How do you like your knitting needles, plastic, metal or wooden? Is there a difference? Maybe you haven’t tried all of these materials yet and wonder what is best for you or your project. Here is some information on the types of knitting needles and how they differ.
Metal knitting needles
+ allow fast knitting
– stitches slide of easily, initially feel cold
I have knitted with all of the above mentioned knitting needles and noticed that the metal ones allow me to knit the fastest. Metal knitting needles are very smooth and stitches easily slide to where I want them to go. However, if you are not careful, stitches might also slip of the needles easier.
Wooden knitting needles
+ beautiful, feel comfortable, stitches do not slide of as easily
– slower knitting, quality varies
Wooden knitting needles are beautiful! The knitting quality very much depends on how they are finished. Good quality smooth knitting needles may be amazing. Cheap rough ones, however, may damage your yarn and make the knitting difficult.
All the wooden and bamboo needles I have used were very comfortable in my hands. They don’t feel cold like metal needles. However, even very smooth wooden needles are not as smooth as metal ones. The stitches do not slip as easily and fast as on metal needles. If you worry about your stitches slipping of, wooden knitting needles might be a good choice for you.
Plastic knitting needles
+ feel light and comfortable, stitches do not slide of easily
– slower knitting, thin ones are bendy, sometimes have separate points where yarn keeps hanging
Plastic knitting needles apear very smooth, but they too have a definitely rougher surface than metal ones. This makes it harder for the stitches to slide and it makes me personally knit a bit slower. On the plus side, plastic needles are light in weight and, like wooden ones, feel warm in your hands. I have noticed is that thin plastic needles are quite flexible, which feels a bit weird but does not affect the knitting itself.
For very big plastic knitting needles, make sure they are made of one piece. I have needles with separate points and noticed that the yarn keeps hanging behind the edge that connects the points to the rest of the needles.
Plastic vs. Wooden vs. Metal knitting needles
To sum up, if you want to go fast, go for metal knitting needles! If your stitches keep slipping of, try plastic or wooden knitting needles. They will definitely help you keep everything in place, especially when you are knitting with four or five double pointed needles. Make sure the plastic needles are made of one piece and the wooden needles are of good smooth quality. I hope this information was helpful for you and you find it easier to choose the right material knitting needles for your project.
