How to Choose Knitting Needles

https://www.wikihow.it/Scegliere-i-Ferri-per-Lavorare-a-Maglia

06-09-2024 |
italia |
fai da te |

Knitting is a relaxing, portable and creative hobby, but choosing the right needles could mean the difference between an enjoyable pastime or a major frustration.There are many different shapes of irons depending on the project, and they come in different sizes and materials.How to choose the right ones?

Steps

Download PDF

1
Consider the object you are creating. Although all knitting needles serve basically the same purpose, there are different types and models.Some needles are specific to a certain type of knitting (such as working with circular needles or cable knitting), while others can create a variety of knitted items.
- Most common knitting needles have one pointed end to create new stitches, while the other has a cap or knob to keep the stitches from falling off.Straight or single-pointed needles are used in pairs to work flat pieces.
- Circular needles are two straight needles connected with a flexible plastic cord.The cables are available in different lengths, usually between 30 and 150 cm, measured from the tip of the iron).These needles can be used for both flat and circular work, so some knitters think they are a better investment than straight needles.If you are planning to do circular work, you will need a needle that has a circumference just smaller than that of the object you are creating.Unless you are planning to use one of the following techniques where circular needles are used to sew in the round seamlessly:the Magic Loop (you will need a long cable), 2 Circles (use two needles of the same size) or the Traveling Loop or Single Circle (take out a cable loop as an extra).
- Two-pointed irons, or game irons, have both pointed ends and are usually sold in packs of 4 or 5 irons.They are used to work circular objects without joints such as socks.
- Braiding needles are very short and can be straight (like double-pointed needles) or hooked.These serve a specific role in working cable stitches.
- Interchangeable iron kits are exactly what the name says—a set of irons and cables of varying lengths that you can connect and disconnect as you like to create many different iron sizes.If you're planning on knitting a lot, this could be a great investment.You can find plastic sets on knitdenise.com, while knitpicks.com offers both wooden and metal sets.
2
Since knitting needles come in many different diameters and lengths, these factors should be taken into consideration when choosing needles for a project.
- Diameter. The thickness of the rods determines the look and size of the finished project.The thicker the needles, the wider the stitches and the more elastic and looser the final result.The smaller the needles, the smaller the stitches will be and the final fabric will usually be tighter and thicker.There are many different sizing systems, but irons are fairly comparable from one system to another.Consult the table below to understand the various measurement systems.
- Length.Although stitches can be compressed into almost any needle length, it is important to choose a length that allows you to work the needles easily between rows.A very large project will usually require some needles or a very long cord.A small flat project can be worked on any length of needle, but a circular project will require a small circular needle, double-pointed needles, or a technique used to avoid pieces of yarn that are too long on a circular needle.Another factor is the wool that is chosen for the project (with a thicker thread it means that fewer stitches will fit on the needle).Most straight needles are between 25 and 40 cm long, and circular yarn cables vary between 30 and 150 cm.
3
Choose the material. Irons are made of many different materials, the most common of which are bamboo, plastic, and aluminum.The skill level of the knitter and the yarn used should be taken into consideration when choosing knitting material.For beginners it is best to choose needles that are not too slippery and will cause the stitches to fall off.A more experienced knitter, on the other hand, may prefer a smooth surface for the needles to allow the stitches to slide on more quickly.
- Bamboo irons.Bamboo is warm to the touch, durable and is lighter than aluminum.Since bamboo has a slightly rough surface, the stitches stay in place, making bamboo an ideal choice for beginners.Furthermore, this material is well suited for hands with arthritis problems.Bamboo irons are more flexible than metal, but less so than plastic ones.However, with a diameter that is too thin, the bamboo could bend or break easily.
- The metal irons they are the heaviest ones, but also the most resistant and do not bend easily.Metal irons are cold to the touch and slippery.More experienced knitters prefer them because the stitches move quickly on the fine surface.They are not the best needles for beginners as the stitches fall off the tip very easily.Metal needles are good for all types of thread, especially wool, wool blends and acrylic.The most commonly used metal types are aluminum, steel, and nickel-plated.
- Plastic needles are very easy to find and very popular.They are smooth, slippery and the stitches move quickly.Plastic irons are very flexible.Wider irons are often made of plastic to reduce weight.Plastic needles are excellent for all types of thread.
- The wooden irons they are smooth but not slippery, making them a great choice for beginners and slippery threads.The finishes are different depending on the brand.These irons come in many varieties of wood, although the best ones are those made of hardwood.If too small in size, like bamboo ones, wooden irons can break very easily.
- Square needles are particularly good for beginners and those with hand problems as they create more consistent stitches and require less tension in the hands to hold them in place.
You will need a gauge sample before you start knitting.A swatch should be about an inch longer than the exact gauge as stitches will be distorted at the edges, so be prepared to cast on a few more stitches on each side of the swatch.Since stitch sizes vary from knitter to knitter, the needle size specified in a project may not necessarily be the right gauge (even if you're using the suggested thread type).It is therefore better to have many needles of different sizes.

Advertising

Advice

If the thread you are using is very tangled, it may be better to use smoother needles, while if the thread is very smooth and slippery, it is recommended to choose needles with a minimum of resistance.Look carefully at the needles before buying them and think about the thread you will use to understand which one might be better.
Knitting needles are a great investment.They can last a very long time and can be passed down for generations.Never throw away your knitting needles unless they are damaged or bent so much that they cannot be used.If you really don't think you'll ever knit again, give them away.
Needles, like socks, have a bad habit of staying mismatched, so put a rubber band around pairs of needles.However, the elastics may leave a gummy residue on your needles if you don't use them too frequently.Tie them together with string to keep them longer.Alternatively, you could make or purchase a needle case similar to those recommended for straight needles.
Keep your irons in a safe place.A great way to store them is to make or buy a pencil case.Straight needles can also be kept in decorated buckets or pen holders.Circular needles that do not have the size printed on them should be stored so they can be easily identified—often the bags that contained them when purchased are perfect for this purpose.
Consult this table to understand the measurement systems:Template:Needlesizes
Examine the tips of your irons to make sure they are not bent or damaged.If so, then it's time to throw them away and buy new ones.

Advertising

Warnings

Keep irons away from small children.They are sharp and if they play with them, they could hurt themselves.
Don't buy all sizes and lengths of needles in one material before you know if you like working with that material.Some knitters love bamboo needles;others think they are too fragile or could damage their project.First figure out what you like.

Advertising

Licensed under: CC-BY-SA