▁are ▁useful ▁for ▁swift ▁kn itting , ▁whereas ▁rough er ▁need les ▁such ▁as ▁b am bo o ▁are ▁less ▁pr one ▁to ▁dro pping ▁st itch es . ▁ ▁The ▁kn itting ▁of ▁new ▁st itch es ▁occurs ▁only ▁at ▁the ▁t aper ed ▁ends , ▁and ▁need les ▁with ▁light ed ▁tips ▁have ▁been ▁sold ▁to ▁allow ▁kn it ters ▁to ▁kn it ▁in ▁the ▁dark . ▁ ▁The ▁second ▁type ▁of ▁kn itting ▁need les ▁are ▁straight , ▁double - point ed ▁kn itting ▁need les ▁( also ▁called ▁" dp ns "). ▁Double - point ed ▁need les ▁are ▁t aper ed ▁at ▁both ▁ends , ▁which ▁allows ▁them ▁to ▁be ▁kn it ▁from ▁either ▁end . ▁ ▁D p ns ▁are ▁typically ▁used ▁for ▁circular ▁kn itting , ▁especially ▁smaller ▁t ube - sh aped ▁pieces ▁such ▁as ▁sle e ves , ▁coll ars , ▁and ▁so cks ; ▁usually ▁one ▁need le ▁is ▁active ▁while ▁the ▁others ▁hold ▁the ▁remaining ▁active ▁st itch es . ▁ ▁D p ns ▁are ▁somewhat ▁shorter ▁( typ ically ▁ 7 ▁inches ) ▁and ▁are ▁usually ▁sold ▁in ▁sets ▁of ▁four ▁or ▁five . ▁▁▁ ▁C able ▁need les ▁are ▁a ▁special ▁case ▁of ▁d p ns , ▁although ▁they ▁usually ▁are ▁not ▁straight , ▁but ▁dim ple d ▁in ▁the ▁middle . ▁ ▁C able ▁need les ▁are ▁typically ▁very ▁short ▁( a ▁few ▁inches ), ▁and ▁are ▁used ▁to ▁hold ▁st itch es ▁tempor arily ▁while ▁others ▁are ▁being