Connie, you can use the circulars in place of straights any time. I rarely use straights anymore, since the circulars are most always lighter, and I never have to worry about dropping one on the floor. And I love knitting things in the round so that there is no seam.

The sizing should be no different. Just make sure you are reading the same info when you compare. Does one say 8mm and another 8 US? Those aren't the same. A 5mm will be the same as 8 US.

Depending on your level of skill you might want to use a pattern specifically made for knitting in the round, as opposed to trying to adjust a seamed one to one done in the round.

Good luck.

Thanks a lot Donna,
I want to make a hat without a rolled brim for a collage student. A Girl, Will have to find a pattern for hats on the circular needles.
So how do you keep track of your rows? I have knitted a sweater and flat things on straight needles but nothing
round. This should be fun!
Thanks again,
Connie B.

I just use a ring type marker and slip it as I go. Each time you slip it you can just make a mark on a slip of paper to keep track. Or, if it is easier for you, you can just write down 1, 2, 3, etc. for as many rows as are in the pattern, and cross one off each time you slip the marker. If I'm in the car or out and forgot to bring along a marker I just use a piece of thread or yarn and make a ring out of that.

I made this hat for my mom last year when she was taking chemo. It was fun to make.

Here is a link that might be useful: coronet

Oh this is so pretty, Thank you so much!!
I can't wait to make it for her.

Connie B.

If you knit a hat in the round with circulars, at some point when you're decreasing towards the crown, your reduced number of stitches will be too few to stretch across your needle. You'll then need to switch to double pointed needles, which you may also want to buy along with the circulars. You can avoid the double pointeds if you knit "magic loop" style with one long (40 inches is a good length for this method). I prefer this way because I don't need to buy the double pointeds. If you like using circulars, consider investing in a set of interchangeables like the Denise which come with needles size 5 to 15 and different length cords. I don't use my straight needles anymore, even for flat knitting, since I found that the cirulars distribute the weight of the knitting better and my wrists don't hurt. If you're interested in magic loop knitting, the link is below:

Here is a link that might be useful: magic loop

threejsmom, thanks for that info. I forgot to mention that she would need the dpns or the magic loop method toward the end. I myself have not attempted the magic loop yet.

I also want to mention that if you choose to use dpns, you might wish to try bamboo or another wood, as they weight of the metal needles can often cause them to slip right out of your work and cause you to go into a panic.

Thank you so much for all the information.
I have started the cable band on the hat and it is really pretty.
I have to shop yet for the circular needles so all your help is really appreciated.
I am using a dpn for the cable stitches is this the same as a cable needle??
Donna, did you make this hat with a fold up brim or did you attach the brim to the edge so it is just a slip on hat with no rolled brim?

Connie B.

Double pointed needles and cable needles are not the same thing, but you can certainly use a dpn instead of a cable needle. I prefer to use the wooden dpns for this so the stitches don't slip off the needle, but metal will work, too.

I did make the hat with the fold up brim, but I suppose you could do it without. Just pick up your stitches on the opposite side.

Hi misty,
I just love circular needles, and although most people already know this they come in different lengths as well as different sizes. I have 16" , 24" and 29" (I mostly use 16", but you can get them as long as 36" and I even have a pair of 11½" (it says for cuffs and sleeves) - they are almost all "Susan Bates", but I imagine other people make them. As I said, I use 16" for most everything (especially necks)- it seems to be a good size for hats as well, but maybe a real small baby hat would require the 11½" ones.
I make scarves on them all the time when finished they are double weight and any changing of yarn and colors is done "inside".
Donna, I can hardly wait to make that hat, but I am still not sure how to get the bottom cable part attached to the rest (or did I read the directions wrong?)........and threejsmom, thanks for the info on the dpn's for the top!
Thanks folks,
Elly

Hi, Donna and Elly,
I have made the band for this hat, and am at the point where I have to decide what size to make it.
Even with 16 cables it seems like it will be a little loose for a band.I "tried it on" sort of...
What size did you make Donna? Do you think it runs pretty much true to size?
Had to order the 16 length needles, no one around here sells them. I haven't knitted a lot so I'm glad you people are around if I get stuck.
Can't wait to try the circular needles.
Thanks.
Connie B.

