Knitting needle size, US V MM?

Oooops Aron something wrong here - My needle sizes are mostly metric except
for new ones bought since 1961
I always understood that our sizes were the same as UK and I can measure my
needles ( both metric and decimal) on my old guage and this is what I get,
and where this fits in with US sizes I have no idea God Bless Gwen

7 = 4.5 mm
8 = 4 mm
9 =3.75 mm
10=3.5 mm
11=3 mm
12 =2.75 mm
13 = 2.25
14 = 2 mm


--

Gwen Kelly


"Aaron Lewis" wrote in message
. com...
US size = metric = UK size
0 = 2 mm = 14
1 = 2.25 mm = 13
2 = 2.75 mm = 12
na = 3 mm = 11
3 = 3.25 mm = 10
4= 3.5 mm = na
5 = 3.75 mm = 9
6= 4 mm = 8
7 = 4.5 mm = 7
8 = 5 mm = 6
9 = 5.5 mm =5
10 = 6 mm = 4
10.5 = 6.5 mm = 3
na = 7 mm = 2
na = 7.5 mm = 1
11 = 8 mm = 0
13 = 9 mm = 00
15 = 10 mm = 000

Maybe Slinky knows about the finer sizes?

Aaron

"Mirjam Bruck-Cohen" wrote in message
...
Mona i had to Rub my eyes ,,,, when i read this . actually in both
Methods you describe ,,,,, in All my years of knitting and my staying
in countries [ USA /UK ] i saw Different needle sizing ,,,, but MM in
SUCH fractions ,,,,,,, NEVER ,,,,,,,,i had a long look now through my
collection of needles, and knitting books and mags old and the latest
....as i remembered ALL mm come only in
whole and half numbers ,,,,, i.e, 2, 2.5, 3 , 3.5, 4 , 4.5
etc... not one mag even the latest knitting mag prints Any thing for a
mm + 0.25 of it the only place where i saw such a number is on a very
old rusty CROCHET NEEDLE ,,,, never on knitting needles ..
thus now the enigma is great ??? could you ask the factory ?? do they
have a email info board ???
mirjam still scratching her mind ???
On Mon, 22 Nov 2004 16:34:23 -0800, wrote:

I bought a knitting needle guide from "Boye" and it has measurements in
US needle size and mm sizes.

The mm sizes are listed as 2, 2/1/4, 2/3/4.. and one my questions are,
how come they list a mm as a fraction?

It seems to me that the mm would be 2, 2.25, 2.75 etc.

Mona

I find that my UK & European knitting needles do not exactly match the sizes
in the US size gauges that I have. I gave metric sizes in thousandths
because I thought it was clearer than fractions given the nature of email
text, not because knitting needles are finished to tolerances of plus or
minus 0.005 mm.

My point is that any kind of a conversion chart is just a rough guide to
what size needles to try first when you begin swatching.

Knitting is about skill and artistry, not about precision. Think about all
those beautiful sweaters knitted on goose feathers for Irish seamen.

Aaron.





"Gwendoline Kelly" wrote in message
u...
Oooops Aron something wrong here - My needle sizes are mostly metric
except
for new ones bought since 1961
I always understood that our sizes were the same as UK and I can measure
my
needles ( both metric and decimal) on my old guage and this is what I get,
and where this fits in with US sizes I have no idea God Bless Gwen

7 = 4.5 mm
8 = 4 mm
9 =3.75 mm
10=3.5 mm
11=3 mm
12 =2.75 mm
13 = 2.25
14 = 2 mm


--

Gwen Kelly


"Aaron Lewis" wrote in message
. com...
US size = metric = UK size
0 = 2 mm = 14
1 = 2.25 mm = 13
2 = 2.75 mm = 12
na = 3 mm = 11
3 = 3.25 mm = 10
4= 3.5 mm = na
5 = 3.75 mm = 9
6= 4 mm = 8
7 = 4.5 mm = 7
8 = 5 mm = 6
9 = 5.5 mm =5
10 = 6 mm = 4
10.5 = 6.5 mm = 3
na = 7 mm = 2
na = 7.5 mm = 1
11 = 8 mm = 0
13 = 9 mm = 00
15 = 10 mm = 000

Maybe Slinky knows about the finer sizes?

Aaron

"Mirjam Bruck-Cohen" wrote in message
...
Mona i had to Rub my eyes ,,,, when i read this . actually in both
Methods you describe ,,,,, in All my years of knitting and my staying
in countries [ USA /UK ] i saw Different needle sizing ,,,, but MM in
SUCH fractions ,,,,,,, NEVER ,,,,,,,,i had a long look now through my
collection of needles, and knitting books and mags old and the latest
....as i remembered ALL mm come only in
whole and half numbers ,,,,, i.e, 2, 2.5, 3 , 3.5, 4 , 4.5
etc... not one mag even the latest knitting mag prints Any thing for a
mm + 0.25 of it the only place where i saw such a number is on a very
old rusty CROCHET NEEDLE ,,,, never on knitting needles ..
thus now the enigma is great ??? could you ask the factory ?? do they
have a email info board ???
mirjam still scratching her mind ???
On Mon, 22 Nov 2004 16:34:23 -0800, wrote:

I bought a knitting needle guide from "Boye" and it has measurements
in
US needle size and mm sizes.

