Knitting needles to a knitter is what a pen is to a writer. Knitting kit is nevercomplete without knitting needles.
Knitters today have opportunities to use needles produced all over the world.Selecting a needle is an important consideration.Your knitting needle can be the source of great pleasure or the cause of much frustration. Beginners need needles with a surface that will hold the stitches and keep them from slipping while they make the stitches and learn the techniques. With more experience, the knitter wants just the opposite, a needle surface that allows the stitches to move quickly along the needle surface.
Your style of knitting and type of yarn determines the needle point that will work best for you. If you tend to be a tight knitter, a needle with a long, thin tapered point would suit you best. Rounded tips seem to suit knitters with loose tension. Points that are very sharp tend to split the yarn and drag against the other needle while knitting, which makes knitting go slower.
Blunt points are good with fuzzy yarns, but are clumsy for cables. Select a needle tip to match your yarn and knitting style. If you are just learning to knit, choose a wooden needle and a wool yarn and grow from there.
Knitting needles have number sizes, the lower the number the smaller the needle diameter. However, there are no set standards. A needle size will differ in diameter from brand to brand. For instance, size 6 addi Turbo is 4.00 mm while a size 6 Brittany Birch is 4.00 mm.
Most knitters gauge will also differ depending which kind of material is used in the needle. Each material slips or grips the yarn differently and that influences the stitch size. The knitting needle that will be best for you depends not only on the material it is made of but also your knitting gauge and style.
Knitting needles are made from a variety of materials each offering different characteristics to the hand knitter.
Some common types of Knitting needles:
Bamboo:
Bamboo needles are imported from Japan. These needles are popular because they are light weight, highly polished, warm to the touch, strong and good for arthritic hands. In fact, they are up to 60% lighter than aluminum needles. Stitches stay in place on bamboo needles so they are easier to learn on than slippery metal needles. Those with polished surfaces move stitches faster than those with a waxed finish. Bamboo needles are more flexible than metal and less flexible than casein or plastic needles.
Metal:
In general, metal knitting needles are the heaviest needles. They are stronger than other kinds of knitting needles and do not easily bend. Metal needles are cold to the touch and slippery.
Wood
Wooden knitting needles tend to be smooth but not slippery, making them a good choice for beginning knitters and for those who use slippery yarns. The finish is different on each brand so check to see if they are to your liking Knitting needles come in a variety of styles. There are single point, double point, circular and flex needles. Each one is used for specific kinds of knitting.
Single Point needles:
Straight knitting needles are used for flat knitting. They have a knob on one end which keeps the stitches from falling off the needle. Needle shafts come in a range of lengths from 9 to 14 inches. Choose a length that will accommodate all your stitches but not so long so that it feels unwieldy. The shorter length straight needles are easiest for beginners to use.
Double Point needles:
Double Point knitting needles are used for circular knitting, usually on small projects such as socks, gloves, mittens, hats, and toys. They are available in lengths from 4 to 18 inches. The 4-inch needles are also known as glove needles.
Circular knitting needles:
Circular knitting needles continue to increase in popularity. They come in a range of cable lengths from 12 to 60 inches. Longer cables will accommodate more stitches than straight needles, so they are favored by afghan knitters. Most of the connecting cables are made of nylon. Soft, flexible cables are easier to use than stiff ones. Stitches move more freely on smaller diameter cables. Circular knitting needles are available in both straight and bent styles.
Flex needles:
Flex knitting needles are similar to cable needles but have a cut cable with a stopper on the end. They are used for knitting flat pieces. They have been available for many years and are popular among European knitters. Flex knitting needles are used in place of straight needles. They are more compact (take less knitting room) than straight needles.
Yarns also have characteristics that make one kind of needle surface more conducive to knitting than a knitting needle of another material. In general, knitters use knitting needles with more grip on slippery yarns and needles with more slip with yarns having more texture.
Choose your knitting needles based on your skill level, the characteristics of your yarn and your style of knitting and once you get the right knitting needles explore your creativity and bring warm in other peopleís lives.
