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Are you looking to take up knitting but don't know where to start? Navigating the many different types of knitting needle available to you can be difficult for beginners. That's why we've compiled a list of best knitting needles for beginners - no matter what the occasion!
First we’ll start off with the best straight knitting needles for beginners. A lot of people prefer straight knitting needles as they have a longer needle for holding on to while getting to grips with the different knitting stitches. They are also usually easier to get started with as they don’t come in separate pieces like interchangeable knitting needles do, which makes them perfect for most beginners.
Best Straight Knitting Needles for Beginners:
Knitpro Zing Straight Knitting Needles – One of the most affordable standard knitting needles on the market, KnitPro Zing straight knitting needles are made with light metal and are colour-coded by size, so you can easily identify and match up knitting needles when using them. Since they are made of metal, these needles are more durable than most wooden or bamboo needles, though they are prone to bending/warping over time.
Pros:
Affordable
Colourful, colour-coded needles for organisation and ease of use
Metal = easy to slip stitches on and off
Durable
Cons:
Might warp with use and prone to scratches
Metal is good for sliding stitches on and off but could also make keeping stitches on the needle hard for beginners
Knitpro Symfonie Straight Knitting Needles – The Knitpro Symfonie straight knitting needles are made of polished wood which has a beautiful and colourful swirl effect. Made of wood, this needle warmer is to the touch (compared to metal) and has a better grip of yarn, which makes it perfect for beginners who have trouble getting their stitches to stay on the needle.
Pros:
Affordable
Colourful and pretty pattern
Wood = warmer to the touch
Good grip of yarn
Cons:
Because it’s made of wood, it can be broken if bent
Wears faster than metal needles
Has good grip of yarn, but could also snag sometimes
HiyaHiya Interchangeable Straight Knitting Needles – HiyaHiya interchangeable straight knitting needles are the first of their kind! Made with high-quality stainless steel, these needles are strong and long-wearing, while the hollow construction makes them lightweight. These needles don’t typically come with tips (unless bought in a set), but they are compatible with all HiyaHiya tips, giving you the option of getting steel, sharp, or bamboo tips (choose whichever one is perfect for the knitter in your life!).
These needles are also compatible with most HiyaHiya accessories, such as cables, tip adapters and cable connectors.
Pros:
High-quality stainless steel = durable and long-lasting
Being interchangeable, they are perfect for all knitters – people can choose their favourite material to knit with
Perfect for easing into circular knitting as well since all HiyaHiya accessories are compatible with them and you won’t need to rebuy tips
Length of the knitting needle is adjustable (just put on as many needle pieces as you’d like to make it longer/shorter!)
Cons:
Costs more
Not the best for people with dexterity issues since pieces need to be screwed onto each other
Has a lot of pieces that go into it
Want to get a set instead of individual straight needles? Here’s the best straight knitting needle set to get started with:
Best Straight Knitting Needle Set for Beginners:
HiyaHiya Steel Interchangeable Straight Knitting Needle Set – The HiyaHiya Steel Interchangeable Straight Set comes with straight needle pieces as well as seven pairs of steel tips, an ideal amount for beginner knitters to start their knitting journey. This set also comes with everything you need to construct the straight needles (a pair of bead stoppers, a needle gauge, needle grips and cable key, and a beautiful brocade case to hold everything).
Pros:
Has everything you need for the interchangeable straight knitting needles
High-quality stainless steel which makes it easy to slip stitches on and off
Perfect set to get into circular knitting as well since you have most of the materials already
7 pairs of tips fit for every project
Cons:
Costs more
Only available in steel (currently)
Not the best for people with dexterity issues since pieces need to be screwed onto each other
For those who are a bit more adventurous or want to try out circular knitting, here's our recommendation for the best interchangeable circular knitting needles for fledgling knitters:
Best Interchangeable Circular Knitting Needles for Beginners:
Knitpro Smartstix Interchangeable Knitting Needle Tips – The KnitPro Smartstix interchangeable knitting needle tips are made of fine grade aluminium which makes them durable and easy to knit with. These tips have a ruler-like pattern on them with 2cm marked intervals, making it easy to measure your piece as you knit. These tips are also colour-coded so you can match them up easily. Since they are tips only, cables will need to be purchased separately. Cables come in a range of lengths.
Pros:
Durable and easy to slip stitches
Ruler marks
Colourful and colour-coded
Cons:
Not the best of quality and colour can wear down with use
Metal = can be slippery when knitting
Lykke Grove Bamboo Interchangeable Knitting Needle Tips – Lykke Grove bamboo interchangeable knitting needle tips are smooth, flexible, and strong. The bamboo material makes these needles warmer to the touch than steel. Made in Kathmandu, Nepal, these tips are made by dedicated craftspeople which mean they are good quality and perfect for all knitters. Make sure to pair these needle tips with Lykke interchangeable cables get the most versatile circular knitting experience.