The mm sizes are listed as 2, 2/1/4, 2/3/4.. and one my questions
are,
how come they list a mm as a fraction?

It seems to me that the mm would be 2, 2.25, 2.75 etc.

Mona

In article ,
Penny Gaines wrote:
snip

Hmm, I've got quite a few old UK sized needles. I wonder how close to
the mm sizes they are? Is an old UK 8 bigger or smaller then a new
UK 4.0 mm? And is my US needle which has the US size and 4.0mm slightly
bigger or slightly smaller? I could really fine tune my guage if I knew.

(Of course, there is not really any point in fine-tuning, unless one is
incredibly accurate everywhere else as well.)

It might make a difference. I tested an old pattern using fingering yarn
and a set of needles that were made in Portugal; they were a tiny bit
bigger than the nearest American size needle, but not enough different to
be a different size according to either American or English gauges. At
one point I switched to the American needles for a while, then back to the
Portuguese ones, and it made a very noticeable difference in the gauge.

So if you want something to be just a tiny bit smaller, you could knit it
on the smaller needles instead of changing the pattern.

=Tamar

In article ,
Aaron Lewis wrote:
I find that my UK & European knitting needles do not exactly match the sizes
in the US size gauges that I have. I gave metric sizes in thousandths
because I thought it was clearer than fractions given the nature of email
text, not because knitting needles are finished to tolerances of plus or
minus 0.005 mm.

My point is that any kind of a conversion chart is just a rough guide to
what size needles to try first when you begin swatching.

Knitting is about skill and artistry, not about precision.

Definitely. But it still makes a difference in the fit if the gauge is
off. :-)

Think about all
those beautiful sweaters knitted on goose feathers for Irish seamen.

Now, I've read that on the newsgroups before, but the only place I've
found any definite statement of that story in print is a reminiscence by
a woman who was taught to knit on goose feathers as a child.

It seems likely to me that the feathers were used because children are
likely to lose things and knitting needles were hard to come by and
couldn't be risked. Feathers, even quills, are fairly weak. Quills can
stand up to gentle use as a writing pen, but knitting involves a lot more
strain; I don't think feathers would stand up to knitting an entire
sweater.

=Tamar

In article ,
(Richard Eney) wrote:



Think about all
those beautiful sweaters knitted on goose feathers for Irish seamen.

Now, I've read that on the newsgroups before, but the only place I've
found any definite statement of that story in print is a reminiscence by
a woman who was taught to knit on goose feathers as a child.

It seems likely to me that the feathers were used because children are
likely to lose things and knitting needles were hard to come by and
couldn't be risked. Feathers, even quills, are fairly weak. Quills can
stand up to gentle use as a writing pen, but knitting involves a lot more
strain; I don't think feathers would stand up to knitting an entire
sweater.

=Tamar

Ahh Tamar, you may be right, but it is so wonderful to think of a whole
room ful of women knitting on goose feathers. How romantic. I can see a
story with lovely pictures....Katherine, ask Kandance, I bet she will
agree.....LOL

Els

--
hate spam not welcome

On Wed, 24 Nov 2004 23:01:45 -0000, (Richard Eney)
wrote:

In article ,
Aaron Lewis wrote:

Think about all
those beautiful sweaters knitted on goose feathers for Irish seamen.

Now, I've read that on the newsgroups before, but the only place I've
found any definite statement of that story in print is a reminiscence by
a woman who was taught to knit on goose feathers as a child.

It seems likely to me that the feathers were used because children are
likely to lose things and knitting needles were hard to come by and
couldn't be risked.

I don't know how strong goose feathers are, so I can't say.

I know a women who, in the rural south of the US, used to knit with
old bicycle spokes.
--
Barbara Vaughan

My email address is my first initial followed by my last name at libero dot it.

Gwen my Loom combs are all in Inches , thus i work out my measured
width in cm , than calculate the threads for the warp in Inches and
than weave the length in cm .
mirjam
On Wed, 24 Nov 2004 23:16:02 +1000, "Gwendoline Kelly"
wrote:

Mirjam , now it is my turn to laugh - very heartily ! We had those
dreadful pounds, shillings and pence until around 1961 when our government
of the day saw the light and changed to decimals - such a mixture of
measures - one pound = 20 shillings and one shilling = 12 pence and currency
came in one pound and ten shilling notes ( ie 1/2) two shilling (1/10) one
shilling (1/20) sixpence (1/40) threepence (1/80) and a penny which I can
still remember was .00416 repeater of a pound and yes we had the stupid
thing of a guniea which was one pound and one shilling
mainly used here is the sale of valuable things like horses .

