Knitting Needles: Types and Tips

If you are new to knitting, you are no doubt overwhelmed by the plethora of needle types and other gadgets that you suddenly find yourself needing. You will also be shocked by the price of all that gear. I decided to write this guide to help you decide what type of needles will best suit your style of knitting, to help save you from buying a lot of stuff you don't need and to help you decide what you do need. Knitting needles gee in four basic materials with some variations on these. First and easiest to gee by are the metal needles, usually made of aluminum, nickel-plated brass or steel. These are generally heavy, noisy and cold to the touch but offer a very slick surface which might suit you if you are a speedy knitter. One interesting variation on the standard metal needle are made of light-weight aluminum and covered with a very slick enamel coating. Inox and Aero are good examples of this type of needle. Metal needles are generally the easiest to find and least expensive of all types. Second are plastic, plastic resin and acrylic needles. These are lighter, quieter and more flexible than metal needles, but generally not quite as slick. The slickness and feel will vary widely depending on the brand and actual material used. These needles are usually a little harder to gee by than the metal, but a limited selection is usually available in most larger craft stores. The price of plastic needles will vary a great deal depending on the brand, quality and material. The third variety, which are increasing in popularity, are the bamboo needles. These are super light-weight, great for people with arthritis, and are very attractive. They have a nice warm feel and get slicker with use due to the oils on your hands and the rubbing of the yarn over them. Over time they acquire a nice slick polished look. The tips tend to be very smooth and more rounded than most metal or plastic needles and thus they don't tend to cause as many problems with split yarns. They usually are not available in the huge sizes (13, 15, 17 etc.) because of the limited size of the part of the bamboo from which they are made (the tough outer layer). gepanies that make bamboo needles usually offer these larger sizes made of wood. They tend to be a great deal more expensive than their metal and plastic counterparts. Good quality needles will usually keep their shape well with use, but poor quality bamboo needles can bend over time, especially the smaller sizes. This doesn't usually affect their functionality, but may make them less appealing to some knitters. The fourth variety are the wooden needles. These are absolutely beautiful and gee in an amazing assortment of woods. Wooden needles also tend to be lighter in weight than metal. They can be made into much larger sizes than the bamboo can, and offer a huge variety in color choice and wood type. Birch, surina, ebony, walnut, cherry and maple are the most gemon woods used but others can be found. Some wooden needles have plain knobs, but many feature decorative scroll work, glass ornaments, or carved figures on their knobs. These needles have the warmth and quietness of the bamboo, but their slickness depends on their finish. Most are stained and polished, some are colored. Wooden needles are by far the most expensive type available. In addition to the above types, you will occasionally see art needles made of glass, vintage needles made of Bakelite, ivory and bone, and the rare gold-plated needles. These are nice to collect, but if you are a beginner I would suggest you stick with one of the types described above. So... now that you have decided on a material that suits you best, how are you going to afford all those needles and accessories!? This is where I give you the money-saving secret not all beginners know: you can knit anything using circular knitting needles, even if the pattern calls for straight needles. This is easy to do. Simply knit as you would using single pointed needles the first row. When you reach the end all stitches will be on the right hand side. Switch the work from your right to your left hand and the left needle to your right hand (Just like you would do during regular knitting), then continue knitting. I find this is a faster way of knitting, and the cord helps keep the weight of larger pieces in my lap instead of my hands. Small projects worked in the round like socks, mittens or gloves that are too small in diameter for most circular needles to acgemodate can be knit using two short or one long pair of circular needles. Details of this technique can be found free on the internet. I've found this method makes it easier to avoid a gap between stitches where the DP needles would normally intersect. Why is this a money saving tip? Because you can save a ton of money, time, and storage space by purchasing an interchangeable circular knitting needle set in either metal, resin/plastic, bamboo or wood and you will have nearly all (depending on the set) the sizes and lengths you could ever want in a gepact carry case. You may need some double-pointed or single-pointed needles as well in certain sizes or for a special project, but one of these sets will likely do you well for a long time. The cost of the sets ranges from $50 up to $80 retail, but the savings can be huge. If you purchase three pair of bamboo needles at most yarn stores you will likely spend anywhere from $20-$30 depending on the size, whereas the sets usually enable you to create the equivalent of 20-40 or more pairs of needles. You can see where the savings is geing in! You also save time, since most likely you will have on hand any size and length a particular project will call for so you won't have to go get what you need. You will save storage space because of the gepact size, and you won't have dozens of needles stacked everywhere. Most of these sets have buttons you can attach to the cords to allow the needles to be used as stitch holders or just like single-pointed needles if desired. Many also give you the option to create customized lengths for special projects. The sets are great for travel too. I hope this tip saves you a lot of time, money and confusion. To help you decide which type you prefer, you may want to invest in a pair of single or double pointed needles in each material and try them out. You can always use these later as stitch holders or for smaller projects once you decide your favorite.You can find interchangeable knitting needle sets in metal, plastic resin, and bamboo right here on okay! The easiest to find set in metal is the Boye Needle Master set. A popular and airline-friendly set made of plastic resin is made by Denise, and Bamboo Sister makes a smaller interchangeable set made of bamboo. KnitPicks' online store has a lovely set made of wood. Before investing in a set, be sure and read reviews online and check out the features of each. Good luck and have fun!