Rules for selecting the size of knitting needles

2024 Author: Sierra Becker | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-26 03:46

Knitting is one of the most popular types of needlework, common among women of all ages. Having mastered this technique, you can please yourself and your loved ones with stylish and fashionable things. In the article, we will consider what are the sizes of knitting needles.

Classification

In many respects, it depends on the type of knitting needles what kind of knitting will result and how the process of making things will go. Tools can be classified into four main types:

1. Straight needles are best for making a flat fabric. They are always sold in pairs and are equipped with limiters at the ends.
2. Circular devices are used for knitting in a circle or for making fabric. They are two straight knitting needles of a small size, interconnected by a flexible cord.
3. Hosiery - these are several (usually 4-5) short, straight knitting needles of the same length and thickness. They are intended for knitting socks and stockings.
4. Auxiliary knitting needles - used for knitting individual details, for example, pockets, fingers on gloves or complex decorative ornaments. They look like short curlytools.

How to choose?

Of course, you can try to knit everything with one pair of knitting needles. However, this will require many times more time, effort and patience and certainly will not bring pleasure. Therefore, having decided on the product that you want to make, you need to choose the right size of knitting needles.

For beginner needlewomen, it is recommended to try to knit the simplest things, for example, a scarf or snood. Having mastered the technique of needlework, they proceed to more complex products: a hat, socks, a cardigan or a sweater. Thus, it will be possible to work with all types of knitting needles.

If you plan to knit a scarf or snood, it is important to decide on a specific model. For an ordinary straight product, ordinary straight knitting needles are suitable. If you want to master the technique of circular knitting, it is better to choose the appropriate knitting needles with a fishing line length of at least 80 cm. By the way, the same devices are the best fit for a hat, while the cord should be shorter - from 40-60 cm.

For knitting socks, it is definitely worth buying stocking needles, most often you need five of them. Although such products are made in different ways.

Finally, making bulky items such as sweaters, skirts and dresses, as well as knitting large garments, will require a whole set of knitting needles. It all depends on the style and complexity of the ornament. A straight skirt without pockets can also be knitted with two knitting needles, circular devices will be needed to finish the sleeves and neck of the dress, and forknitting decorative elements cannot be done without auxiliary tools.

Choose size

Having decided on the type of knitting needles, it is equally important to choose the right size for the yarn used. If this is not done, you can simply spoil the product. If the devices are too thick, then the knitting pattern will turn out to be loose and almost invisible. Very thin knitting needles as a result will make the fabric tight and tight. In both cases, the product will turn out to be ugly, and time wasted in vain. You can avoid this if you select a tool by number.

This parameter is determined by the thickness. For example, if the size is indicated by the number "2", then the thickness of the needle is 2 mm. In order to choose the right fixture for a particular type of yarn, it is important to consider both numbers. The best option for determining the size of knitting needles is when the tool number is one more than the corresponding yarn parameter. For example, a knitting thread has a marking equal to 3 mm. Therefore, the needle should be 4mm thick.

There is one more important nuance. If an unusual type of yarn is used (downy, with pile, sequins), then the knitting needles should be 2-3 mm larger than the thickness of the thread. Such a trick will allow you to get a more elegant product.

Spoke length

This parameter is also of great importance. Most requested by needle length:

• straight - 25, 36 cm;
• double-edged - 18.25 cm;
• circular with cord length 40, 60, 80, 90 cm;
• flexible -45 cm.

Among the knitting needles of non-standard length there are:

• straight - 18cm;
• double-edged - 36 cm;
• circular-29 cm.

The length of the tool is selected depending on the product that is planned to be made. The larger it is, for example, knitting for women of large sizes, the longer the fixture should be.

Choose according to material

Looking at a wide range of knitting needles, beginners in needlework are interested in what they should be made of, whether this affects the knitting process. The answer to this question will be the information that the material for making tools is selected based on the texture and composition of the yarn used:

1. Metal needles are best for knitting natural wool or acrylic. They are very slippery and the porous thread moves easily without complicating the process. If you treat them with care and do not bend, they will last for decades.
2. Wooden or bamboo needles are lightweight. Because of their texture, they are ideal for knitting with slippery yarns such as viscose or silk. For beginner needlewomen, it is recommended to use them, they are tightly held in the hand and it is easy to dial loops with them.
3. Plastic needles are very flexible and light, do not leave marks on the product. However, they also have disadvantages. Threads easily slip off them, so such devices are suitable for working withcertain types of yarn. In addition, they are not used when knitting for women in size 50 and above, that is, for the manufacture of large products.

