What type of knitting needles do you like best?

Question

plastic, wood, or metal?

Answer 1

I have been using the short metal one and have had them long enough that I have worn down the color on them.

Answer 2

It depends on my knitting project.



My favorite (and most expensive) are the AddiTurbos.

The part where the cable and the needle join, is slick smooth. They come in handy, especially when magic looping, knitting in the round / circular knitting. Excellent choice if you're a tight knitter. You won't have to fight getting the needle into the stitch. I didn't like them as a new knitter because they are so slick! My stitches would fly off my needles. But now that I'm a little more experienced, they are wonderful!



My second favorite are the Inox needles. (just as good as Addi Turbos, and much cheaper) They feel a little heavy, but they are great!



My other favorite is bambo. (Especially when I was a new knitter.) The bamboo holds onto the yarn when you knit loose and learning tension. I love to knit washcloths, baby bibs and burp rags. My favorite (can't live without) are the size 7 (extra long) straight bamboo needles for those.

Downside of bamboo circular needles; the yarn gets caught when you slide the yarn from the cable onto the needle.



I knit everything else with circular needles. (either in the round or magic loop) I'm on the go a lot, and they are much easier to keep track of.



What needles have you tried, what is your favorite?

Answer 3

Different projects require different yarns and different needles. For learning, something simple like a scarf is best, and I'd recommend a #8 to #10 straight needle and some acrylic worsted-weight yarn. Down the road, sweaters and hats can be made with straight needles, or they can be knitted in the round using circular needles or a set of double-pointed needles. Each pattern calls for a particular weight of yarn and suggests a size of needle that will give you the gauge (number of stitches per inch) to successfully complete the pattern. However, your own knitting may be bigger or smaller than the pattern-maker's, so you may need to use larger or smaller needles than specified in order to get the correct gauge.

Answer 4

I prefer Addi Turbos and Naturas, the Turbos being metal and the Naturas being bamboo, for circular needles. These may be pricey needles but I've never had a problem with them breaking, either at the cable join or of the needles on the Naturas splintering. I also love the Addi lace needles for their super flexible cables and sharp points. For dpns, I ONLY use Brittany birch needles, both the 7 inch and 4 inch versions. I've used these right down to size 0 diameters and never broken one yet, even the one the cat chewed on.



I have found that aluminum needles aggravate the arthritis in my hands, no, can't tell you why, so I don't use them at all any more. Plastic needles tend to squeak with the yarn moving on them and that drives me crazy. I do have some vintage ones in my collection of needles, though, just as I have vintage steel circulars with braided cables.



With the exception of dpn, though, I very seldom use straight needles anymore either, only in a pinch. I use circulars exclusively.

Answer 5

i prefer metal knitting needles. i have been knitting for about a year and a half. wooden needles tend to splinter after a certain amount of use. plastic needles are a very risky "investment". If u accidentaly put too much pressure on them, they snap like twigs.metal tend to last longer. i hope this info helped u. happy knitting!

Answer 6

I really like bamboo, I tried birch but they snapped :0

I have recently used 'Vogue' knitting needles which are made from a colourful plastic. They are very flexible and the cat loves them!

Answer 7

I prefer wood needles as they are so comfortable and warm. I would next use plastic (my Denise needle set sees its fair share of usage) and only if necessary do I use the metal. ^_^

Answer 8

I like wood circular needles. You never misplace one.

Answer 9

I love my nickle-plated DPNs from Knitpicks.com, my Lantern Moon Sox Stix (from the fabulous Infinite Yarns in Farmingdale, NY), and my bamboo straights, in that order (at least for today!)

Answer 10

metal, because they are really cheap and I never had any problems with them.