KNITTING NEEDLES FOR BEGINNERS

Does it really matter? YES! Golfers us different clubs. Fishermen use different rods, flies & lures. My wife has a different type of hoodie for every occasion. Knitters have an assorted selection of needles! Different types of needles work better for different types of yarn and for different style of knitting.

Yes, there is enough to know about knitting needles that it warrants its own article… You will find that knitter have strong opinions on many things, especially yarn and needles.

The more you knit the more opportunity you will have to try different types of needles made from different materials. You will likely find yourself gravitating to one material over the others and learn if you like double pointed needles, the magic loop method, knitting in the round, interchangeable or fixed.

I hope you enjoy the information below! Please leave a comment and let me know what you found helpful and what additional information you would like to have.

 

Needle Types

 

Straight Needles:

Straight needles are the original knitting needle option. They could also be called single pointed needles because they are pointed on only one end. The other end has a stopper, so the yarn doesn’t slip off.

You can knit anything with straight needles BUT they still have their limitations. You cannot knit “in the round” with straight needles, you can only knit “flat” pieces. So yes, you can knit things like hats, mittens, sweaters etc. BUT you must knit them in pieces and sew them together. This can leave seems that most people would rather avoid. If the idea of knitting a sweater in multiple pieces and sewing them together, straight needles might be fine for you.

If you would rather knit things in one piece OR as few pieces as possible, you might consider one of the other options below. I personally avoid straight needles at all costs. One, because they are more difficult to use being that they are usually much longer than other needles. The longer the needles are the harder they are to maneuver. Two, circular needles can be used for the same thing so why purchase straight needles and circular needles when you can save some money!

As with everything in knitting though, use what is most comfortable to you.

When to use them: Scarfs, Blankets, hats & sweaters when knitted flat and sewn together.

 

Double Pointed Needles:

Double pointed needles (DPNS) are just like they sound. They have points on both ends. This allows you to knit in one direction and for the yarn to then slip off the opposite end when the time comes. DPNS come in sets of 5 needles. Most projects are knitted across 4 needles with the 5^th needle being the working needle that is used to actually knit the stitches.

 Double pointed needles were the original option for knitting “in the round”. Knitting in the round means knitting in a circle. This is what allows you to knit things like hats & socks without having seams where the two ends are sewn together.

I learned to knit in the round with double pointed needles and it is how I still prefer to knit my smaller projects in the round such as socks and small baby hats. Larger circular projects like sweaters are better done on circular needles.

When to use them: Socks, Hats, stuffed animals. Smaller circular projects knit in the round.

 

Circular Needles:

Circular needles are two needles connected by a pliable cable. The cable can be different lengths in order to better fit different sized projects. A hat will need a shorter cable than a sweater.

Cable needles are extremely versatile and can be used in place of straight needles and double pointed needles. There is even a technique for circular needles called the “magic loop method” that is used to knit smaller projects in the round that would normally be better suited for DPNS.

Not all circular needles are created equal. I would recommend always opting for circular needles that have a “memory free” cable connect the needles. This allows them to be more pliable and versatile without kinking the cable and ruining the set.

When to use them: For just about anything! Flat projects, socks, hats, sweaters etc.

 

Interchangeable Circular Needles:

These have become the go to for all knitting projects. If I could start all over again as a beginner this is the direction I would go. Interchangeable needles are circular needles that allow you to change the size of the needles and the length of the cable to fit whatever project you are working on.

This means instead of collecting sets of straight needles, DPNS and circular needles, you can just collect interchangeable needles. EVEN BETTER THAN THAT, you can purchase an entire set of interchangeable circular needles. The sets come with most all sizes of needles you will need as well as different cable lengths. By purchasing one set you can be covered for almost any knitting project that will come your way.

When to use them: Really, anything. The only times these might not work would be for some specialty projects.

 

Needle Materials

 

Bamboo:

Just as you might suspect, these are made of bamboo. I began knitting on bamboo needles when I lived in Germany because they were the most common around. Bamboo needles grip the yarn better meaning the yarn does not slide around as easily. This makes these great for beginners but if you knit your stitches too tight it can be frustrating as well. Bamboo is also very lightweight which some people prefer in their needles to help avoid fatigue.

 One downside to bamboo needles comes with the smaller diameter or narrower needles. These can be broken or bent. My bamboo double pointed needles that I like to knit socks with have all become warped over time and they all have a slight bend in them. I think this is neat, like a patina almost but I can also see how someone would not like it. Bamboo needles will also often be considered slower to knit with because the yarn doesn’t slide as easily.

When to use them: Great for beginner knitters!

 

Wood:

I enjoy knitting with the newer wood needles. The newer wood needles you will find are coated with a nice finish that makes the slick. I like this because it allows the yarn to slide around on the needles very well but also gives you the light weight feel you get with bamboo needles. To me, these are the best of both worlds. The slickness of these needles is not as great as you would get with some of the metal needles, but I feel I am still able to knit just as fast. If bamboo is too grippy for you and metal needles are too slick, wood might be the perfect middle ground for you!

When to use them: When you desire and slicker needle surface with a more lightweight feel.

 

Metal:

Metal needles come in variations as well. You will find them in aluminum, brass and nickel plated.

Aluminum needles will be very lightweight but also not as durable. They will be more prone to bending. They grip the yarn more and also usually have a more rounded tip, making precision knitting a little more difficult.

Brass needles are a little heavier which some people prefer. The tips of brass needles are very pointed which make them excellent for precision knitting such as lace projects. One thing I never liked about brass needles is I feel the get “grimy”. I felt like I had to always clean the needles in order to keep the yarn from sticking to them. If you tend to knit a little tighter than average, your yarn will tend to stick to brass.

Last, Nickel plated needles are something else! If you feel the need for speed, these are for you. The tips are a good for most projects but not as precision as brass. I am not a huge fan of nickel-plated needles although I did use them a lot before I started using wood needles.

When to use them: Match the type of metal to almost any project.

 

Plastic:

Plastic are the least expensive needles and in my opinion they least pleasant to knit with. I feel like they are too light weight and the yarn really sticks to them. The only time I use plastic needles is when I need very large needles because for some reason it is easier to find giant plastic needles compared to the other materials.

When to use them: When you need very large needles and cannot find them in another material OR when money is tight, and you can’t afford something a little nicer. Other than that, I do not recommend them.

 

Now Put Them to the Test

You won’t know what needles work best for you until you put them to the test. If you are not excited about the idea of testing out different needles and spending extra money, my recommendation would be to get a set of interchangeable circular needles and I would get them in wood. To me this is the best all around fit.

Leave a comment below and let me know what your preferences are!