Pros:
Affordable and good quality
Natural and organic look
Warm touch from bamboo
Good grip of stitches
Seamless cable joins
Cons:
Bamboo can easily be broken if bent too much
Wears quicker than metal tips
HiyaHiya Bamboo Interchangeable Knitting Needle Tips – HiyaHiya bamboo interchangeable knitting needle tips are made of high-quality resin-injected bamboo, so they’re super strong and don’t warp or splinter over time. They offer seamless joints and are much warmer to the touch than steel tips. Make sure to buy the HiyaHiya interchangeable cables to pair with these tips.
Pros:
High-quality bamboo that doesn’t warp or splinter
Available in different lengths and tip sizes
Warmer to the touch than steel
Seamless cable joins
Cons:
Different screw sizes for different tip sizes = requires different cable sizes
Since it is made of bamboo, it can get scratched with use
Want to get a set instead of individual tips and cables? Here’s the best interchangeable/circular knitting needle set to get:
Best Circular Knitting Needle Set for Beginners:
KnitPro Smartstix Deluxe Interchangeable Needle set – The KnitPro Smartstix Deluxe Interchangeable Needle Set includes eight pairs of tips (from 3.50mm - 8.00mm) which is perfect for beginner knitters who want to try their hands at a variety of projects! Also included are four cables in three different sizes, end caps, cable keys, and cable connectors – the perfect starter kit.
Pros:
Durable and easy to slip stitches
Ruler marks
Colourful and colour-coded
All accessories needed are included
Comes in a nice case
Cons:
Not the best of quality and colour can wear down with use
Metal = can be slippery when knitting
Looking for a nice gift set to give to the knitter in your life? Here’s a list of them categorised by price range.
Best Knitting Needle Gift Sets for Beginners:
- Budget: KnitPro Self Love Interchangeable Knitting Needle Set – The KnitPro Self Love Set not only comes in a beautiful display box but also includes eight pairs of tips (from 3.50mm - 8.00mm), accessories (cables, fabric pouches, end caps, cable keys, and cable connectors), a knitting journal to create your own designs, and a knitted bookmark! This set is perfect for gifting as the tips themselves are made of colourful laminated birch knitting needles that are warmer to the touch than steel and four cables in three different sizes.
Pros:
Affordable
Pretty packaging perfect for gifting
Everything you need to knit with
Comes with extras
Cons:
Birch needles are not the best of quality and can break if too much pressure is applied
Cables aren’t the most flexible
- Mid-range: Lykke Cypra Interchangeable Copper Knitting Needle Set – The Lykke Cypra Interchangeable Copper Knitting Needle Set is not only stunning but also functional! These copper needles are intentionally left untreated so that over time, with use, they will develop gorgeous sheens of oranges, purples, and greens. This set comes with 12 pairs of tips, five cables in three different sizes, two connectors, four cable keys, eight stoppers, and a beautiful black or brown vegan suede case.
Pros:
Beautiful suede case
Unique copper tips that change colour over time
Comes with all the accessories you’ll need
Luxurious feel
Smooth knitting with metal tips
Cons:
Cables aren’t the most flexible
Metal tips can scratch easily with use
Metal cold to the touch
- Best-quality: HiyaHiya Pinnacle Plus Interchangeable Set - The HiyaHiya Pinnacle Plus Interchangeable Set is the set of all sets. It includes 16 pairs of the most popular tip sizes (in either steel or sharp steel), small and large interchangeable straight knitting needles (mentioned earlier), and a whole bunch of accessories such as cable stoppers, tip adapters, safety pins, darning needles, cables, etc. This set is perfect for the beginner knitter who wants to dive headfirst into the knitting world and create a variety of projects from socks to hats to jumpers!
Pros:
Comes with all the accessories you’ll ever need to knit with
Gives you the options of circular knitting AND straight knitting
Comes with all the tip sizes you’ll need
High-quality stainless steel tips
The ultimate knitting set
Choice of 4” or 5” tips as well as steel or sharp steel tips and case colour
Cons:
Costs more
Metal cold to the touch
I hope that this helps you with your knitting needle choice! We know that the choices can be quite overwhelming, so feel free to email us at hello@crafty-llama.com if you have any questions and we’ll try our best to advise you. If you need similar help with entering the wonderful world of crochet, why not check out our best crochet hooks for beginners blog too?
All of these needles and sets can be purchased from our Knitting Shop. Check out our blog for some FREE knitting patterns and check out our Instagram @craftyllamauk for knitting inspiration! Tag us @craftyllamauk if you purchase any of these sets for a chance to be featured!
Have fun and happy knitting!