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. Two needles are normally used in regular knitting projects but sometimes more knitting needles are necessary: this often happens 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, consider the fact that knitting needles are measured not diameter but in length.

The knitting needles size becomes important from the perspective of the required stitches: small stitches require thin needles, whereas large stitches depend on thick needles. The only case when several knitting needles sizes are necessary for the same project is in the case of uneven patterns. the sizing system covers variations from one producer to another, 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 keeps the stitches together with the risk of falling and losing them. Differences of cord length and needle diameter are present with circular knitting needles as well. 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. Such needles are usually available in sets of four or five depending on how you need the knit item to be.

Traditionally, knitting needles were made from metal and wood, but there were times when the nobility would also knit with ivory and tortoiseshell needles. Presently, such items are banned by law the extinction danger that threatens the species. 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.

Knitting Yarn

The concept of knitting yarn is very relative and wide at the same time as it defines any material that can be knitted by hand, loom or knitting machine; here we should mention cotton, wool, ribbon, string and all sorts of artificial fibers. The aspect to remember before making the choice of the knitting yarn is that this item gives the features of the knitted object. You should ask yourself questions about the level of formality, the type of weather you want the knitted piece to go for and the need for washability. This suggests that the right knitting yarn triggers the level of success or failure in a knitting project, although there are other factors at work too.

The first thing to start with is that, knitting yarn comes in different sizes and shapes, not to mention the fact that the origin of the material is equally important. Thus, fibers of animal origin such as wool are great for their warmth and durability. This means that such knitting yarn works great for socks, blankets, gloves, hats, sweaters, baby clothes and shawls. In summertime cotton and other plant fibers make the knitting yarn suitable to make very breathable fabric.

Other variants of knitting yarn that can be highly reliable and easy to use are nylon and polyester; they offer the advantage of being suitable for more fashionable clothes, but will never work for baby clothes. Only cotton and linen are suitable to come into contact with the sensitive baby skin. Then, another serious word of advice to consider here is the quality of the knitting yarn that is most often relevant in the color difference. You have to make sure that the yarn you purchase belongs to the same dye lot and that there are no variations whatsoever.

The weight or thickness of the knitting yarn is one other important characteristic. Aran yarn represents the most common weight and it is ideal for basic knitting patterns and hats. Everything thicker than Aran yarn is usually meant for heavy jumpers and works only with thick needles. On the other hand, knitting yarn types that are thinner than Aran are usually double-knit yarn and four ply yarn. The former is good for children's garments and socks whereas the latter allows for the making of fine elegant apparel items.