comments:
If I buy 4 inch tips for 16 inch/40cm circular cable, can I knit sleeves without having to do magic loop? No, unless you are making wide sleeves that don't taper at the wrist. For bell sleeves, that might be ok. Are 3 inch tips better for sleeves without having to do magic loop? Maybe, but 2 inch tips are better, and you still need a cable much shorter than 16". If you make a fairly fitted sleeve, it is fairly close to sock-sized by the time you get to your wrist. I have 3" tips with a 20cm/8" cable (total length 14"), and I really have to stretch the stitches out to work the sleeve cuffs, so I usually give up and do magic loop or use DPNs at that point, because it's really just too long. 2" needles with an 8" cord (12" total) would probably work, and would be the maximum total length I'd suggest if you really want to avoid magic loop. One set that you might consider is the Guclud 2" shortie set. They certainly aren't "premium" needles by any means, but they are decent and I think they're a great value for the price. I don't have the 2" set, but I do have the 3" set and find myself reaching for those even more often than my much more expensive needles, even when I don't need the shorter length tips. I like the sharp tips and the light weight of the aluminum tips compared to my stainless steel ones. In retrospect, I wish I had purchased the 2", as it would definitely be better for sleeves since it comes with a 6" cable.