NEEDLE KNOWLEDGE

QMy knitting group tell me some needles are better than others but I’m getting confused and now don’t know what would be the best to buy. Can you help me with some advice?

Carolina Morris, Dover

Modern knitting needles are usually made of aluminium, steel, plastic, bamboo or wood. Below are some of the needle types you’ll come across and what they’re best used for. It’s always good to collect needles with a variety of tips – blunt needles won’t split stitches made with loosely spun or thick yarn, while sharper tips are great for knitting repeatedly into the same stitch. If you take the time to store needles carefully they’ll give you many years of service, but always replace them if they become rough, too blunt or bent, to avoid damaging your yarn or affecting your tension. Here’s a little about materials!

Wood

Wooden needles can be expensive but they look lovely and are wonderful to knit with. They tend to have more ‘grip’ than plastic or metal needles, which is useful with smooth yarns. However, be warned, the finer needles are very delicate and can bend, so take good care of them!

Bamboo

Smooth, and gorgeous to handle, bamboo is a good material to use with slippery yarns such as silks and fine wools, because it grips the yarn better than metal needles.

Carbon Fibre

Lightweight but incredibly strong, carbon fibre is often also ideal for knitting. I’m a big fan of Karbonz needles, which are super-flexible and warm to hold. Who knew knitting could be so high-tech?

Metal

Made from one of the most common and useful materials, metal needles are perfect for ‘stickier’ yarns, such as acrylic ones. This is because they’re smooth and the yarn slides along easily. The more polished a needle is, the faster you can work. If you have arthritis or similar problems, then try using bamboo or wooden needles.

Plastic

Light and strong, plastic is often used for larger needles. Children’s pairs are great for getting new or young knitters to learn the craft and also for making smaller projects, whatever your age. Then there are acrylic needles, although similar to plastic, they can be a little heavier. They’re very comfortable to use, though! Jen