Knitting needle size chart
Convert knitting needle sizes between millimetres, US sizes and old UK numbers, and see which needles suit each yarn weight.
Knitting needle sizes: metric, US and UK
| Metric | US | Old UK / Canadian |
|---|---|---|
| 2 mm | 0 | 14 |
| 2.25 mm | 1 | 13 |
| 2.75 mm | 2 | 12 |
| 3 mm | – | 11 |
| 3.25 mm | 3 | 10 |
| 3.5 mm | 4 | – |
| 3.75 mm | 5 | 9 |
| 4 mm | 6 | 8 |
| 4.5 mm | 7 | 7 |
| 5 mm | 8 | 6 |
| 5.5 mm | 9 | 5 |
| 6 mm | 10 | 4 |
| 6.5 mm | 10½ | 3 |
| 7 mm | – | 2 |
| 7.5 mm | – | 1 |
| 8 mm | 11 | 0 |
| 9 mm | 13 | 00 |
| 10 mm | 15 | 000 |
| 12.75 mm | 17 | – |
| 15 mm | 19 | – |
| 19 mm | 35 | – |
| 25 mm | 50 | – |
Which needles for which yarn?
| Yarn weight | Also called | Needles | Gauge (stitches per 4 in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 Lace | Lace, fingering 10-count thread | 1.5-2.25 mm (US 000-1) | 33-40 sts |
| 1 Super fine | Fingering, sock, baby | 2.25-3.25 mm (US 1-3) | 27-32 sts |
| 2 Fine | Sport, baby | 3.25-3.75 mm (US 3-5) | 23-26 sts |
| 3 Light | DK, light worsted | 3.75-4.5 mm (US 5-7) | 21-24 sts |
| 4 Medium | Worsted, afghan, aran | 4.5-5.5 mm (US 7-9) | 16-20 sts |
| 5 Bulky | Chunky, craft, rug | 5.5-8 mm (US 9-11) | 12-15 sts |
| 6 Super bulky | Super bulky, roving | 8-12.75 mm (US 11-17) | 7-11 sts |
| 7 Jumbo | Jumbo, roving | 12.75 mm and larger (US 17+) | 6 sts or fewer |
Need your exact numbers? The knitting gauge calculator works out how many stitches to cast on from your swatch. See also the yarn weight chart and the knitting chart maker.
Questions
What size knitting needles for worsted yarn?
Worsted (medium, #4) yarn is usually knitted on 4.5 to 5.5 mm needles, US 7 to 9. Start with the size on the ball band and change it to get the gauge your pattern asks for.
What is a US size 8 needle in mm?
A US 8 needle is 5 mm. US 6 is 4 mm, US 7 is 4.5 mm, US 9 is 5.5 mm and US 10 is 6 mm.
Why are old UK needle sizes backwards?
Old UK and Canadian sizes came from wire gauges, where a higher number means a thinner wire. So a UK 8 (4 mm) is thinner than a UK 6 (5 mm). Modern needles are sold in millimetres.
What length of circular needle do I need?
Use a circular needle a little shorter than the circumference of what you are knitting: 16 inches (40 cm) for hats, 24 inches (60 cm) for small sweaters, and 32 to 40 inches (80 to 100 cm) for adult sweaters, blankets and magic loop.
My gauge is off. Bigger or smaller needles?
More stitches per 4 inches than the pattern means your knitting is tight: go up a needle size. Fewer stitches means it is loose: go down a size. Use the knitting gauge calculator to work out your own numbers.