The Secret Life of Knitting Needles
Knitting needles are more complicated than you think!
4/6/20262 min read
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Outside of arm and finger knitting, needles are an essential tool for knitters. But with so many options out there, how do you decide which ones to use? Here are my thoughts.
Needle Types
Many people start knitting with straight needles, as these are the most basic and are easy to use. They work fine for flat knitting, but if you want to join in the round, you will need other options. Double-pointed needles (DPNs) are historically older than straight needles, as knitting in the round was actually done first. They often come in sets of 4-6 needles. You keep one needle free as your working needle, while the others form a circle. Circular needles are a much more recent invention, and they are the most versatile. With circular needles, you can knit in the round with various techniques, like magic loop, or you can knit flat by working back and forth.
Material
Knitting needles come in a variety of materials, each with a different amount of friction against the yarn. Metal needles are more slippery, making the yarn glide across them very easily. Bamboo and wood are more “grippy,” making them ideal for smooth yarns that can easily fall off. Beginners tend to prefer these as well, given how easy it is to drop stitches when you’re first starting out. Carbon needles are a good middle ground between the two, offering strength and flexibility. The warmth of the needles also depends on the material. Wood and bamboo needles tend to get warmer in your hands, which can be beneficial for those with arthritis.
Tips
One often overlooked feature of knitting needles is the tips. Some tips are highly tapered, which usually have very sharp tips, ideal for lace and other intricate stitch patterns. Other tips are more blunt, which prevents splitting loosely plied yarns. Wood and bamboo needles tend to have more blunt tips to prevent any breaking or chipping. The tips on metal and carbon needles can vary greatly depending on the brand.
Length
Straight needles are often about a foot long, which is useful for a lot of flat knitting done by beginners. Most beginning knitting projects don’t get very wide, so this length is perfectly fine for that purpose. Circular needles come in many different lengths, since it will depend on the circumference of whatever you are knitting. Keep in mind that for using circular needles in the traditional way, the full length of your needles should be slightly smaller than whatever you’re knitting. Your cable lengths should be longer if you’re using the magic loop or the two circular needle technique, or if you’re knitting flat on a circular needle. Keep your cables neatly organized with these tags. Some tips on circular needles are shorter than others, like these, which can be beneficial for certain techniques, such as stacked stitches; otherwise, it mostly comes down to personal preference.
Joins
The spot on circular needles where the cable joins the needle tip is very important. Some joins are smoother than others. I have found that Addi needles tend to have a smoother join than others. One feature that I particularly like on Lykke needles is that the cable can swivel. However, the trade-off is a less smooth join that some people dislike, but this hasn’t been too problematic for me.
Shape
Most knitting needles are cylindrical, but did you know that there are other shapes available? Knit Picks has square knitting needles, which are said to be better for hand health, especially for those with arthritis.
I hope this has inspired you to try out knitting needles with some different features than what you’re used to. Is there anything I missed? Let me know about your favorite needles using the form below! Happy stitching
