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Colorful knitting, crochet, latch hook and macrame from craft book author & designer Heidi Gustad.

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Knitting Needle Sizes & A Handy Conversion Chart

June 21, 2017 6 Comments

Eliminate needle size confusion with this handy conversion chart, showing you what US/UK/mm knitting needle sizes are equal to each other!
If you’ve been knitting for a minute or two, you’ll have noticed that needle sizes can be confusing. The United States has one system of indicating needle sizes, England & Canada have another, and then there’s plain old mm sizing. Heck, knitting needle sizes can even vary brand to brand! (Something designers like yours truly have to be super careful of!) To make all of our lives a little easier, I’ve put together this handy reference guide to help convert needle sizes and confirm that you’re using the right one for your project.  Because, heaven forbid, you guess wrong and your project’s gauge is completely screwed up. That’s a recipe for a tear-stained, wrong-sized sweater right there!

Eliminate needle size confusion with this handy conversion chart, showing you what US/UK/mm knitting needle sizes are equal to each other!

Knitting Needle Conversion Chart

a.k.a. What size is my knitting needle? 

Eliminate needle size confusion with this handy conversion chart, showing you what US/UK/mm knitting needle sizes are equal to each other!
Important notes

  • Hyphens (-) indicate there is not an equivalent size for the system of measurement listed in that column.
  • All listed US & mm needle sizes are based on the Craft Yarn Council’s standards, an organization worth bookmarking for all needlearts lovers! UK & Canada equivalents and cross referencing was done using the following sites: Laughing Hens, Best Yarns, p2tog, & Deramores. There is some inconsistency among these sources regarding UK equivalents. Because of issues like this, I recommend always designing with mm sizing in mind. Millimeters are an objective standard of measurement, and you can never be too careful with gauge! :)

Eliminate needle size confusion with this handy conversion chart, showing you what US/UK/mm knitting needle sizes are equal to each other!
Eliminate needle size confusion with this handy conversion chart, showing you what US/UK/mm knitting needle sizes are equal to each other!

Filed Under: Knitting Tagged With: knitting needle conversion chart, knitting needle sizes, knitting needles, needle sizes, uk to mm, us to mm

About Heidi

Heidi Gustad is a craft book author, designer & creator specializing in yarn crafts like knitting, crochet, latch hook & macramé. Her first book, Latch Hook: 12 Projects for the Modern Maker, is out now.

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Comments

  1. DebbieW

    June 21, 2017 at 1:07 pm

    What a great resource to have handy! Thanks for this!

    Reply
    • Heidi

      June 22, 2017 at 1:55 pm

      You’re welcome!

      Reply
  2. LK

    June 22, 2017 at 4:52 pm

    Fair to note that this style of UK numbering is a vintage system. Not really used for 30+ years. Still useful for old patterns, though.

    Reply
    • Heidi

      June 26, 2017 at 9:21 am

      Absolutely! It’s also a useful reference if you inherit needles from someone. Thanks for the tip! :)

      Reply
  3. Susan5794

    June 26, 2017 at 9:42 am

    I’ve had problems with US 1. Some brands are 2.25mm, and some (Addi) are 2.5mm. Some manufacturers list the 2.5mm as size 1-1/2. Since I knit socks on 2.25mm, I have to be careful when choosing new needles!

    Reply
    • Heidi

      June 28, 2017 at 12:43 pm

      Yep! Addi size 1s have screwed me up in the past! That’s why, no matter what the needle says, I always measure the size using at least 2 needle gauges when designing. It may be a little paranoid, but it matters!

      Reply

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Heidi Gustad from Hands Occupied / Craft Book Author and Knitting, Crochet, Latch Hook and Macrame Designer

Hi! I’m Heidi (she/her/hers), a craft book author & pattern designer specializing in knitting, crochet, latch hook & macrame. Really anything with yarn! ❤️  My work combines vintage and modern design elements, featuring bold colors and graphic motifs.

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When I was a librarian, we would use these hanging bags to circulate books with audiobook CDs. They came to mind when I wanted to develop a filing cabinet-like system for my differently-sized WIPs. To fit in my studio closet, a standard bedroom closet, they just needed custom hangers. 🤙🏻 
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HOW TO MAKE THE HANGERS
1. Carefully cut approx. a 9” (23 cm) length of flexible 3 mm aluminum wire.
2. Near the end of a large knitting needle or dowel, wrap the wire around it as you would a twist tie. 
3. Bend the other end into a hook shape, perpendicular to the circle shape you just created. 
4. Hang like a hanger in a closet, as shown. 
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What makes these yarns sisters is that, while dyed differently, they’re the same weight and come in intentionally coordinating color palettes. For my review, I opted for a sky-inspired combo of Sami in Natural and Marla in Nube. 🌧️ 
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