Most knitting needles are labeled with both US and metric sizes. It is important to pay attention to which size you reference because a US 5 and 5mm are very different sizes. In US measurement, the smaller the number, the smaller the needle. In UK sizes, the higher the number, the smaller the needle.

How do I know what size knitting needles to use?

A simple guideline: Add the measurements (in millimeters) of the suggested needle size for each yarn and then use the needle that is closest in size to that number. For example, for a swatch of two strands of Wool-Ease Chunky, we added 6.5 mm plus 6.5 mm to get 13 mm. The closest needle size is 12 mm, which is a US 17.

How does needle size affect knitting?

The size of the needle affects the length of the stitches and thus your finished product. ... 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.