by B. Harris

Created on: August 20, 2010

Any serious knitter understands the importance of high-quality knitting needs.  Although different knitters will have varying criteria regarding what makes a good knitting needle, there are some factors that everyone can look for.  These include size, length, material, and style of needles.

First, it is important to know which style of knitting needles you want to work with.  Straight, or single-point needles are the most traditional and are best for knitting flat items, such as scarves, blankets, and flat pieces of sweaters.  Circular needles are more versatile, as they can be used for knitting flat items or for knitting in the round.  Double-pointed needles are also multipurpose, but most knitters only use them for knitting in the round, such as when knitting socks or sleeves.

After you have determined which style of knitting needles is best for your project, you will need to choose which material your needles should be made of.  Many knitters are used to metal needles, and high-quality metal needles can make knitting quicker and easier, with no snags.  Bamboo and other wooden needles are better for slippery yarns that might be difficult to maneuver on slippery metal.  Wooden needles also help cut down on the annoying clicking of knitting needle - for which your family and friends may be grateful!  Plastic knitting needles are also available and may be best for children and new knitters because they tend to be inexpensive.  Glass needles can also be found, but are a bit of a novelty, as they are expensive and may be broken.

Knitting needles come in a variety of sizes, from needles that resemble toothpicks to those that are large enough to knit rope. Choosing size is relatively easy, as most yarn labels have the recommended needle size printed on the label.  Depending on how tightly you knit, you may have to go up or down one needle size from the recommended size.  This is one reason why it's important to knit a gauge swatch, so that you can see if you need to adjust the needle size.

Finally, it is important to figure out the necessary length of the needles.  Straight needles come in various sizes - usually from about 7 inches to 14 inches or so.  A longer needle means more stitches can fit on it, and a wider piece can be knit.  Circular needles have cables which usually range from about 16 inches to 48 or longer.  Blankets, for example, may require very long cables to hold all the stitches.

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