This weekend I was forcefully coerced into knitting given the wonderful gift of a skein of yarn on the condition that I use it to knit a beanie for my husband. The wonderful people that gave me the yarn raise alpacas, and it was spun from the fleece of their own animals. How cool is that? You can read about them here and here.
Anyways, I told them that I knew how to knit. I have discovered that this is not true. I ONCE knew the rudiments of knitting. When I started trying to make said beanie, I realized that in reality, I haven’t knitted for probably 5 years- since I learned to crochet. I also remembered that I never knitted anything except rectangles in straight knit stitch. So trying to knit a beanie in stockinette on circular needles proved to a LITTLE challenging! I have to laugh at myself. I went out and bought circular needles, but I didn’t know that there are different lengths, or even that the length even matters. So those had to go back, being about two times too long. Then I had to find a website that would reteach me how to cast on (I did know that at one time); I also had to relearn knit and purl stitch AND learn for the first time how to join in the round. Knitty.com and the Stitch Diva both helped me out with their tutorials. So after two days of attempting to make a hat, this is where I am:
Not much progress. Because I have knitted and frogged and knitted and frogged… I’m glad I decided to practise on some cheapo yarn I had left over. I have enjoyed stretching myself, and trying to figure out how to do this, but I’m definitely not to the place that knitting is relaxing yet.
So I have some questions for you super knitters out there. How do you make the plastic part of the circular needles not all curly? What is the best method for joining knitting in the round? I found one way, but you can obviously tell where it is joined. Maybe that’s just because I don’t know what I’m doing and it’ll get better. How do you get the stitches to move evenly around your needles? I feel like I’m stopping every 3 stitches to adjust the stitches that are on the needles. Thanks! I’m sure there will be further posts on this crafting adventure.
Willing Hands 
Oh wow! Why don’t you crochet him a beanie??? Must you knit it? Goodness, I don’t have a clue how to knit in the round. I’m so impressed!!
He doesn’t want a CROCHETED beanie! He has to have a KNITTED one! So that was part of the deal.
Rachel –
What is frogged? Obviously something I don’t know.
I’ll try to help you out. The circular needles will always curl a little bit so you just have to be patient with that. Next, cast on in increments of 8 (usually 64 does it). Then do one extra cast on, now change hands putting the needles in the opposite hands. Take the last stitch cast on and put it on the opposite needle and take the last stitch on that needle and put it over that stitch you just transferred over. This will allow you to link the two together and you will be left with 64 stitches because you just got rid of the extra one.
To start the rim of the beanie so that it doesn’t curl – do knit a row, purl a row 5 times and then just knit, knit, knit for about 26 rows. Then you will begin decreasing. When you get to that part, let me know and I will try to help out. Can’t wait to see it when you are done.
Leigh
Place the plastic part of the circular needles in boiling water for 30 secs.-1 min. When you remove it from the hot water, the plastic should be somewhat malleable. Gently tug and smooth the plastic when you remove it to try to straighten it. You may have to do this a few times.
Okay, I didn’t see where you posted on HOW you managed to break the needles, but I’m assuming you didn’t switch to double-pointed needles when you began decreasing…that’s the trick, or the imperative, really.
I learned the hard way too 😉