Knitting needles come in all sorts of different styles, and one important factor is the type of material they’re made from. With so many different knitting needle materials available, it can be hard to figure out which kind is right for you.
So in today’s blog post, we’ll be exploring a few different materials for knitting needles. We’ll take a look at the pros and cons for each type, and then you’ll be equipped to use that information to make the best choice for your own knitting experience.
For today’s post, we’re going to assume the knitter is using modern needles made from modern materials. This post will focus on the three most common materials for needles: metal, wood/bamboo, and plastic. We’ll take a brief peek at carbon fiber needles at the end. This post won’t touch on antique needles made of things like ivory, whalebone, etc.
When helping someone pick a knitting needle, I ask the following four questions.
1. Are you a loose knitter or a tight knitter?
Looser knitters tend to have larger stitches, which means it’s more likely that their needles will slip out of those stitches. To help counteract that, it helps to use a needle with a surface that has more friction against the yarn.
Bamboo and wood needles will probably be helpful here, with plastic needles being a little more slippery but not as slippery as metal.
Tight knitters, on the other hand, have the opposite problem. Their stitches are on the smaller side, so they’re very snug against the needles. For a tight knitter, a slippery needle material like metal might be best so the stitches can glide more easily.
Metal needles might also be best for tight knitters working at small gauges (like sock knitters) for another reason. The force exerted on the needles by tight knitters can bend or even snap very thin bamboo, wood, or plastic needles. Metal needles will be less likely to bend or break.
2. What kind of yarn are you using for the project?
Depending on what kind of yarn you’re using for your project, you may want to switch up your needle material.
Yarns made from animal fiber, like wool, tend to be stickier to work with. These fibers will grab onto surfaces and have more friction on the needles.
On the other hand, plant-based yarns like linen and cotton tend to be less grippy. They will slide along needles more easily.
Silk, while technically not a plant fiber, tends to behave like plant fibers when you’re knitting with it. As a result, it will also be pretty slippery.
If you find your stitches feel like they are stuck on your needles, try using a metal needle. If you find your needles are slipping out of your stitches, try using a plastic or wood/bamboo needle.
3. What kind of project are you working on?
Some knitters find that different kinds of projects are more comfortable on different needle materials.
For example, if you are working a heavily cabled project or one with a lot of lace work, you might find that you are more comfortable doing so with needles that glide more easily. Conversely, simple stockinette might be something where you want a little more grip.
That can be because the significant amount of decreases and yarn overs in lace work, or all of the crisscrossing stitches in cabled knits, can make for a fairly dense knit that glides less easily across the needles.
If that’s the case for you, metal needles might be something to consider.
4. Do you have hand pain issues to account for?
Some knitters with hand pain report that metal needles are uncomfortable for them to use because they’re so cold. If that’s the case for you, then wood, bamboo, or plastic needles might be the right choice.
Other knitters with hand pain experience that pain because of the weight of their projects in their hands. This can be particularly challenging if you are dealing with something like carpal tunnel syndrome.
In that case, you’re going to want to reduce the amount of weight in your hands as much as possible. Bamboo needles are generally pretty light, as are plastics.
Some knitters also like carbon fiber needles for this purpose. Carbon fiber is very light, but very strong, so it can be good for knitters who need to reduce the weight in their hands but also need a needle that isn’t going to bend too much.
What types of knitting needles do I use as a professional designer?
As for me, I’m a tight knitter who works primarily with wool, so I use metal needles on almost everything. My gauge has definitely eased up a bit in the years since I stopped practicing law (did you know stress levels can affect your gauge?), but I don’t think I’ll ever be a loose knitter.
I also tend to have some forearm pain if I have to push my stitches too hard along my needles too often, so the slick metal needles help keep me knitting comfortably.
Finally, metal needles tend to be a little faster because of their slick surface. While speed isn’t always the goal for knitting projects, it can be helpful when you’re knitting pattern samples on a deadline.
Here are links to all the needles I use for my knitting projects. These are affiliate links, which means if you choose to buy something through those links, I’ll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I will always identify affiliate links for you. Thanks for supporting my work!
Addi Click Needles with Lace Short Tips (for garments and anything at a gauge over US size 4)
ChiaoGoo Red fixed circulars, size 4 (this is specific to this needle size because the Addi Clicks don’t have a great join at this needle size)
The ChiaoGoo double pointed needles (for sock heels and toes, plus closing up hat crowns)
ChiaoGoo 9” circular (my preferred sock knitting needle)
Addi fixed circulars (for sizes smaller than US 4, like hats knit in fingering-weight yarn)
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Team carbon fiber DPNs all the way here, especially for socks. Sticky enough that nothing slips off, smooth enough not to slow me down, and strong enough that my use of my ring fingers to hold the needles in position doesn’t snap them (why 9-inch circs aren’t comfortable for me). I have broken 2.25 mm bamboo needles, and bent teflon-coated aluminum Aeros but my 2mm and 1.75mm Karbonz are perfect for the way I knit.
Just don’t sit on one! My friend will tell you why.