Why Circular Needles are ideal for stress-free knitting?

Posted by The Mindful Collection on July 18th, 2022

Circular knitting needles are a useful tool in a knitter’s stash. Whether you are just starting or have the experience of years, circular needles are perfect for you. These needles are two tapered tips connected by a flexible cord in varying lengths. The cord can either be fixed or can be changed. Be it fixed or interchangeable, both needle types are great for knitting from the smallest to the largest projects.

As the name suggests, circular needles are ideal for knitting flat and seamlessly in the round. You can easily tackle multiple projects with one pair of needles or a set. But they’re so much more than that. If you do not have straight needles such as single pointed or  instead of double-point needles with the help of a magic loop.

Before you go trading in all your needles for circulars, it’s important to understand cord lengths. The needle tips themselves follow the same rules as straight needles, but circulars come in a variety of cord lengths, too.

So, say a pattern calls for size 7 16″ needles: That first number refers to the needle size (aka the size of the needle head), and the second one is the length of the needles from tip to tip.

Most patterns will tell you which cord length you need for your project, but if you’re planning to design your project, here’s what you need to know.

The Key to Cord Lengths

10″ - Good for: really, really narrow projects, like baby hats, and sleeves

This the shortest length you’ll find — anything with a smaller circumference will need to be worked on double-points, because it just isn’t possible for the needles on a shorter cord to even come together to work stitches.

16″ Good for: small projects, knitting in the round

These needles are perfect when the project is just a bit too large to fit on double-pointed needles, including hats (for grown-ups and for kids), baby-sized sweaters and booties, and collars and sleeves on the sweaters you knit for grown-ups. Hat patterns will often ask you to use a 16″ circular needle to work the brim, and then switch you over to double-pointed needles as the hat gets smaller at the crown.

24″ Good for: most projects, especially sweaters

32″

Good for: medium-sized projects knitted flat or in the round

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.

Knitting something heavy like a shawl on straight needles can be a pain in the wrist — literally! That’s when you break out the 36″ circular needles. They put all the weight of the project onto the cord, allowing you to speed along as you knit, while the rest of the knitting is on your lap or on the table. Straight needles also have a limited amount of space on them, so casting on 340 stitches is probably impossible. Again, not so for 36″ circular knitting needles.

40″ Good for: knitting socks and sleeves two at a time, bed-size blankets

This is also a great length if you want to try knitting a sleeve with the magic loop method instead of DPNs.

Circular needles also come in lengths of 40″ and 47″, and even go longer than that.