DPNs (or Devil Produced Needles)

It’s official.  If using double pointed needles (dpns) were the only way to knit a sleeve or a sock, nothing I ever made would have sleeves and I would never venture into sock-knitting.  Seriously, I am convinced they were invented by the devil himself (who also, incidentally, invented pantyhose and wallpaper).  They even look scary.  Have you ever seen someone knitting with dpns?  Look it up on YouTube.  Even when a knitting expert like Eunny Jang knits with dpns, I shudder.  I tried it, really I did.  But, well…it wasn’t pretty.  In fact, the one set of dpns I own would be in the trash already if I didn’t have an overactive guilt gene (four bucks is four bucks).  Whatever…

The good news is, some incredible genius found another way to knit things that are tubular and small in circumference: with two circular needles (and the angels sang).  And so, the sweater I am knitting a loved-one for Christmas shall have sleeves!  That’s right, a sweater that will actually cover and warm each entire arm (both of relatively the same length, I hope).  Please, hold your applause. 

Not that two circulars make sleeves a piece of cake for someone at my level of knitting skill.  I’m on my second cast-on of the same sleeve, but I’m blaming our dogs.  Yesterday, after I had my stitches cast on and a couple of rows knit, five of our six Dachshunds decided to jump up and run across the room, barking like a serial killer was trying to break into the house (I think it was only an acorn falling from the tree out back or maybe a blade of grass growing too loudly – stupid dogs).  Their outburst made me jump so violently that I actually pulled one of my circulars completely out of half of my sleeve stitches.  I might have been able to save the baby sleeve but for one rogue stitch that seemed to have developed its own path to nowhere.  After a brief period where I contemplated stabbing each of the aforementioned dogs with my unused dpns, I frogged it (ripped it out = rip it…rippit, rippit…like a frog).  It was at this point my poor husband came home from work to find me scowling and rubbing my temples and not caring in the least at that moment how his day had been.  He wisely decided to go mow the lawn, leaving me with face in hands, muttering to myself. 

Attempt number two has gone better, although I haven’t gotten very far.  And while I am very pleased with the tubular cast-on method I used (again, YouTube – what a great FREE resource for learning how to knit stuff), unfortunately, I’m still not really good at joining in the round.  Does anyone else have a gap problem at the join?  Other than that, the baby sleeve is looking pretty good.  I’m hoping to work it into at least adolescence tonight.  I think I’ll leave the dogs outside…

What are your thoughts on dpns?  Or share a funny or frustrating story.