Any Knutters, sorry knitters can help me out please?

[keepersdaughter]

I found a really sweet little pattern in a magazine for a baby's hat that looks just like an apple. It has a stem and leaves at the top, really adorable. While I don't any anyone to knit it for, I thought it would be a good project, keep my fingers busy and so hopefully off the Cadburys bars;) It uses a circular kniitting neede and I have never used one of these before. I had trouble find the exact recommended size and I wondering if I got one that was too long and not sure how to measure the needle to see if that's the problem. Do you measure from pointed tip to pointed tip or the long piece of plastic between the needles. I'm probably not explaining it well, but the pattern says to cast on 64 stitches then knit 5" in the round, etc., except since the long plastic piece in the middle along with the needles is so long, I can't stretch the 64 stitches that far. Does this make sense:confused:. Anyone have advice please:)

[franbee]

KD, I've not used a circular needle before either, but I've rooted in my collection and found 5. The plastic ones are all 30ins tip to tip. I have a metal set which is slightly longer, but the joiny bit is very fine and flexible. Sorry I can't be any more help.

[keepersdaughter]

Thanks for your reply Fran. I measured the needle, tip-to-tip it measures 29". There's no way I can make 64 stitches stretch around it. I reread the pattern and I think I should have got a 16" one (it's not written very clearly). So I'm going to have a bash at cutting some of the plastic middle off and hot gluing it back together. Fingers crossed.

[jazzactivist]

Keepers, instead of cutting the middle out of your needle, just cut it to the required length and sharpen the end with a knife and sandpaper smooth, then you won't have the problem of the stiches sticking to the join each time you pass that bit, which will become very annoying.

With regard to babies' hats please be careful. Hats that adults think are amusing and cute can create long-lasting damage to children's egos - just ask my younger sister who had to endure many years of fancy hats topped with giant multicoloured pompoms and bows carefully contributed by me, her jealous and vindictive older sister! Good luck with the knitting, and I hope that the end result is appreciated.

[magic cochin]

Hi

It shouldn't be a problem using the longer needle - you'll need the shuffle the stitches around the long thin bendy plastic bit between the needles every now and then.

C :)

[JG]

This might be water under the bridge by now, but I've just finished knitting in the round on a size 12 needle that I bought from Kangaroo on-line. I thought I'd 'save' money by buying a longer one, so bought the metre long one and knitted a lovely chunky pashmina-type wrap, but when I came to use it again, I found it far too long. However, it is of German make and the wire is very flexible, so I managed by picking a place near to the right hand end of the wire and pulled out a loop of the excess wire from between the stitches (does this make sense written down?). I was then able to knit merrily around to the loop before pulling out another one, again, near to the right hand end.
Hope this helps.