First of all, there are 3 main categories of knitting needles:
Also, for specific knitting and crochet projects or stitches, there are other types of needles such as twisting needles, lace forks, Tunisian hooks and many others that you can find on our website in the sections Other needles or Other accessories.
Next, you need to know that knitting needles are based on a simple numbering system with a diameter ranging from 2 to 25. To choose the size of needles you need, you must first know if you are a beginner or an advanced knitter. We invite you to take a look at our knitting essentials, where we recommend a minimum size 5 needle for beginners. Then, for the more experienced among you, the choice of needle size will depend on your preferences but also on your way of knitting: loose or tight. If you prefer to knit loosely, we recommend larger needles and smaller needles if you prefer to knit tightly.
In addition to the diameter of the needles, you should also consider their length. Did you know that the world record for the longest knitting needle is 3.5 meters? Not to hide anything, needles of this size are reserved for the world champions of knitting ;)
Otherwise, most of the time, needles are between 20 and 40 cm long. If you are an expert knitter, you may be used to tucking the needles under your arms, so it is best to use 40 cm long needles. However, for beginners, we advise you not to complicate your task with long needles, smaller ones such as 30 cm needles will do perfectly well !
There are several materials for knitting needles but the most popular are plastic, stainless steel and bamboo.
Plastic needles are recommended for beginners because they are very light and easy to handle, but beware, they may stain and/or bend over time. At La Lainière de Wazemmes, all our classic straight needles from size 8 to size 25 are made of plastic.
Secondly, stainless steel needles are heavier than plastic ones but much more slippery. It is therefore quite easy to start with stainless steel needles because you will not have any trouble sliding the thread on the needles to make your stitches and rows. Unlike plastic, stainless steel needles are strong and durable. At La Lainière de Wazemmes, all our classic straight needles from size 2 to 7 are made of metal.
Finally, bamboo needles have the great advantage of being very light, more so than metal needles. They are also quite slippery. They don't stain but they may bend a little over time. They are also a little more expensive than plastic or stainless steel needles because bamboo is a natural material and its production is different. At La Lainière de Wazemmes, we offer 40 cm bamboo straight needles from size 3 to 12.
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