Stitches

Am knitting pattern needing pointed needles and stitches keep falling off.?

Have tried sealing ends with blue tack (most unsatisfactory) and covers from wool shop but they all fall off, together with my stitches! Have had to start again several times and getting very frustrated. Any help would be most appreciated.

Public Comments

1. Practice and Patience
2. Pointed end needles are usually only for cables. If you are knitting an ordinary sweater or something you need needles with ends. Sounds like your needles are too short. Give us an idea what you are doing.
3. Your needles may be too short for the project, but the needle manufacturers don't seem to understand that 9 or 12 inch DP needles would be really helpful. There are two things that help me, although they can be a bit of a pain to do. First, I take small rubber bands, and band together the ends of the back needles. This traps the stitches onto the back end of the needles. If you are knitting on 4 needles, you only need to do the back point of the triangle. If you are using 5, you will have two back points to band. Then as you move from needle to needle around the circle, keep moving the rubber band. Second, once your piece is a few inches long, you can switch to one larger rubberband, wrapped around the entire project an inch or two below the needles. This will keep the piece gathered up tight, and the stitches will not spread out enough to fall off the back ends. Move the band up every time you knit a couple more inches. However, if you need to see the work below your needles for some reason, you may find this to be in the way. A third option is to switch to circular style needles that are longer than you need. You can continue to use 3 and knit the way you have been, or you can switch to the "two circulars" or "magic loop" method. I don't recommend the short circulars that are intended for socks or cuffs, they are too difficult to manipulate.
4. I have a favorite round dishcloth that this happens with. I have brought some rubber needle protectors that work fine for this very problem. You would have to keep moving them with each round, but it is worth it, not to lose your stitches. You can get a 4 pack of them at Michaels or Joannes for about $3.00. Best of luck to you on your project.
5. I've been knitting for 4 decades and these last few years I got hooked with circular needles. Loved them, you can can have all the sizes,and lengths and most likely you won't loose stitches. The regular craft stores like Michael's or Joanne's don't always carry the best, more flexible ones. If you go to knitpicks.com you can find them and they are very affordable. The one thing I still use double pointed is for socks. Good luck and be patient.
6. It will get better the more you practice. I advise that you switch from aluminum (slippery) needles to bamboo. That was a big help to me, and also make sure your needles are long enough for your project. Circular needles are great too.
7. Don't know if this would help, but in general I dislike aluminum needles and have replaced most of mine with the old baleen needles like we had in the 1960's. Don't know if I've ever seen double-pointed ones, though. Some good suggestions here.
8. BAMBOO needles are not nearly so slippery as plastic needles and metal needles are extremely slippery.
9. I would try a easier needle to work with like Piecemaker Needles good luck
10. You can hook stich savers through the stiches while they are still on the needles so if they fall off it doesn't unravel and I can slide then back on the needles, but I would try switching to circular needles and use stich markers if needed. I highly suggest the dennise interchangable circular knitting needle kit (google it, it is sold online), it is a life saver and almost the only set of needles you will ever use for the rest of your life. I have had mine since I was in eleventh grade and I love it to pieces.
11. You are knitting too loosely and/or have too many stitches on each needle. If you can, use 4 needles, then the 5th on to knit with. Or, you may want to use a 9" or 16" circular needle. Do not listen to the lady who said that pointed-end needles are only used for cables. She obviously knit seamless sweater sleeves or small hats!