hairy when
there are less than 10 stitches per needle...the needle points get
into everything and makes it hard for me to keep em from poking into
stuff, so I mentioned this to a sock knitting friend and she said
you need to get shorter needles for socks....[I have the 7 inch
size] so I did a search at Patternworks...none of the local yarn
shops here have the shorter sizes and looking at the size list I am
not sure which to get:

. 4" lengths
. 5" lengths
. 5.75" lengths
. 6" lengths
. 7" - 7.5" lengths
. 7.75" lengths
. 8" lengths
. 10" lengths

So if I can get some guidance or opinions on which size is best for
making adult size socks I would be very thankful.

TIA
Donna