Knitting needles for unusual threads

The yarn is called fancy if it has:

• thickness-changing thread;
• decorative or voluminous inserts;
• sewn-in beads or sequins.

When buying such threads, you need to study the label. As a rule, foreign manufacturers indicate the appropriate size of knitting needles and hooks for working with them. If there is no such information, the following recommendations should be followed:

1. For napped yarn (mohair, angora), knitting needles are chosen two units more than the thickness of the thread. As a result, the product will fluff up and turn out to be light, airy and will not roll when worn.
2. For fancy yarn, the needles are chosen taking into account the thickest section of the thread and one unit more. If there are few decorative details and they are woven at large intervals, you should focus on the prevailing thickness of the thread in the skein. Knitting for size 48 clothes, for example, is done with tool number 5.
3. For yarn with long pile and a synthetic component, needles number 5 and 6 will be the best option.
4. For a stretch thread, the needles are selected according to the standard principle. In the process of knitting, the correct thread tension is observed, it should go freely. Lycra in the composition of the yarn will not allow the fabric to become loose. If you knit too tightly, the finished product will not have the effect of "stretch".

Knitting density

Often, without sufficient experience, beginners knit the fabric rather tightly. In this regard, it is better to take knitting needles half or one size larger than suitable, that is, 1.5-2 mm thicker than the yarn. However, over time, it is still better to learn how to control the density of knitting.

If the work is done too tightly, then the hands are in constant tension, they get tired quickly and the craftswoman does not enjoy needlework. As a result, this affects the appearance of the product, it turns out to be rough, and the yarn does not reveal its potential. Very tight knitting is not recommended, even when making items such as socks. The size of the knitting needles for knitting these wardrobe items is selected less than the yarn number, by one or two sizes, and the density of the fabric is chosen to be medium.

If you knit with a weak viscous, nothing good will come out either. After all, even by changing the size of the spokes, it will be impossible to obtain an acceptable result. The product will look loose and stretched, and in the process of wearing it will deform even more. With the correct thread tension, the loops are tightly held on the knitting needle, do not sag, and move freely. If the process is easy, without any extra effort, the needle does not slip, then the result will be excellent.

Helpful tips

To be sure of the correct choice of knitting needles and threads, some experts suggest knitting a small sample before starting the main work. You need to do it yourself, because the technique of work is different for everyone. It is enough to knit five rows of ten loops. The density is then analyzed using this sample.fabric and the number of loops to work is calculated.

If the product has a pattern with crossed loops and braids, you need to choose knitting needles 1.5 mm wider than the yarn thickness, so the knitting will turn out freer.

If the pattern is openwork, with numerous crochets, elongated or lowered loops, the knitting needles take 0.5 mm less.

To make elastic on the bottom of the product and cuffs, trim the neck and other things, choose the size of the knitting needles 1 mm smaller than those used to make the product itself. Thanks to this, the edges of it will not stretch.

Determine yarn consumption

With experience, it is not difficult to calculate how many threads are needed, for example, for knitting a vest for women and the size of the knitting needles. And for beginners, we give the following recommendations:

1. On a piece of paper write down the number of needles and the thickness of the yarn to be used.
2. Need to tie a small sample. Usually this canvas is 30 by 30 cm.
3. Then count the number of rows, loops in each of them and write on a piece of paper.
4. By multiplying both indicators, the number of loops in the entire sample is obtained. The resulting number is written down.
5. According to the size of the pattern, calculate the approximate number of loops in the entire product. The finished sample is unraveled and the length of the resulting thread is recorded.
6. Now the total number of loops is divided by the number of loops in the sample, the result is multiplied by the length of the thread. This will be the required volume.yarn.

It is clear that these calculations are approximate and must be taken into account when buying material for work. It is purchased by about 10% in excess of the calculated value, depending on the pattern on the product. The more magnificent it is, the more volume the stock is needed. The size of the spokes also plays a role. The thinner they are, and the tighter the knitting, the more yarn you may need.