[Lesley Silvester]

Whenever I have tried knitting on dpns I have given up because I end up with the work straining across two needles and two spares.  Today I received a book I ordered called 'How to knit socks' which gives three methods.  The first method was knitting on dpns so I tried it with a hat pattern and I can do it. 

Where I had been going wrong was by having just three needles and knitting in the round rather than four needles and having the work on three, so using the spare to knit with.  Isn't it amazing how easy something is when you know how?

BTW the hat is using my very first handspun.

[Fleecewife]

Some dpns come in sets of five which are even easier to work with.  Isn't it great suddenly realising that you can do something you thought was too difficult 
 
Circular needles come in a variety of sizes, although I find the tiniest sock versions too small to work with so prefer dpns for tiny items and cuffs etc. I knit as much as I can in the round.  The only drawback I can find is that larger garments such as jumpers tend to bag and get very long, without seams to restrict the stretching.
 
You have certainly made a big comeback into the craft world   

[Bionic]

MGM, Well done for not giving up with the dpns and to be using your own handspun wool. How fantastic is that?
I expect to see you buying lots of crafts things at Wonderwool 

[Dans]

I use 5 dpns and can't imagine using 4. Knitting spread out over the 4 and then one working needle. I was doing some cabling though that called for 2 cable needles, so ended up with 7 needles, That was fun!

Dans

[Bodger]

My wife knits socks like crazy and she's knitted socks for most of the family. She tells me that she uses magic loop needles and that that, will make sense to you knitters. All that I know, is that my socks are the envy of all my friends and that they're the best I've ever had. Here are a few of the many thats she's knitted for me.
 
 
 
 

[Bionic]

Wow, they look fantastic. I just wish my OH was as appreciative.  I knitted him some socks for christmas and he says he doesn't know what to do with them 
 
Wear them of course

[Bodger]

My favourite ones are in the wash.

[Fleecewife]

Great socks - I really love the plum and white stripey ones     Lucky you - when I want socks I have to knit them myself 
 
I'm assuming the magic loops needles your wife uses are the same as the mini circulars, which I find too small to use, but wish I didn't 

[Lesley Silvester]

Love those socks, especially the bottom ones.

Magic needle is knitting on a circular needle that is too long for the size of the garment you are making so you do it in a loop.  Hmmm that doesn't even make sense to me and I know what I'm talking about.  I'll copy the bit out of my sock book.

"Use a circular needle with a sturdy cable and a length of at least 30 inches.  stitches are knitted from one end of the needle onto the other end while maintaining a loop of cable between one half of the stitches and the other half."

If that still doesn't make sense, there are several videos on Youtube about it.

[Bodger]

I#ll if I can get Karen to join the forum. I think that she's a member of at least two knitting type forums.

[Fleecewife]

I'm feeling really stupid today MGM as I can't really picture it 
 
However you have reminded me that you can knit in the round using two small circular needles instead of 4 or 5 straight dpns, which would be the best of both worlds for socks 

[Lesley Silvester]

That was the other method in the book I bought but I haven't tried that.  I would look on Youtube to see what magic needle knitting is like.  It's really hard to explain.

[Bodger]

Wifey ( she'd kill me if she knew I've called her that ) finished these this morning. They're for my mothers birthday.
 
 
 
 

[Bionic]

Very nice, I am sure your mother will love them 

[FiB]

Love those socks, especially the bottom ones.

Magic needle is knitting on a circular needle that is too long for the size of the garment you are making so you do it in a loop.  Hmmm that doesn't even make sense to me and I know what I'm talking about.  I'll copy the bit out of my sock book.

"Use a circular needle with a sturdy cable and a length of at least 30 inches.  stitches are knitted from one end of the needle onto the other end while maintaining a loop of cable between one half of the stitches and the other half."

If that still doesn't make sense, there are several videos on Youtube about it.

Ha! Glad I'm not alone!  Ive got one of those needles cause I thought it looked like the easiest method - cant get past the casting on instructions!  Over the gate - where are you and does your wife do any workshops - I'd pay to come and be started off!