A Primer For People Confused About Knitting Needle Sizes

By Bert Carr


Knitting is an easy and fun filled activity. The choice of the needle has a big influence on this activity. Manufacturers have come up with a variety of knitting needles and other knitting supplies from different materials, shapes and sizes. As a result of this, you have to be careful on the size and kind of needles purchased. Making the right choice will make the project more exciting and easier. Some considerations to make when shopping for the right size are discussed below.

Firstly, have your knitting patterns in mind. This is for the reason that some needles are better for some assignments than others. Circular projects for instance, will need smaller pointers. To make the work simpler in this case, ensure that the chosen one has a smaller circumference that that of the item you are making. In the same light, cable stitches will need short cable pointers.

Another factor that will guide your choice is the type of the item being knitted. This is because some pointers are more suitable for certain items than others. For this reason, you should ensure that the size of the needle you pick best suits the making of the item being made.

You have to consider the size of the prickle also. Stitches should not be hard making because of the length of the needle, but be easy. To simplify the task, large activities will need pointers large. An advantage of smaller project is that they do have limited restrictions and can use pointers of any size. It will be recommendable choosing a pointer with length related to the type of project to do. The practice will consume a lot of time and be tiring as well, if the selection of the needle is wrong.

The yarn to be used in the project is another consideration to be made. In cases where thick yarn is used, large pointers should be selected to make sure that the yarn fits through. For thin yarns, small pointers will fit well hence should be picked.

The other factor worth considering is the material used in making the prickle. This is so because some sizes of needle pointer will be dependent on the kind of material used in making them. Plastic, bamboos and wooden sticks are materials commonly known for making needles with large pointers. Those pointers made using metal are of different sizes, and are good for a large number of projects. It is worth noting that pointers; depending on the material used in making them will fit persons differently. Therefore, for beginners, it will be a good idea trying diverse materials.

Lastly, make sure to use a chart list when needle shopping. The chart guides you on the different sizes available and it can be gotten from the internet or your local store. There are differing sizes in the column therefore; you should take your time to study the chart. The range will include US, UK and old US sizes.

Conclusively, when purchasing knitting needles, ensure you pick the right size. This will make you use little time and energy in your project. In case you doubt what size suits your need, feel free to ask the storekeeper but be sure to specify the project you are undertaking for you to obtain accurate guidance.




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