[StitchNStash]

I thought this might be an interesting topic for us to discuss. I've been wondering about this ever since seeing a couple of people using extra long needles to knit blankets.

I myself have always used circular knitting needles for knitting blankets. Having said that it surprises me how many people prefer to use extra long knitting needles for this task because they really don't like the feel of the short tips of circular needles.

What is your personal preference and why?

 

[Jessica-Jean]

Short circulars are good too, when working huge mitred squares blankets.

I do have straight needles of many sizes and several lengths. The reason I stopped using them is loss of either manual dexterity to keep ahold of the just emptied one, or lack of desire to chase it down when it eventually falls to the floor.

When the empty tip of a circular is dropped, it can’t go far … unless you’re transferring the work from one circular to another, as I found out when transferring 400-odd stitches from short (28”) circular to long (60”) to take a better progress photo.

Which came first? Did the almost constant use of circulars cause me to become accustomed to dropping the empty tip, or is it ageing? I don’t know, but I sincerely doubt I’ll ever return to using straight needles again. I should give the rest away … someday.

Some of my big SEAMLESS blankets worked on short circulars:

JessicaJean's Grandnephew's

Saw the pattern page on Ravelry for the Isosceles Shawl. Besides the high price, I really don’t need or want another triangular shawl. So this will be my variation on it with the pointy ‘wings’ re...

www.ravelry.com

JessicaJean's Blues Blanket Redux

60 sts/side of larger square. 5 mm crochet hook for crochet hook cast on. On every row, slip first stitch knitwise; purl last stitch. Centre double decrease: k2tog twice. Darkest navy: #1 begun ...

www.ravelry.com

JessicaJean's Mitered Blue and Purple

Ball band says: 85% Polyacryl / 15% Polyamid Suggested needle size: 3.50 to 4.00mm. Gauge: 22 sts/30 rows for 10cm. This is a fuzzy, two-ply yarn, even though its WPI says it’s worsted weight; on...

www.ravelry.com

 

[ChasingRainbows]

I only knit with circulars, regardless of the size of the project - from preemie hats to blankets. I sit in a recliner with padded arms when I knit, so straight needles don't work for me. They keep hitting the armrests.

I did start out knitting with straight needles, but when I discovered the versatility of circulars, I donated all my straight needles and DPNs.

 

[MMWRay]

I gave up long needles back in the 70s as soon as I got my hands-on circulars. The long needles are just not ergonomic.
It isn't the short tips that deter folks for circulars come with long tips too, the length of a double point.

 

[leftyknitter21]

I also use circular needles for whatever I'm knitting, be it a headband, baby clothes, blankets or anything else. I quit using straight needles years ago because I always had at least one dog laying at my side and the straight needles tended to gouge/goose the dog and he/she didn't like it. Well, if you need reason to change, that's as good as any,

I also have lots and lots of straight needles which I need to give away or get rid of somehow.

 

[GrumpyGramma]

Circulars. I rarely use anything else. I can't imagine trying to wrangle a straight needle long enough to accommodate a good sized throw or blanket. I also prefer my needles leashed together because I am a klutz and get tired of chasing down the dropped needle very quickly - and the older I get the more I dislike it. Straight needles were forever getting caught in my sleeves too. For me it's circs for everything other than dpn for dropping down to fix mistakes and then I want extra needles so I can corral the dropped ones all at the same time.

 

[chickkie]

The only straight needles I own are very short ones, and even they don't get used. I use circular for everything. I can't imagine the weight of a blanket on long needles. Talk about sore hands, arms and shoulders if I tried that.

 

[Jessica-Jean]

I also use circular needles for whatever I'm knitting, be it a headband, baby clothes, blankets or anything else. I quit using straight needles years ago because I always had at least one dog laying at my side and the straight needles tended to gouge/goose the dog and he/she didn't like it. Well, if you need reason to change, that's as good as any,

I also have lots and lots of straight needles which I need to give away or get rid of somehow.

I wonder if gardeners could use them?

 

[rainie]

The longest straight needles I have are 14" which are used only for 2 needle 2AAT mittens. I use circulars for 99% of my other projects.

 

[silkandwool]

I mostly use circular needles for whatever I'm knitting.

 

[Jessica-Jean]

The only straight needles I own are very short ones, and even they don't get used. I use circular for everything. I can't imagine the weight of a blanket on long needles. Talk about sore hands, arms and shoulders if I tried that.

I imagine that knitters who tuck the end of a long straight needle under an arm or into a knitting belt would argue that the weight of a large blanket doesn’t bother their hands, arms, or shoulders.

 

[chickkie]

I imagine that knitters who tuck the end of a long straight needle under an arm or into a knitting belt would argue that the weight of a large blanket doesn’t bother their hands, arms, or shoulders.

Well, I am not one of those knitters, and I did say "if I tried that".

 

[Fidrocki]

I use circulars for blankets but straight ones for everything else. I have my mother’s straight needles in every size imaginable and, well, I just like using them. And pragmatically I don’t have to buy needles. Besides, these babies know how to knit on their own!

 

[targa416]

I hardly ever use straight needles anymore, except for casting on Chinese Waitress, which for some reason I find easier that way. The far ends of straight needles get way too heavy with a lot of stitches and circulars just let that weight drop into my lap. Much easier, and also I like to just let the needle drop when all the stitches have been knitted off it. It can’t go far when it’s joined to another one. Kind of like our mittens when we were kids, that were tethered to each other so we couldn’t lose one, LOL.

 

[Nanknit]

I use circulars for most things these days. I feel a bit clumsy knitting with straight needles now. About 7 years ago I bought my Addi Lace long tip interchangeable set and I love them. When I do my corner to corner scrappy blankets I use a short cord to start with then I increase the cord length as needed. It works for me and that’s what counts. Jen.

 

[bettyirene]

I ONLY use circulars if I HAVE to....I prefer to do blankets etc by knitting strips (on straight needles) and sewing (or crocheting) the strips together.

 

[cat_woman]

I don't use straight needles for much anymore. I lost too many. The lightening struck one day way back in the early 80s when i was home sick watching a craft show and the person mentioned that they never lose their other needle using circulars. From that day each time I started a new project , I bought the corresponding circular needle and eventually I had all the sizes I could ever use. The only time I use straights these days is knitting the brim for the 1898 hat, and I use 8" dpns for that.

 

[Jessica-Jean]

I don't use straight needles for much anymore. I lost too many. The lightening struck one day way back in the early 80s when i was home sick watching a craft show and the person mentioned that they never lose their other needle using circulars. From that day each time I started a new project , I bought the corresponding circular needle and eventually I had all the sizes I could ever use. The only time I use straights these days is knitting the brim for the 1898 hat, and I use 8" dpns for that.

I used to use double-pointed needles for finishing the crown on the 1898 Hat, until I forgot them at home, and really wanted the hat off my needles, so I could start the next one. That was the day I finally learned to do Magic Loop. Since then, my one HiyaHiya fixed 5mm circular lives in my 1898 Hat project bag, usually with a hat in progress on it. My dpns gather dust, right beside my straight needles.

 

[mildredL2]

I can't remember the last time I used straight needles, now I use circulars (mostly interchangeables) for everything.

 

[run4fittness]

I use both. It all depends on the size of the afghan and the weight of the yarn. I have some short straights that are great to knit with. The smaller baby afghans work great on them.