How to Identify Types of Straight Needles Used for Knitting

Straight needles come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and materials. Unless you have a needle organizer, remembering what sizes pairs of needles are and what materials the straight needles are made from can be difficult. There are a few easy ways to determine the size and materials.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Divide your needles into three general piles: plastic, wood and metal. This will help decrease the guess work of what the needles are made of. The plastic will basically be the same but there are generally two different types of both the wood and metal needles.
2. Pick up each of the wooden needles. There are two different kinds of wooden needles, bamboo and hardwood. The bamboo needles are going to be much lighter than the hardwood ones. They will also feel slightly sticky or less finished than the hardwood ones.
3. Weigh the metal needles in your hands. Most of the lighter needles will be made of aluminum while heavier needles are steel.
4. Determine the size, or gauge of the knitting needles by using a needle gauge. Most knitting needles will have the size, either US size or the size in millimeters, but some needles do not. A needle gauge is a square with holes in it that match the most common sizes of knitting needles. To use the needle gauge, simply insert the needle into one of the holes. You want to the needle to fit securely but to not too tightly. The hole that the needle fits into will give you the size of the needle.

Tips & Warnings

• Take a permanent marker and mark the size of the needle on needle. That way, when you need to know the size, it's right there on the needle.