Metal, wood, plastic or bamboo needles?

addi knitting needles are available in many different designs and variations, made of plastic, metal, wood and bamboo.

Each material has its own advantages and disadvantages, which each knitter feels individually. The perfect needle that always fits perfectly does not exist. So that knitting is a pleasure, the needles should always be adapted to the chosen project.

The decision as to which knitting needle is appropriate for which project not only depends on the yarn selected and the techniques used, but also has a lot to do with personal preferences and the desired feeling when knitting.

It is always good to try out yarn and knitting needles. A piece of knitting that doesn’t go so well with acrylic needles, for example, can be much more fun with metal needles.

Very practical to always have the right point for the right project at hand are therefore our addiClick cases. Due to the patented addiClick system the needle point and the rope can be easily connected without any tools and if necessary, simply replaced by a needle point made of another material and the rope length can be adjusted optimally.

In any case it is important that you enjoy your knitting work which depends to the right choice of knitting needle, too. To make this choice a little easier, we’ve put some thought into addi knitting needle variations to help you find the right needle for your project.

Bamboo knitting needles

The addiNature Bamboo circular knitting needles or the addiClick Bamboo are the all-rounders among knitting needles. They combine the positive characteristics of wood in haptics, optics and sustainability and are still very affordable.

Addi Bamboo knitting needles have a waxed surface, which helps the knitter with a rather loose stitch pattern. They feel warm to the touch and are very light. Even fibrous yarns can be knitted with it. Due to the deep-pored finishing, the surface is protected for a long time and does not wear off as quickly.

Stiffness is the big plus of addi bamboo needles. They can therefore be produced from a needle thickness of 2 mm. However, bamboo needles can bend or wear out under heavy use. addi bamboo needles are made of slow growing bamboo from Japan, thus protecting nature and using the best available material.

We recommend bamboo needles for knitters with a rather loose method of knitting, knitters who tend to have damp hands and for beginners who do not want to dig deep into their pockets for a new hobby.

Because we respond to the preferences of our customers, the addiCraSyTrio, the popular alternative to the traditional double pointed needles, is also available with bamboo needle tips, with metal needle tips and recently as the addiCrasyTrio Novel.

 

Wood Knitting Needles

Knitting needles are also made of wood. addi offers the addiNature olive wood, which is sustainably and environmentally friendly produced from olive trees that are no longer bearing fruit. Wooden needles look very attractive and give a pleasant feeling in the fingers while knitting. Each needle is unique

Knitting needles made of wood are very suitable for knitters inside who find metal needles too cool or who tend to have wet hands, because the wood does not get slippery.

For reasons of stability, knitting needles made of wood cannot be used with needle sizes as small as those of metal. The addiNature needles are therefore only available from needle sizes 3 mm, because only from this needle sizes our quality standards for breakage resistance can be met.

And like the addi bamboo knitting needles, it knits very quietly with the addi olive wood needle. Clattering is not part of the craft here.

For knitters who have aesthetic and sustainable demands on their needles and who love warm and natural materials, we recommend our addiNature olive wood.

Plastic knitting needles

Beginners often reach for plastic knitting needles, these are affordable and look attractive with glitter elements or bright colours. Plastic needles, like the addi circular knitting needles Champagne, are produces in thicker needle sizes from 7-25 mm and are still very light in the thicker versions. The robust material also forgives very firm knitting. Plastic needles rarely show signs of wear and tear, even under heavy use.

However, knitters who tend to have damp hands will find that plastic needles become slightly damp here and the yarn no longer glides well over the needle.

We therefore recommend plastic needles for beginners, knitting projects with very large needle sizes and for demanding patterns where there is a lot of tension on the needle. Plastic needles are also a good choice for children knitting for the first time.

Metal knitting needles

Knitting needles are also made of metal. The addi circular knitting needles are made of refined brass, whereby the needles are very light, since they are produced from hollow brass tubes. The addi steel double pointed needles, as the name suggests, are made of steel and the addiColibri are made of aluminum. Metal needles are characterized by their very smooth surface, which in contrast to the surface of plastic needles is really suitable for all yarns. Even cotton or synthetic fibres glide over the needles without any problems. Knitting needles made of metal can also be produced in very small needle sizes due to their stability. At addi you will find metal knitting needles from 1.25 mm (steel dpn) up to 15 mm (circular needles).

The metal needles from addi are white-bronzed and nickel-free.

Metal needles are best suited for knitters knitting firmly and projects knitted with small needle sizes. They are also recommended for sophisticated yarns which glide poorly on other needles. They are the allrounder.

For knitters with health problems, such as arthritis or rheumatism, our addiNovel circular knitting needles can be a good alternative. They have all the positive characteristics of metal needles and are additionally ergonomically optimized. More about the addiNovel circular knitting needles can be found here 🙂  

Lace or Basic?

Knitting needles are also made of metal. The addi circular knitting needles are made of refined brass, whereby the needles are very light, since they are produced from hollow brass tubes. The addi steel double pointed needles, as the name suggests, are made of steel and the addiColibri are made of aluminum.

Metal needles are characterized by their very smooth surface, which in contrast to the surface of plastic needles is really suitable for all yarns. Even cotton or synthetic fibres glide over the needles without any problems. Knitting needles made of metal can also be produced in very small needle sizes due to their stability. At addi you will find metal knitting needles from 1.25 mm (steel dpn) up to 15 mm (circular needles).

The metal needles from addi are white-bronzed and nickel-free.