Circular Needles
cable length demystified
This week I want to give you a quick and easy guide to best cable length for different projects if using circular needles for your knitting. It doesn’t matter if you are using fixed or interchangeable needles, or what material they are made from. My favourite needles are the CiaoGoo interchangeable metal needles, as they are pointy with a great join and yarn runs smoothly.
Cable length does depend on:
Are you knitting flat or in the round?
What are you knitting?
If it is a garment, do you like bottom up or top down?
Is it a jumper or a cardigan?
Do you like magic loop or two circulars?
For knitting in the round, it is best to use a circular needle that is either equal or slightly shorter than the circumference of your knitting. If it is too long your stitches will stretch too much and if it is too short, the knitting will be too scrunched up and won’t move easily along the cable. For magic loop it is best if the cable is much longer than your knitting.
Here is a guide:
Shorter than 40cm (speciality needles like KnitPro 25cm sock needles or ChiaoGoo shorties)
Socks, Baby Hats, Sleeves.
40cm
Hats (you might need to switch to magic loop or DPN’s for the crown), baby garments.
60cm
Children’s clothes, knitting narrow garments flat, garments that start top down or in the round, starting Lace shawls (until you have too many stitches).
80cm
Two at a time socks, yoke jumpers in the round, adult garments top down after body & sleeve divide, adult garments bottom up.
100cm
Great for magic loop, great for knitting flat and you want to see your pattern clearly, shawls with wide wingspan.
Over 100cm
Great for spreading out a lace ot patterned shawl project to see it’s wingspan, also great for trying on garments as you go without having to put stitches onto waste yarn. Not advisable for knitting in the round or flat as too much cable is a hindrance when knitting flat.
I hope this little guide makes it easier to choose cable length for your future projects.
Until soon, take care
Heike xo
This is an excellent resource Heike :)