How to Loosen Circular Knitting Needles

Circular knitting needles and yarn

Knitters use circular knitting needles for several reasons: the needles are useful both for knitting-in-the-round and flat knitting; they hold a large number of stitches; and many knitters find them more comfortable to knit with than straight needles. However, if the cable is stiffly curled, as is often the case with new circular needles, this can cause some frustration and possibly distort your stitches as you move them along the cable. Luckily, there is a way to loosen an inflexible cable.

Things You'll Need

• Small saucepan
• Stovetop
• Dishcloth

Instructions

1. Fill a small saucepan about halfway with water and bring it to a boil. When the water has reached the boiling point, turn the heat off and take the pan off the stove. Let the water cool down for about five minutes.

2. Take your circular knitting needles and hold one needle in each hand. Lower the cable section of the needles into the hot water in the pan, submerging the cable but not the needles.

3. Hold the cable in the hot water for 10 to 20 seconds, then lift it out.

4. Hold the dishcloth in one hand and one of the needles firmly in the other. Wrap the cloth around one end of the cable and firmly slide it along to the other end of the cable, drying it and smoothing it out. The cable should feel slightly softened and more flexible than it was before.

5. Lower the cable into the hot water for another 10 to 20 seconds, and repeat the smoothing-and-drying process with the cloth. The cable should be softer and more flexible than before.

6. Continue to heat and smooth the cable until it naturally lies flat between the needles, rather than coiling around itself. You may need to heat the water up on the stove again if the water cools too much to have any effect.

Tips & Warnings

• Your cable needle may stiffen again if you store it for a long time. If this happens, just repeat the above process before knitting.

References

• Knitters' Review: Circular Needles