best size for first knittting needles?

Question

I'm going to lean to knit and need to buy needles but I don't know what size to get. Any suggestions? Thank you!

Answer 1

You are going to find the majority of patterns will be for size 6 and 8. For the sweaters the 6 is for the ribbing and the 8 is for the rest of the sweater. Get the short needles and you won't be "bumping" into arms of chairs, etc. Buy what you will be using in the future and not just something that is large and makes things go faster. Get regular yarn but get the smallest amount as the more you work with it the more unravelled it will become.

Answer 2

If you're planning on making something specific from a pattern it will depend on what you are making. If you are going to just knit a practice block, I would suggest size 6. It's a common size so you will be able to use them for other projects. Size six seems to be a good size neither too big or too small.

If you decide to continue on this great hobby your needle collection will grow.

Answer 3

it depends what you are going knit, when i first started i used some old needles that my mum got me from a resale shop and some odd balls of wool and knitted a scarf.
so you should try and get an idea of what you want to knit and get some metal needles that you feel comfortable with and if you do not know anything about knitting get a Patton for beginers untill you understand all the stiches.

Answer 4

For your first project, you want instant gratification, something easy and done quickly for a sense of accomplishment. I would use size 15 or 17 needles with very bulky yarn. These needles look very large and are cool. You should be able to find a pattern easily, and with needles this large, you will be able to see your stitches very clearly as you get the hang of things. Plus you will have a scarf done so fast you will not believe it.
check out lionbrand.com. You will be able to find patterns and bulky yarns there. You can find these yarns in walmart, joanns and michaels.

Answer 5

I would suggest buying size 10 needles and some cotton yarn. Get the shorter needles as they are easier to manage Then search online for dish cloth patterns. Dish cloths are easy to make,don't take forever, and if you make a mistake they can still be used to wash the dishes. ;-)

Answer 6

For beginners, the bigger the better, but when I learned, I used regular sized ones because I brought a complete kit that costed about $10. The items were great, but the instructions were poor. In case you need a good website for knitting references, visit knittinghelp.com. It's the best website for knitting! :)

Answer 7

I like sizes 8 through 10.5. The larger needles are easier to manipulate, and they work well with worsted weight yarns, the easiest yarn to start with. I recommend for your first project, use a smooth yarn, not a novelty yarn, it is much easier to count your stitches, and to find your mistakes. I like wood or plastic needles to start, you will find the best needles for your yarn as you progress. My nephew is a new knitter, and he was very happy with size 8's to make his first scarf.

Answer 8

well, i would recommend 5mm or 4.5mm. You want needles that are going to be functional for a lot of things. Sizes beyond 6 are only really used for fast knits with open hole work. Smaller ones like 3mm are usually used for things with tight weave and fine detailing.
You'll get a lot of use out of 5s or 4.5s. You can make scarves, sweaters, hats.... loads of things. :O) happy knitting!

Answer 9

When you choose a pattern, there will be a suggestion of which needles to get for that pattern, to make it come out the right size and the stitches the right width. Choose a nice easy pattern and have fun!
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Answer 10

I usually teach with size 10.