US sizing is measured in numbers getting bigger, the larger the size of the needle. These range from 000-50. Probably the biggest knitting needle size is US 50, or 25mm. These needle sizes are seriously huge for super chunky yarn! If you can’t tell what size your needle is, use a knitting needle gauge. What Size Is 9mm? If you need to work out what size you should use for to knit a particular item, I recommend that you knit yourself a tension square or two. Designed for use with the sport-weight yarn, or yarn weight category 2, these needles are still considered thin. Metric sizes are the easiest to convert to, and are most commonly found in patterns originating in Europe, Australia and New Zealand. US and Japanese sizes are almost identical, and UK sizes are also used in Canada.

The length of a pair of circular needles is measured from the tip of each needle. It includes the length of each needle and the length of the cord between them. The most common lengths are 40cm (16 inches), 60cm (24 inches), and 80cm (32 inches). In short, the length of the needles you use makes absolutely no difference to the size of your stitches or the final outcome of the item you’re knitting. However, it can make a difference to how comfortable you are whilst you complete your project. Chunky, super chunky, and bulky yarn like Wool and the Gang’s Crazy Sexy Wool will almost always require large knitting needles. The average size of needle used with this type of wool is approximately 5mm – 8mm, with the smaller needles producing a tighter material. Chunky yarns are typically knit with wide needles. In Japan, knitting needles use different standard metric sizes, starting at 2.1 mm and going up to 25 mm. What is My Knitting Needle Size?

What Knitting Needle Sizes to Use

It is essential to use the correct needle size for your chosen pattern and yarn type to give your knitting the correct gauge or 'tension'

For beginners starting with 6mm and up with a chunky yarn is considered a great place to start. You can also go with 10mm needles and a super chunky yarn. As a beginner, unless you are familiar with how the sizing schemes compare, it is sometimes difficult to work out which size knitting needle you should use. Perhaps, a knitting needle conversion chart make things a bit clearer for you? Side note: The SWG was only implemented in 1884. Before that, it was the Birmingham Wire Gauge; keep that in mind when you follow historic patterns). The size and diameter of knitting needles is typically measured using four main sizing systems: US, UK, Japanese, and metric.

To help you decipher the world of knitting needle sizes, refer to the charts below! Knitting Needle Sizes Chart for US and UK To make matters even more complicated, knitting needle sizes and sizing systems haven’t always been the same. The most common knitting needle size is US size 8, or 5mm. These needles are most common because they match up with worsted-weight yarn, which is the most common type of yarn for most knitting patterns. These needles are generally considered a normal size for beginners to start knitting with, too. What happens if you knit with two different size needles? So in some parts, this chart is only an approximation. Still, you can easily see that a 4 mm knitting needle converts to a U.S. size 6. And knitting needles sold as 5 mm in Europe can be found as size 8 on the other side of the Atlantic. Knitting needle sizes explained

Often, knitters find shorter needles to be more comfortable in the hand, but longer needles are often nice for knitters who are just starting out because they allow for more room for the stitches on the needle. Frequent knitters know what sizes work for them, but for beginner knitters, trying out different sizes is important.In most cases, the gauge listed on a pattern is in fact more important than the needle size. Remember to knit a test swatch and simply use the needle size necessary to knit the specified number of stitches per inch. The yarn label of the most commercially produced yarns should provide you with a size range. It has to be noted that these kinds of recommendations are only a first step. The right needle size for you will largely depend on two factors: By far the most common and popular size, if you’re a beginner, this is probably the size range you’ll start with, and a good needle set includes this size. You might remember this was perhaps the one you learned with! Used in conjunction with worsted weight yarn. US Size 9-11 If you don’t have a yarn label, you can calculate the yarn’s weight using wraps per inch (WPI), then choose your needle size from there. This knitting needle size conversion chart compares knitting needles in the US and UK, with crochet hook sizes thrown in for good measure! Metric (mm)