Knitting Needles
Knitting needles are the basic tools necessary to cast and make stitches and actually knit any form of fabric in the first place. Less sharp than sewing needles, knitting needles are available in a variety of sizes, although most of them have a long shaft with a taper at the end. Depending on the type of knitting one performs, up to eight or nine knitting needles may be necessary for the pattern: this is often the case with hats and tubular structures in general. How does one know which needle size is the right one for a pattern or another? First of all, let’s begin by saying that the size of the knitting needles is measured not as much in the length as in the diameter.
The size of the knitting needles is important depending on the kind of stitches you want to create: small stitches require thin needles, whereas large stitches depend on thick needles. Only with uneven knit patterns one may have to use needles of different sizes on the same project. From one manufacturer to another there are different sizing systems in use, but alternatives to the traditional long, straight format also exist. Circular knitting needles and double-pointed needles are the two main exceptions from the standard mode.
Circular knitting needles are linked together by a piece of nylon cord that allows for the stitches to be kept together with the risk of falling and losing them. For such cases, the needles at each end of the cord can be thinner, thicker, longer or shorter, with variations of the cord too. It is advisable that when you shop for circular knitting needles to check the size and make sure it is adequate for the project you have in mind. Double pointed knitting needles are the varieties with tapers at both sides that are designed particularly for sweater sleeves and socks. This kind of needles are usually available in sets of four or five depending on how you need the knit item to be.
Wood and metal are the most common materials that knitting needles are made of, but in the old times the women in the aristocracy would also use ivory and tortoiseshell needles. Presently, such items are banned by law due to the fact that both elephants and tortoise species are endangered because of over-hunting. Aluminum, steel, wood, plastic, glass and casein are the modern materials used for the manufacturing of knitting needles, and their features are usually indicated on the product packages. The price for a set is influenced by both material and size, yet, it is more than affordable.
