knucks joining row: don't do it on three needles!!

[pamelamama]

have you people seriously been trying to knit the joining row on three needles? there is no need for that.

http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEsummer06/PATTknucks.html

Join Fingers
[see pics in FINISHING below]

Arrange fingers on needles as follows:

Place first 6[7, 8] sts of ring and middle fingers and first 5[6, 7] sts of little finger on one needle with litle finger at end; place remaining sts of these fingers on a second needle, as shown.




So you see, the three fingers are on two needles, split front and back. The index finger, still separate, is connected to the working yarn and it is on three needles. You work the index finger as indicated below in red. Then you start joining. Use as many needles as you want! Don't just use three. I think I sometimes use six, if I have em.

Joining Round: Using one needle, k first 4[5, 6] sts of index finger, ssk, k first 2 sts of middle finger together, k2[3, 4], ssk, k first 2 sts of ring finger together, k2[3, 4], ssk, k first 2 sts of little finger together, k3[4, 5]; using second needle, k next 3[4, 5] sts of little finger, ssk, k first 2 sts of ring finger together, k2[3, 4], ssk, k first 2 sts of middle finger together, k2[3, 4], ssk, k first 2 sts of index finger together, k4[5, 6]. 34[42, 50] sts. You are at the beginning of the round; place a safety pin or other marker here to indicate this.

what am I missing? why are people struggling to knit around on three needles?

[pamelamama]

If you don't have a sixth needle in the right size, just put the three-finger-piece on any two spare needles, size threes or what-have-you. You only need the correct size needle for the working needle, ya dig?

[aliceinreality]

hey, i started trying to make these yesterday and got the fingers all ready to go. i'm a bit of a novice when it comes to knitting, but this is the first thing that i have ever encountered where i was too stumped to continue.

are you saying you should knit the three remaining fingers onto the three needles that the index finger is on? i am not sure i understand, and if you have any more pictures, that would be incredibly helpful.

=/