Double Pointed Needles

I admit it, I'm hooked. I LOVE double pointed needles. I know that these are the bane of some knitter's existence. I know that some people make socks with magic loop so they can avoid the evilness of double pointed needles, but honestly, I think I'd do everything circular with my double pointed needles if I could.

I made my very first pair of mittens on double pointed needles just before Christmas. I liked it so much, I made another pair of gloves, and 3 pairs of children's mittens. I couldn't get enough of the double pointed needle action that I decided to make socks! Now, probably mostly related to the double pointed needle mania I LOVE making socks too.

Why are double pointed needles so great? Let me count the ways:

1. They make me feel sophisticated. Hey! I can knit with 4 needles at once.... Well sorta
2. I get a little rush of accomplishment every time I finish a needle and move on to the next one (yes, I know I'm really easy to please).
3. You always know where the start of the round is. It's usually at the break between 2 needles, unless you moved it for some reason.
4. You have 3 "built in" stitch markers! It's easy to arrange the stitches so that the break in the needles falls just where you need a marker (like where you put the gusset in socks, or start decreasing for the toe, or to section off a cable pattern, etc)
5. You can have as few stitches on the needles as you want without them ever getting too tight to work. Yes I know that you are limited on having too many, or they'll fall off the ends, but dpn DO make decreasing at the top of a hat much easier, admit it.
6. They are always at the correct angles so they don't hurt my wrists. I have problems with circular needles wanting to both droop down under the weight of the stitches, when I want my right hand needle up at an angle.
7. You only ever have to deal with the weight of 1/3 of the stitches on your right hand, while the rest hangs nicely centered in the middle.
8. It's really easy to switch in a different sized needle for that 1 small section where your gauge goes all wonky, and then to switch back. (my stockingette is notoriously looser when knit back and forth than it is in the round, so I down grade my needles for the heel flap of my socks).
   

Don't be afraid of those cute little packages of double pointed needles! Maybe you too will fall in love with your double pointed needles. Please note, this is not a picture of my needles. This is a picture of the set of Bamboo needles I'm lusting after.