Stitches

Is there a way to substitute staight knitting needles for circular ones?

It seems like everything is made on circular needles, and I like to knit on straight needles. Is there some magic trick to converting circular ones to straight ones?

Public Comments

1. Most circular needles that I have seen will not convert to straight, but most anything that can be knit on circular can be knit on straight, assuming that it is a flat item not tubular. If the item you are knitting is very wide, though (like an afghan), it is easier to do without dropping stitches on the circular. Just cast the stitches on straight needles just as if the pattern was written for them, and knit back and forth the way you normally would. The pattern stitches will be the same whichever needles you use.
2. There is no difference what you use. Circulars are just more convenient and easier to use, that's all. But knitting only makes a loop with two pointed sticks... it doesn't matter whether that is on circular or straight or double pointed needles!! Or even if you use pencils. It's all the same. Of course, if you are knitting in the round, then you need circular or double point. Circulars hold more stitches, and are easier on your hands. You should get long circulars (40") and you will be able to do everything with them -- even fingers on gloves. But you can use anything you like. The knitting police won't arrest you, but they may wonder why you like to make more work for yourself.
3. It depends on what you are knitting. Very wide projects can be split into panels and later sewn together, since straight needles do not easily accommodate wide widths. Anything knit flat on circular needles (back and forth) can be knit on straights. Circular projects can also be knit on straight needles by breaking them up into panels and adding seaming stitches to either edge (one per edge). The difficulty here is that if your pattern is written in the round you have to convert the reverse side row stitches appropriately which may be more work than you are willing to do. You can also knit even very large round projects on dpns, if you have enough of them, although there are still some manufacturers out there who still make 12" dpns, but they have to be special ordered.
4. you can knit back and forth on circular needles, the advantage of using circulars over straights is that you dont have the needles jabbing the people beside you, and they are lighter to work with.