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Knitting is a hobby that many people enjoy. It’s also one of the best hobbies to have in case of an apocalypse, because it will never go out of style and you can make anything with yarn! One type of needle that a lot of knitters use is circular knitting needles. These come in different materials and sizes so how do you know what size to get?
In this blog post we’ll discuss how to measure circular knitting needles, what they’re for and how they compare to other types.
Table of Contents
About circular needles
Knowing what you’re doing before beginning is essential for those unfamiliar with circular knitting needles. It’s a good idea to learn a few things before you start:
They aren’t actually round, but rather constructed of a pair of short needle points that are joined together with a flexible tube (cable) of plastic or nylon to form a single, bendy, double-pointed needle.
You may use them for knitting in the round, but they’re also fantastic for knitting flat, especially for projects with a large number of stitches that would otherwise be impossible to manage on straight needles.
Types of Circular Knitting Needles
Knitting in the round comes with three different types of needles. Double pointed needles, fixed circulars, and interchangeables are the three styles.
But, first and foremost, I believe it’s essential to clarify that the language used with these knitting needles is perplexing.
Circular knitting, circular needles, but not speaking about double pointed needles. It’s all rather clunky in my opinion. And it’s so because it consists of a variety of topics from unrelated disciplines.
I’ll try to break it down for you.
Circular knitting and circular knitting are the same thing. That’s the simplest one to explain away.
What is the greatest length of your needle?
Circular needles are measured from tip to tip, so the needle length includes both needle points and the connecting tube. If you use interchangeable needles, this is useful to know since cables come in various lengths but the actual length of cable is that measurement minus the length of the needle points.
What are the various sizes of circular needles?
Circular needles come in a variety of sizes, ranging from 22cm (8½in) to 150cm (60in), with the most popular lengths being 40, 60, and 80cm (16, 24, and 32in).
Which length circular needles do I need?
When selecting the length, keep in mind that you can’t use a needle longer than the tube of knitting’s circumference (if knitting in the round) and/or one that is too short to hold the quantity of stitches. If you’re knitting flat, the length isn’t as important – only make sure it’s long enough to accommodate all of your stitches.
As a rough guide, the following applies:
- For small tubes like socks, mittens, or cuffs, a 90cm (35.4in) circular needle with 22 or 30 cm (8½ or 12 in) needles is ideal.
- However, depending on the size of your hands, very short circular needles may have shorter than normal needle points that you would not enjoy knitting with.
- If this is the case, a set of double-pointed needles or other methods like as two circular needles or magic loop may be preferable.
- Baby wool is also commonly used to make clothes and blankets. The yarn diameter of 3-5mm (1/8in) can be utilized for cuffs, hats, and body pieces in children’s jumpers.
- Sweaters for Adults that are roughly 60 or 80cm (24 or 32in) wide work well for adult males.
- For knitting huge items in the flat, such as a blanket’s knitted edge, larger sizes of needles (100, 120, 140 or 150cm; 40, 47, 55 or 60in) are commonly utilized.
What Can You Create With Circular Knitting Needles?
Circular needles can be used to create a wide range of items. Here are some examples of projects knit with circular needles:
- Gloves Cowls or infinity scarves
- Sweaters
- Amigurumi toys Blankets
- Shawls
When compared to DPNs, circular needles provide for larger projects that can be knit in the round. Fixed and interchangeable are fantastic for big tasks done on a flat surface. In general, they give you more choice in your knitting.
Choosing Circular Knitting Needles: What You Need to Know
Metal Needles
Because of the smooth, slick surface, metal needles knit “faster” than bamboo needles. The yarn glides effortlessly from one needle to the next. Metal needles, in my opinion, can be a little too slippery on some types of yarn, such as silk or bamboo, but they are ideal for most knitters.
Addi Turbo Rockets and ChiaoGoo Addi Turbo Rockets and ChiaoGoo needles are some of our favorites. They have a more pointed tip than addi Turbos, so if you like “sharper” needles, go for one of these brands (shown below). I prefer a point, but not an overly sharp one. I’ve used needles so sharp that I punctured my finger and bled. That’s not good.
A sharper needle is ideal for lace projects or patterns with a lot of increases and decreases.
Wooden Needles
These are my personal favorites, and I’m a big fan of the bamboo ChiaoGoo needles (below). They’re just grippy enough for me, and the cable is wonderful. It has no memory; therefore, it straightens out on its own without requiring steam or boiling water. This is fantastic!
Interchangeable Needle Sets
Interchangeable sets are fantastic since they include all of the needle sizes you’ll need, as well as cords to make them any lengths. I have many pairs, including the 5-inch ChiaoGoo Spin interchangeable set from Knitter’s Pride.
These circular knitting needle sets are costly, but they’re well worth the investment for serious knitters. They’re also a great gift idea for yourself or others!
Choosing the best circular knitting needles
Choosing circular knitting needles can be difficult. But, how you use them and what materials they come in are important considerations when picking the right ones for your project.
The best option is to try out a few different types of needles before making the final decision, but if that’s not possible then take into consideration how you’re going to use it (knitting flat vs knitting in the round), how slick does it need to be for your yarn type? And how much money do you want spend upfront on interchangeable sets or fixed length individual metal needle tips?
You’ll never know unless you explore! Let us know which kind of set worked well for YOU!
