Stitches

How do I work with circular knitting needles?

I'm knitting an infinity scarf, and I got my circ. needles yesterday, and they are super curly and I can't even work with them. Is there a way to make them more relaxed so they're workable? Or is there another way to make an infinity scarf?

Public Comments

1. make a loopdy-loop then pull, and ur scarf is lookin cool!
2. Sometimes you can steam the plastic cable and that will straighten it out. Don't iron it or it will probably melt. Just hit it with some steam. Then, when they aren't in use, don't wind them up like they were in the package. I drape mine across the shoulders of a coat hanger and hang them in the closet. There are several ways to knit an infinity scarf. You can knit it back and forth on straight needles as a long strip and then graft the two ends together. You can knit it as a giant tube on circular needles. You can knit it as a mobius.
3. I run water as hot as I can get it from the tap (160°, I think) into the lavatory basin and soak the needle until the cable is soft. Then I straighten out the cable on a towel and let it get to room temperature before working with it. Some circular needles are more prone to "kink" than are others. Although the more expensive needles are less likely to kink, there are also inexpensive needles that are less likely to kink as well. In my experience, if the cable is thick, clear material that looks like nylon monofilament, it's going to kink, and if it's thin and dark, it is less likely to kink. Your mileage may vary.
4. I always drop them in the kitchen sink in a bowl full of very hot water. This will relax them so when you take them out and lay down on towel straight to cool they will not kink up again.