My sister once asked me how I could knit with “tiny” needles. In response, I asked how she could knit with broomsticks.
Right now I’ve got four active projects. Two are on US2s, one is on US3s, the other is on US4s.
Shimmer is on 8s. I re-swatched for the back the other day, and the needles felt pretty large; I felt clumsy and awkward while handling them. I haven’t actually knit anything on that size needle for awhile. In fact, the largest size I’ve worked with recently was size 5s. (Okay, I did do a swatch on 6s, but I didn’t get very far, so it doesn’t really count.)
In general, I’m just more comfortable working with smaller needles. Some knitters get intimidated by them, but for me it’s the other way around – larger needles scare me, and I avoid them whenever possible.
I think it’s because my muscles are just very accustomed to working with smaller things. For example, I’ve been doing modular origami since I was seven or eight. I’ve probably folded thousands of 1 1/2″ and 2″ square sheets of relatively thin paper. And my fingers are probably happiest when they’re working with laceweight yarn, which isn’t much thicker than the paper I favor.
Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if I’d started knitting with smaller needles and thinner yarn. I mean, size 10s with worsted weight felt awkward, and I thought that was just because I was still learning. But maybe, just maybe, it would have clicked faster if I’d been working with finer-gauge stuff.
Oh well. At least I’ve finally figured out what I’m most comfortable with.
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I know what you mean about the needles. I picked York back up today, on 8s, and the needles felt huge. I kind of have an itch to knit a big chunky sweater, some thing comfy to cuddle in, but the idea of knitting a whole sweater on 10s or 11s worries me. At least it would go fast I guess.
Don’t get me started. I’m working for a LYS and teaching beginner knit lessons…but the owner insists on outfiiting the newbies with slippery plastic yarns and plastic size 15s. (so they can do something fast) AAaaaah!
Maybe it would feel more natural if they didn’t have to fight the d@mn weight of the needles and the slidy splitty cr@ppy Patons Melody yarn! This is what happens when someone who “doesn’t really knit” starts a yarn shop.