This is a big item, lovely and warm and comfortable to wear. The cable detail on the purl garter stitch collar is a key feature and a fun part of the knitting process. In fact, as the front and back are quite large pieces of knitting, we found it helpful to alternate between the body pieces and the collar every now and then. A circular needle is only used to accommodate the number of stitches - you are still working backwards and forwards in rows rather than rounds.