How to Choose the Best Knitting Needles
You have many options to choose from when purchasing knitting needles. Not only do you have to decide on what type you need, but you also have to choose what type of material the needles are made from. Both decisions are influenced by what you will be knitting and by personal preference. To help you choose the best knitting needles for your project, here is a brief description of these two factors.
Materials Used For Needles:
Knitting needles are made from a variety of materials. The type of material used provides friction that will influence how easy the stitches come off the needle. Sometimes a needle that is rougher is preferred so that the stitches don’t slip off the needle accidentally; while other times speed is important and a smoother needle is required.
Wood: These needles have a rough surface. They are light weight and considered environmentally friendly because it comes from a renewable resource. Bamboo is a popular choice when buying wood needles. Bamboo is particularly environmentally friendly because it can grow as fast as 3-4 feet in a single day.
Metal: Metal needles are very smooth. This allows the stitches to easily slip from one needle and onto another needle. Experienced knitters who want to complete their project very quickly prefer this type of needle. Metal needles are very durable and hard to break. Aluminium is the most common type of metal used for metal needles.
Plastic or Acrylic: These needles are light weight, flexible and inexpensive. They usually have a different colour for each size the needle comes in, especially when they are sold as sets.
Types of Needles:
There are three main types of needles: circular, double pointed and straight. Each type of needle, often referred to as circular or flat, is used to produce different results. Flat knitting creates flat pieces, such as scarves, while circular knitting creates circular pieces or tubes without seams. Some needles can only produce one type of result, while others can create several different types of results.
Circular: Circular needles have two needles at both ends with a flexible cable in the middle. The cable is long, anywhere from 24 to 60 inches. The needles at the end are short, inflexible and have tapered ends. They make it easy to add new stitches, while the cable holds the stitches after they have been added. Hold one end of the circular needles in each hand when knitting with them. The advantage of circular needles is that they can hold hundreds of stitches, the stitches won’t fall off the needles and the flexible cord in the middle can rest on the knitter’s lap so that the weight of the stitches is not felt. Circular needles can be used for flat or circular knitting.
Double Pointed (Dpns): These needles are short and straight, but both ends of the needle are tapered. Stitches can be added from either end of the needle. Double pointed needles are used for knitting tubes, such as sleeves and socks. Four to five needles are used at the same time when knitting with dpns. One needle is used to hold the stitches in place while the other needle is used to add stitches. One specialized type of dpns are cable needles, which look like dpns, but they are shorter and have a dimple in the middle of the needle.
Straight Needle: The needle is long and straight. There is a knob or cap at one end, which prevents the stitches from falling off the needle. At the other end, the needle is tapered, similar to a sewing needle but it is blunt instead of being sharp. When knitting with straight needles, two needles are used. Straight needles are used for flat knitting, for example scarves or shawls.
Please visit Beautiful Creations to see the different types and sizes of knitting needles that are available. Are you still unsure of which ones to get? Or are you looking for an easy project to do? Check out these Knitting Kits that come complete with all the supplies you need, including yarn, needles and pattern instructions.
How to Do a Flat Right Angle Weave – Single Needle
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7 pairs 10″ Plastic Single Pointed Knitting Needles $11.99 |
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SINGLE NEEDLE SEWING MACHINE HOOK, BOBBIN CASE,BOBBINS $32.54 |
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TEFLON BOTTOM Presser Foot for Single Needle Machine $3.50 |
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5*2 pc 10″ Bamboo Single Pointed Knit Needles US10-15 $9.99 |
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Lot of Knitting needles and Crochet hooks, single and double pointed $9.99 |
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7 pairs 10″ Plastic Single Pointed Knitting Needles $11.99 |
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(1) Bobbin Case #52237 ~ Drop Feed Single Needle BOBBIN $4.50 |
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13×2 10″ Bamboo Single Pointed Needles in Roll case $9.99 |
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PRESSER FOOT # S518 Wide Invisible Hinged Zipper High Shank Single Needle $10.50 |
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13*2 pcs 10″ Bamboo Single Pointed Knitting Needles $11.99 |
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HIGH SHANK SINGLE NEEDLE EDGE GUIDE HEMMING 3 FOOT SET $18.50 |
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Lantern Moon ::Ebony Single Point Needles:: 10 US 12″ $20.95 |
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Lantern Moon ::Ebony Single Point Needles:: 10.5 US 12″ $20.95 |
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Lantern Moon ::Ebony Single Point Needles:: 11 US 12″ $20.95 |
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Lantern Moon ::Ebony Single Point Needles:: 4 US 12″ $20.95 |
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Keurig B31BLACK Mini Brewer Black $81.99 KEURIG MINI PLUS PERSONAL COFFEE AND TEA BREWER *Black *Heats and brews in 2 minutes *Three cup choices: 6, 8 and 10 ounces *Single-use water reservoir *Simply add fresh water for each cup *Compact size perfect for small spaces *Includes 12 K-cup variety pack… |
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Pine Beauty – resting on pine needle Photo Mugs GET-2146 Pine Beauty – resting on pine needle North Lincolnshire – England Panolis flammea Geoff Trinder Please note that pritns are for personal display purposes only and may not be reproduced in any way. contact details web ardea tel and 44 (0) 20 8672 2067 …. |
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Some Hearts $4.90 Would American Idol winner Carrie Underwood have landed a major-label recording contract without winning the hugely popular television contest? Probably. The big-voiced Oklahoman has the pipes, the look, the pedigree, and, most important, the emotional resonance to sustain a professional career. As an investment in her future, her label eschewed the easy path in putting out an album to take advan… |
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