by Carrie Schutrick

Created on: May 17, 2009   Last Updated: August 18, 2009

Picking the right knitting needle isn't just a matter of making sure you have the right size. There are two other factors that come into play: the type of needle, and the material the needle is made from. Fortunately, it's easy to pick the right type once you go through this simple guide to your options.

Straight needles are what most non-knitters think of when the phrase "knitting needle" is used. They're basically sticks, with a point at one end and a cap or stop at the other. Straights are usually about 18 inches long, the length of an adult's forearm. They're great if all you want to do is knit back and forth, especially if your piece is just a bit wider than the needles are long; the stop will keep stitches from falling off the back. But it takes special tricks to use them to knit in the round, and a large piece can get very heavy, putting strain on your wrists and arms that can get painful after a while.

Double-pointed needles or dpns are shaped like someone took the cap off a straight and filed that end down to a point as well; they're sticks with a point on each end. They tend to be both shorter and finer than straight needles, and are generally used for making tubes: socks, sleeves, hats, and so forth. They come in sets of four or five. Dpns are great for knitting in the round, but projects on them have to be watched carefully lest stitches fall off one end or the other.

Circulars are a modern invention. They're needle tips perhaps 4 inches (10 cm) long, joined by a cable; they can be used for flat or circular knitting, as the knitter prefers. The longer the cable, of course, the larger the piece that can be made on that needle. Very short cables are uncommon because it's awkward to knit with them; really small-diameter tubes usually require the use of dpns, but the Magic Loop technique can overcome this issue. Modern circs have mostly overcome the technical difficulties of their predecessors, such as rough joins of the cables to the tips, and they can't be beaten for large projects, as the weight of the knitted fabric can be supported by the knitter's lap instead of her arms.

The material used to make the needles can be broken down into two rough categories: rough and smooth. Rough materials include things like bamboo, wood, and some plastics, while metal is generally quite smooth and there are some plastics which aren't sticky at all. Most knitters prefer smooth needles when working with grabby yarns, and vice-versa, so someone using a slick silk will want wooden needles while a mohair yarn works better with metal. Price is also a consideration; there are some wooden needles that are quite smooth, but they tend to be made of expensive, exotic hardwoods.

In the end, of course, what needles you choose will depend on what works for the project and for you. This article provides a few guideines, but you should try several options to decide what you like!

Learn more about this author, Carrie Schutrick.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.