Stitches

Can you cast on 400 times on a 8cm knitting needle?

Can anyone tell me if I cast on 400 on a 8 cm knitting needle and how long would the scarf be? Thanks!

Public Comments

1. 400 is way, way too many cast on stitches for a scarf. 400 would make a wide blanket. Casting on determines how wide your scarf will be, not how long. I'm currently knitting a 7 inch wide scarf, using only 34 stitches cast on. These are US size 11 (8 mm) needles. 8mm seems awfully short for knitting needles. Are you sure you don't mean 8mm as the needle size (gauge)? And regardless of how many stitches you cast on (the width of your scarf), it will be however long you want it to be, because you keep knitting until you reach your desired length (or run out of yarn!)
2. Most people knit scarves across the width, not across the length, but knitting a scarf "lengthwise" can be done, but only on very long knitting needles. How wide it would be will depend on the size of the yarn + the size of the needle, and how many stitches, knitting that certain yarn with that size needle will get to an inch. 8cm is only a little over 3 inches, and there arent knitting needles that short that I know of. I'm thinking you have a size 8mm needle. This means that you need a rather bulky yarn to knit with. When you buy yarn, look on the ball band to see what size needle the manufacturer recommends for that size yarn. It can fluctuate by a size or two if need be. But to determine length or width, or how many stitches to cast on, it would be necessary to know what yarn you are using. I suggest you go to this site: http://www.knittinghelp.com/ and have a look at the basics there. Start with the "get started" page. There's a video of a scarf being made there. Perhaps that will help you understand what we all mean, or at least get you pointed in the right direction. That website is the BEST for new knitters. Good luck, and happy knitting!
3. to cast on that many stitch, you will have an easier time using circular needles and work the scarf lengthwise. work until you have the scarf as wide as you want.