▁kn itted . ▁ ▁C able ▁patterns ▁are ▁made ▁by ▁perm uting ▁the ▁order ▁of ▁st itch es ; ▁although ▁one ▁or ▁two ▁st itch es ▁may ▁be ▁held ▁by ▁hand ▁or ▁kn it ▁out ▁of ▁order , ▁c ables ▁of ▁three ▁or ▁more ▁generally ▁require ▁a ▁cable ▁need le . ▁ ▁The ▁third ▁need le ▁type ▁consists ▁of ▁circular ▁need les , ▁which ▁are ▁long , ▁flexible ▁double - point ed ▁need les . ▁ ▁The ▁two ▁t aper ed ▁ends ▁( typ ically ▁ ▁long ) ▁are ▁rig id ▁and ▁straight , ▁allowing ▁for ▁easy ▁kn itting ; ▁however , ▁the ▁two ▁ends ▁are ▁connected ▁by ▁a ▁flexible ▁str and ▁( us ually ▁n yl on ) ▁that ▁allows ▁the ▁two ▁ends ▁to ▁be ▁brought ▁together . ▁ ▁Circ ular ▁need les ▁are ▁typically ▁ 2 4 - 6 0   in ches ▁long , ▁and ▁are ▁usually ▁used ▁sing ly ▁or ▁in ▁pairs ; ▁again , ▁the ▁width ▁of ▁the ▁kn itted ▁piece ▁may ▁be ▁significantly ▁longer ▁than ▁the ▁length ▁of ▁the ▁circular ▁need le . ▁ ▁Special ▁k its ▁are ▁available ▁that ▁allow ▁circular ▁need les ▁of ▁various ▁lengths ▁and ▁diam eters ▁to ▁be ▁made ▁as ▁needed ; ▁rig id ▁ends ▁of ▁various ▁diam eters ▁may ▁be ▁sc rew ed ▁into ▁str ands ▁of ▁various ▁lengths . ▁ ▁The ▁ability ▁to ▁work ▁from ▁either ▁end ▁of ▁one ▁need le ▁is ▁convenient ▁in ▁several ▁types ▁of ▁kn itting , ▁such ▁as ▁s lip - st itch ▁versions ▁of ▁double ▁kn