Choosing Your Knitting Needle: Sizes of Needles

Hi, I'm Jill Wright from "The Knitting Circle" In this video, we're going to look at choosing your needle. What size do you need and why? And, the effect that the different sizes have on your project. Let's look into it. So, choosing your knitting needles. Which size do you need? Now, I've decided to show you three swatches here. This is all in the exact same yarn. This is a worsted weight yarn, and it's been worked on three different sizes of needles. Now, the stitch count is exactly the same on each of the swatches. These two smaller swatches, both have the same row count. The larger one is four rows shorter, but you can see how much bigger it is than the other ones. Now, the larger one. It's been worked on these large needles. Let's look at the fabric. It is super stretchy, both ways, and on the diagonal. It is very open. You can see right through there. It's almost like a mesh. This is a stockinette stitch. Now, this needle size is not necessarily wrong for this yarn thickness. It just needs to be used for a special project. You really have to consider the project that you want to use your yarn for to choose the needle size. So this one, with it being so stretchy, lots and lots of give, this would make a great scarf or shawl or something that you could wrap around yourself. Maybe a loose blanket, that kind of thing. Now, let's look at the small one. This worked, like I said, same size yarn. Just worked on such a much smaller needle. Now, what kind of a thing does this do? We don't have much stretch. We don't have much stretch. Again, on the diagonal, there really isn't that much stretch. Now, what could we use that fabric for? Which things that you use in knit don't take a lot of stretch? My suggestions would be a bag, bags. Any kind of bags. Especially good for bag handle, because you don't want a bag handle stretching out. This is even a little too firm for socks because you wouldn't be able to pull those over your feet. So, again, that little needle is a little too small for socks in that worsted weight yarn. Now the middle one. This is the needle size that's suggested on my yarn band. Let's look at this fabric. It's stretchy, both ways, and on the diagonal. It is barely see-through. I can just see my fingers through this one. This is the perfect weight for garments. Any kind of sweaters, t-shirts, anything like that. So, as you can see, three different sizes of needles with the same yarn. None of them is wrong. You really just have to consider what you want the end product to be, and then choose your needle size accordingly. So, now you understand how the needle size really can seriously affect your project. Don't forget to pick the right size next time. Also, check out the rest of our knitting videos on the website. You may find something else to learn.