Glossary: needle(s)

ndl(s) = needle(s)

'ndls' is an abbreviation for the word 'needles'. 

Common types of needles are:

• Straight needles - The most common sort of knitting needles. These have a point on one end and a stop on the other that keeps the work in process from sliding off. Needles of this type are normally marked on the end to show the size. There are three sizing systems currently in use: U.S., U.K. and metric. Many needles show the size in more than one system. For a list of the size equivalents, click here
• Scarf needles - Scarf needles are simply short versions of straight needles. They are convenient for knitting small items (such as scarves, hence the name)
• Double-pointed needles - Double-pointed needles do not have a stop on the end. They are typically used for knitting in the round (where the knitting is worked from one end of the needle to another.) These needles are typically not marked for size; a handy trick is to use nail polish or a permanent marker to put marks on the needle to indicate the size (5 rings for size 5, etc.)
• Circular needles - Circular needs are two short needles joined by a cable. These can be used for knitting in the round (as with dpns), but are also very handy for conventional knitting because of their short length. To knit conventionally using circular needles, simply reverse the needles at the end of a row as you would for conventional needles.

For a list of all the kinds of needles that we offer, click here