Knitting Needle Conversion Chart

Knitting needles come in all shapes and sizes. To make matters worse, the sizes can vary depending on the pattern and its origin.

All patterns and yarns of wool state the recommended needle size in order to achieve the correct tension for the pattern. In the UK and Europe we now measure our needles in millimetres (mm) and the larger the number, the thicker the needle.

In the States, the finest needle starts at 0 and works it way up.

If you are knitting from an old pattern then the largest size needles are the thinnest. See, not confusing at all! So most vintage double knitting patterns would use a size 10 (3.25mm) and 8 (4mm) needles.

For your future reference here is a needle conversion chart to ensure you have the correct size needles for the task in hand. Don't forget to knit your tension square to ensure that your individual tension matches the tension required by the pattern.