When I started knitting, I just picked up some regular aluminum knitting needles and acrylic yarn and started working. It must not have been a bad combination! But, with all the different needles around, what should you use? Can you (and should you) use the same type of needle for all your knitting projects? Those are the questions I’m going to tackle today.
Straight or Circular or Double Point?
The first thing to decide is if you need straight, circular, or double point needles. The quick and easy answer is to say that you use straight needles for back and forth (flat) knitting, circulars for large-circumference knitting in the round, and double points for small-circumference knitting in the round. But, let’s take a closer look.
Straight needles – These can pretty much only be used for flat knitting.
Double Point needles – These are generally used for small-circumference knitting projects, like socks and hats. However, in a pinch, you can use a pair of double point needles with a cap on one end as straight needles. Most double points are relatively short, though, so this little trick won’t work for trying to make an afghan.
Circular needles – Circular needles are the most versatile of the needle types. You can use a circular needle to do flat knitting by just knitting a row and then sliding the work to the other end of the needle. It also works well for knitting relatively large-circumference projects, but you are limited by the length of the cable. For small-circumference projects, a circular needle can be used for doing the Magic Loop technique. I’ve also been known to do knitting in the round with two circular needles when I didn’t have a cable needle with a cable the right length.
What material should I choose?
Knitting needles come in all kinds of different materials and, like fibers, most have their place.
Straight
Plastic – OK, I don’t want to be a “needle snob” here, but plastic needles just don’t feel good in my hands. The real problem is that the plastic tends to make the yarn “stick” to the needle, an issue that is worse when using acrylic yarn. I have trouble with finding a good use for these.
Acrylic – These are somewhat better than the plastic. They don’t hold on to the yarn the way the plastic does, but they’re still not as smooth as I’d like. They are inexpensive. We had success with using these with kids in the elementary school and library programs.
Aluminum – These are the oldies but goodies. They are inexpensive, come in several lengths, and are good with most yarns. If you are on a limited budget, this is where I’d spend my money.
Bamboo – This is the most common wood used to make knitting needles. It has a great texture that provides just enough “stickiness” to hold very smooth yarns, but not so sticky that it’s hard to work with. They are generally affordable. The only real problem I’ve had with bamboo is that my kitties have occasionally decided to chew on them. I’m now pretty well trained to keep my needles put away.
Other wood – I have a couple of pairs of Rosewood needles that I like. KnitPicks has some beautiful Harmony needles. There are plenty of other wood needles available. Overall, they are often heavier than bamboo and a little pricier, but they can be a nice luxury at times! Hopefully, Patrick will be making some homemade wood knitting needles for us sell at The Knitting Nest – but the first pair are for me!
Double Point Needles
Aluminum and stainless steel – My issue with aluminum (and stainless steel) double points is that my stitches tend to slip. This is more of a problem with double points than straight needles because you knit from needle to needle, leaving the other stitches hanging on the two extra needles.
Bamboo – Bamboo is the most common wood double point needle because the stitches are less likely to slide off. The downside is that the very tiny needles (size 1 and smaller) are more likely to bend or break.
Other wood – I have one set of Harmony size 10 double points that I just LOVE!! Honestly, I can’t say that they are any better than regular bamboo, but they look so cool!
Carbon Fiber – These are pricey little things, but I do love my size 0 carbon fiber needles. They don’t bend like bamboo and provide a nice texture to keep hold of the yarn.
Circular
When considering a circular needle, you need to think about not only the needle portion, but also the cable portion. Ideally, you’d like for the cable portion to be supple with a very smooth join between the needle and cable. Generally, I prefer Hiya Hiya Stainless Steel circulars, but Addi Turbo is also nice. (The Knitting Nest carries the Hiya Hiya brand – they’re high quality and the price is lower than others.) Some brands of circular are now also available in a “lace” version – this means that it has a sharper tip, making it easier to do some of the complicated lace stitches.
Circular needles are also available in sets of interchangeable needle points and cables. The set I got about 5 or 6 years ago has nice aluminum needles, but the joins between needle and cable aren’t smooth and the cables aren’t very supple. That being said, there appear to be some more high-quality sets out these days. If you get a chance to check them out, look specifically at the cables and joins.
I have been purchasing almost exclusively circular needles with 40 inch cables these days. Very rarely do I need something with a cable longer than 40 inches, and I can use Magic Loop technique if the size of the item is too small for the 40 inches. It’s not always ideal, but it’s reasonably cost-effective.
Stainless Steel – This is my favorite material for the needle portion of a circular needle. It is generally pretty smooth and the stitches move easily, but since it’s a circular needle, there’s not the worry about the stitches falling off the back.
Bamboo – This can be nice for working a lace pattern where you might want a little more texture to the needle. The very small needle diameters (1 and smaller) can bend – not necessarily the end of the world, but it bothers me.
Harmony wood – Again, I LOVE how the harmony wood needles look. The feel is much like bamboo. However, I’m not fond of the cables. The join to the needle is not completely smooth and the cable is not as supple as I’d like to use the Magic Loop technique.
Hopefully, the next time you need to choose a needle for your project, you’ll have a little more information with which to make your choice.
So, what’s your favorite knitting needle to use? Did I leave any out? Enquiring minds want to know, so leave a comment!