Connie, I made the small. I think that is for a 21" head. It fit as well as the other small hats I made. Good luck. You're going to love the circulars. Let us know if we can help more.

Ok Girls, I've been having a real time with the unraveling of the cast-on row! I'm not sure if I did it right but I have 17 stitches on my needle. I put them on the needle so I DON'T LOOSE THEM!!
as you can tell I am really frazzled.
Now it tells me to graft them together with the [kitchner stitch. "well" I don't have any idea what that is.
One happy thought I did get my circular needles today :0)
Can you please tell me how to do this stitch? sewing, crocheting or knitting it??

Connie B.

I found the instructions on the internet for this stitch.
Looks like I can follow them pretty good.
Thanks for listening, I want to do this well and can't stand it when I don't understand something.
Will let you know how I am doing with the needles.

Connie B.

You'll get it right, Connie. I want to see a picture.

Wow! I did it! I was so glad the joining really looks pretty good.
I found a neat video that explains it very well.
http://www.knittingatknoon.com/kitchenerst.html

Now to get the stitches on the circulars..This should be good, keeping it straight which needle I'm working on.
we'll see.... Thanks Donna, I really appreciate the help.

Connie B.

Donna, I am doing really well on the hat, but I have a row in the decreasing that I don't understand.
it tells me to do this... KO[1,O] *k2tog
Can you please tell me what to do?

Thanks, Connie B.

Connie, depending on the size you are making, it would go like this:

Small: *k2 tog all the way around.
Medium: k1 and then *k2 tog all the way around.
Large: *k2 togetether all the way around.

In other words, just k2 together all the way around, unless you're making size medium and there will be one extra stitch, which you should knit first.

Donna, Thank you again.
I'm having so much fun making this hat. And I love the circular needles!
Will let you know when it's done, and try to send a picture.

Connie B.

Hi Donna,
I sent a picture to the Gallery.
didn't know how to put it in this list.
Let me know if you see it.

Connie

Connie, I was worried I wasn't going to be able to find your photo. Do you know, I have never been to the gallery? Has that link for "switch to gallery" always been there? But I got there. And I had to look at everybody else's stuff, too. Great stuff. Love, love your hat.

misty, You did a great job on the hat! I've just started using circular needles too, and I like them. I wish I could find the 11 1/2" to 16" ones more often in different size needles. Why are they so scarce.? I'm trying to make hats for my 4mo. old granddaughter, and only need small circulars.
Is the band on the hat stretchy? It's a pretty pattern, but it looks like it may have to be made to fit the head, instead of sretching around it very much.

Thank You,
I learned a lot doing this little hat!
Yes, the band is stretchy, it is rolled up so it is warmer over the ears. I loved the circular needles.
It was tricky when I was decreasing down to a small number of stitches and put them on double pointed needles.
I have never worked on them before.
Sure could have used a few extra hands...LOL
But it came out good.
Thanks to Donna!

Did you find doing that kitchener stitch was fairly easy to do? I looked at the site you mentioned, but didn't study it. It didn't look very easy when I glanced at it. I usually do simple projects, I have done cable stitches before, but that kitchener st. looks intimidating.

Foggy, kitchener DOES look intimidating, doesn't it? But once you just jump in and try it, you'll see that it's not that difficult. The coronet hat was actually my first time using it as well.

Thanks Donna,
I looked for the paper that came on the yarn to tell you what color it is but haven't found it, will tell you when I can what the color was.
I found the gallery from a post called...We have a Gallery..
It is on this page of our forum.
It wasn't easy to find, it should really have bigger lettering.

To answer, foggyj, If you look real good at the site you will find it isn't very hard to do that Kitchener stitch. just have to hold the needles horizontal to each other and do what they say.