Knitting needle sizes: 1-3 The sock sneaks up on all us knitters at some point. Most socks are knit using a size 1 or 2 needle, but you can also find sock patterns that are designed for heavier non-sock yarns. In addition to socks, you can knit up beautiful shawls using sock-weight yarn and these small needles.
In this post
What needles to use with sock yarn?
The most common size needles for a 4 ply traditional sock are 2.25mm and 2.5mm. Depending on a person’s tension and desired fabric either can be used for a wonderful effect.
How long should sock needles be?
The perfect needle length for sock knitting
Some knitters claim to have found the Goldilocks of knitting needles in the often raved-about 9” circular knitting needle. Users of this technique praise the compact nature of the project and rejoice over not switching needles two to four times per round.
What is the best length circular needles for socks?
22 or 30cm (8½ or 12in) are best for small tubes such as socks, mittens or cuffs. It is worth considering however, that very short circular needles will also have shorter than usual needle points which you may not find comfortable to knit with depending on the size of your hands.
What weight is sock yarn?
Sock/fingering weight yarn is used most often for sock knitting and infant items. The Standard Yarn Weight System classifies it as #1 Superfine. It is commonly worked at a gauge of 6-8 stitches per inch on a US 2-4 needle. Fingering weight yarn is also popular for shawls and scarves.
How much yarn does it take to make a pair of socks?
The rule of thumb is that for an average pair of adult socks you need 100g of sock weight (fingering weight yarn). If you use thicker yarn, make large men’s socks, or use a stitch pattern that eats more yarn you might need more.
What can I knit with 16 inch circular needles?
For projects that are a little large for double-pointed needles, 16-inch cords are ideal especially for in the round knitting.
Sample projects you can do with this cord length are the following:
- Hats for kids or grown-ups.
- Booties and sweaters for babies.
- Sleeves and Collars of adult sweaters.
- Brims of hats.
Can you use circular needles for socks?
Have you tried knitting socks on two circular needles? Yes, it’s possible! And it may be easier for you if you have trouble working with double-pointed needles (dpns). It’s also an excellent skill to have in your back pocket when you really want to make that sock pattern, but the dpns are busy with another project.
Does yarn needle size matter?
Usually, larger needles will produce a larger gauge, but the type and weight of the yarn also will make a difference. If your gauge doesn’t match what the pattern calls for, try changing the size of your needles.
What happens if you use larger knitting needles?
So by knitting with bigger needles, you’ll have larger loops on the needles of the finer segments of the yarn as well, which will allow easy passage of the puffy parts. A second advantage to knitting thick and thin yarn with larger needles is the strain on your hands.
How many stitches fit on a 16 inch circular needle?
So, if the recommended gauge for your project is 4 stitches per inch, and you need to knit 80 stitches in the round, you’ll be better off using the 16″ circular needle. The 24″ won’t work well, because for that length, you need at least 96 stitches.
How long do you use DPNS for socks?
If you’re knitting something with a small circumference, like a pair of socks, then a length of five or six inches will suffice. But if you’re knitting a hat, then eight or ten inch needles will be more comfortable. The most popular DPN lengths fall between five and eight inches.
What if circular needles are too long?
What can you do if your circular needles are too long? If your circular needles are too long for your project, you can switch to a shorter pair, use the magic loop method, or even use two pairs of circular needles of the same size (a substitute for the magic loop method).
What is the difference between sock yarn and regular yarn?
Sock yarn is often a blend of fibers that make the finished fabric more durable. While regular wool yarn can be used for a sock, many people prefer superwash wool for socks because it can be washed in a washing machine.
Do you need nylon in sock yarn?
While no-nylon sock yarns try hard to be more durable, natural fibers will never be as durable as plastic. You can also improve durability by knitting at a very tight gauge – even up to 36 stitches to 4 inches!
Is it better to knit or crochet socks?
Knitting is better suited to making socks than crochet, mainly due to the differences between knitted and crocheted fabric. Crochet doesn’t stretch the way knitting does, so it’s much harder to get crocheted socks to fit well.
What ply is sock yarn?
4 ply
4 ply and 5 ply also called sock yarn, baby yarn. The construction of these yarns is a little different. Sock yarn often contains a little nylon to give a sock additional structure. This is often used to make fabulous shawls or hats, and the dyes are often random colours.
How many needles do I need to knit socks?
You can knit socks on one fixed circular knitting needle using the Magic Loop method or on two fixed circulars using the two circular needles method. Not only are there fewer needles to keep track of, you can also knit two pairs of socks at once using the two-at-a-time technique.
How do you knit socks on circular needles?
Cast stitches onto a flexible circular needle and work the body, heel flap, and gusset. When you’re ready to decrease stitches and make the toe, work the stitches onto 2 double pointed needles. Decrease the stitches until only a few remain on your needles. Then use a tapestry needle to seam the sock closed.
What is the most common size knitting needle?
US size 8
The most common knitting needle size is US size 8, or 5mm. These needles are most common because they match up with worsted-weight yarn, which is the most common type of yarn for most knitting patterns. These needles are generally considered a normal size for beginners to start knitting with, too.
What can I make with 29 inch circular needles?
29″ The 29″ needle can be used for things like baby blankets or cardigans that are large but not as big (or heavy) as a shawl or adult-sized blanket. If you’re knitting a sweater in the round, this is a solid choice for working the body.