knitting notions

How to Choose Circular Knitting Needles

by Kathleen Cubley April 18, 2019 5 min read

I use circular needles pretty much exclusively, and all my knitting friends do, too. There are a few reasons for this, not the least of which is that circular needles are more readily available these days than straight needles. They're also easier to knit with than straight needles because they don't hit the table or your lap while you're knitting (does this happen to anyone else?) and you won't lose one of them!

There are many things to consider when choosing circular needles, and I'm going to compare materials and brands like Addi, Chiaogoo, Knitter's Pride and more, as well as talk a little about the interchangeable sets we offer. Whether you prefer metal, wood, or bamboo, we've got circular needles for you.

Knitting Needle and Crochet Hook Conversion Chart

by AD Staff July 01, 2018 1 min read

Choosing the right needle size or crochet hook size is critical to how you project will turn out. I often will change the size recommended by a specific pattern to make a tighter fabric or adjust the fabric for a specific yarn. Here is an example project where I adapted a pattern designed for chunky alpaca to work with a lighter weight alpaca yarn.