I have been working on this wrap using a 29-inch circular needle, and it was getting mighty crowded on 29 inches' worth of cable, so I was looking for a longer circular, and I ended up looking at this Knit Picks Options needle set. Despite my better judgment, seeing as though I am basically between jobs and am technically not making ends meet right now (although I have an interview on Wednesday that sounds really hopeful), I bought the the whole acrylic set plus 60-inch cables and two extra sizes of needles so that (a) my order would go over $50 and (b) so I would have all the needle sizes I usually use.
"If of thy mortal goods [or income] thou art bereft, and from thy slender store but two loaves alone to thee are left; Sell one [or in this case whip out the ol' trusty credit card], and with the dole Buy hyacinths [or in this case a new set of circular knitting needles] to feed thy soul." - Musharish-Ud-Din Sadi, adapted for purposes of this post
I have a Denise set that I have got frustrated with so I bought individual Susan Bates 29-inch circulars, but after trying these, now I am sorry that I didn't buy them to start with.
Lest you think this is an advertisement, which it isn't -- just a recommendation to try these in best NAYY tradition -- I will include the instructions on how to knit the wrap I am making. It comes out like "The Big Snuggly," which you can see here:
My directions start you knitting at the inside of the V and working your way out. Pick any size yarn you want. You can knit this using the garter stitch directions below, which is completely reversible, or knit it in any pattern you want, add any border you want, or whatever. Your choice.
Swatching: Knit swatch of desired yarn in desired pattern with whatever size needles it takes until it's drapy and has the texture and openness you want. Measure gauge.
Instructions: Using the non-stretchy cast-on method of your choice (I only know of two casting on methods, and the one I use for this is where you put a loop on your needle and knit it, then start to knit a second stitch but instead of pulling the first stitch off the first needle, you put the new loop on the first needle, creating a second stitch on the needle), cast on 24-36 inches' worth of stitches, whatever makes it fall from the back of the neck to at least the traditional hip level (e.g., 7-9 inches below the natural waist) of the person who is going to wear it so the edges will stay behind their arms nicely, place marker, cast on two stitches, place second marker (I use a different color for these markers so I just have to remember which color comes first on the increase rows), cast on another 24-36 (or whatever) inches' worth of stitches.
Row 1: Knit all stitches, moving markers as appropriate. Row 2: Knit to marker, move marker, K1F&B (or whatever increase method you prefer -- I did YOs for the sportweight one I did in the lace pattern) for 2 stitches (which makes 4 stitches between the markers now), move marker, knit to end.
After that, it's all even and odd rows, and you can knit it as wide as you wish:
Odd rows: Knit all stitches, moving markers when you reach them.
Even rows: Knit until you hit the marker, move marker, K1F&B (or whatever increase method you prefer), knit to stitch before second marker, K1F&B (or whatever increase method you prefer), move marker, knit to end.
Cast off whatever method you wish or feel is appropriate. I only know of one method, and I honestly don't know what it's called, but you just knit 2 stitches, bring the first stitch over the second, knit another stitch and bring the old one over the new one, and repeat until you are done. Maybe there's a better cast-off somewhere that I don't know of, but if you do, you can use it.
I am in the middle of knitting my fifth one, sad to say LOL. The first was single-strand worsted cotton in garter stitch using size 10-1/2 needles, the second one was single-strand worsted acrylic in garter stitch interspersed with 3 rows each of knit and purl stitches I think it was something like every 8 or 10 rows using size 9 needles, the third one was in some brown sportweight Caron Dazzle-Aire yarn that I have had since my teenage years and had never used in a feather-and-fan type of stitch using size 9 or 10 needles, the fourth one was in ivory-colored sportweight Bernat Baby Coordinates (soft of like Lion Brand so-called Homespun yarn but it's sportweight) in a garter lace pattern using size
8 or 9 needles as a gift, and this one is double-strand worsted acrylic using size 11 needles. I am ashamed to say that I am selfishly keeping four of the five for myself except for the one that I made as a gift, but at least the next one I am making is going to be for my 24YO daughter. If I had a cheap source of yarn, I might start knitting these for prayer/comfort shawls if I could find a place that wanted them.