I used to be a comptometer operator in those days and before anything was
calculated the currency had to be changed into decimals so that if something
was say two shillings and sevenpence each and one needed the cost of 42 of
them you had to first bring the two and seven to decimals ie .12896 of a
pound and multiply by the 42 and then bring the total back to the
currency.!!!!! Think of the operator hours wasted - I figure that what
could be done in a day could be done in seconds with decimals.

As for stone weights that is even worse - 16 ounces =1 pound,14 pounds one
stone, 112 pounds = one hundredwieght and 2240 pounds = 1 ton - now imagine
what that meant to me the comp operator calculating say a 1/4 pound of nails
at 2 pounds one shilling and threepence a ton, as both the money and weight
had to be brought to decimals !!!!!!**

Feet and inches just as bad 12 inches one foot, 3 feet one yard and I forget
the rest. Here is another laugh for you Mirjam - my daughters say I must be
the only knitter that knits in inches in length and centimetres around !!
This is because I can remember lengths of jumpers - to armhole and to
shoulder etc from my youth but the girls give me the width depending on how
loose they want the garment and that, of course, is in cms.

These days I think most countries are all decimal. God Bless Gwen

Gwen Kelly


"Mirjam Bruck-Cohen" wrote in message
...
ACH GWEN i had ti Tumble over laughing [ excuse me please ] when i
read your letter ,,, Many years ago my husband made his post Doctorate
in UK [ Manchetter Umist ] . At first we could not find our feet and
hands in the British Money ,,, Pounds and cents that were divived in 8
and 12 ,,, you also had a term Guiny [ i think this is the name ??]
that was really a pound + 1/12 of it ,,,, i was LOST ,,,,, aha ,,, but
several months after we came ,,, UK chnged it`s money into Decimal
,,,, and here we could Excell ,,, we became a help to any poor person
who was lost about counting in decimals .
Than when we came to USA ,, the school teacher of my son was FACINATED
at the way he "So naturally divivded in Decimals " ,,, ach the world
has a variety of counting methods and we each are so used , to the
method we were brought up in ,,,,, the Inches Feet yards were a
mystery to me as well ,,, but i learned ....
mirjam
ps i still am confused with Stone weights ????and ounces .....make me
look in funny faces .

Mirjam I am glad I am not the only one to do this double take on
measurements God Bless gwen
--

Gwen Kelly


"Mirjam Bruck-Cohen" wrote in message
...
Gwen my Loom combs are all in Inches , thus i work out my measured
width in cm , than calculate the threads for the warp in Inches and
than weave the length in cm .
mirjam
On Wed, 24 Nov 2004 23:16:02 +1000, "Gwendoline Kelly"
wrote:

Mirjam , now it is my turn to laugh - very heartily ! We had those
dreadful pounds, shillings and pence until around 1961 when our
government
of the day saw the light and changed to decimals - such a mixture of
measures - one pound = 20 shillings and one shilling = 12 pence and
currency
came in one pound and ten shilling notes ( ie 1/2) two shilling (1/10)
one
shilling (1/20) sixpence (1/40) threepence (1/80) and a penny which I can
still remember was .00416 repeater of a pound and yes we had the stupid
thing of a guniea which was one pound and one shilling
mainly used here is the sale of valuable things like horses .

I used to be a comptometer operator in those days and before anything was
calculated the currency had to be changed into decimals so that if
something
was say two shillings and sevenpence each and one needed the cost of 42
of
them you had to first bring the two and seven to decimals ie .12896 of a
pound and multiply by the 42 and then bring the total back to the
currency.!!!!! Think of the operator hours wasted - I figure that what
could be done in a day could be done in seconds with decimals.

As for stone weights that is even worse - 16 ounces =1 pound,14 pounds
one
stone, 112 pounds = one hundredwieght and 2240 pounds = 1 ton - now
imagine
what that meant to me the comp operator calculating say a 1/4 pound of
nails
at 2 pounds one shilling and threepence a ton, as both the money and
weight
had to be brought to decimals !!!!!!**

Feet and inches just as bad 12 inches one foot, 3 feet one yard and I
forget
the rest. Here is another laugh for you Mirjam - my daughters say I must
be
the only knitter that knits in inches in length and centimetres around !!
This is because I can remember lengths of jumpers - to armhole and to
shoulder etc from my youth but the girls give me the width depending on
how
loose they want the garment and that, of course, is in cms.

These days I think most countries are all decimal. God Bless Gwen

Gwen Kelly


"Mirjam Bruck-Cohen" wrote in message
...
ACH GWEN i had ti Tumble over laughing [ excuse me please ] when i
read your letter ,,, Many years ago my husband made his post Doctorate
in UK [ Manchetter Umist ] . At first we could not find our feet and
hands in the British Money ,,, Pounds and cents that were divived in 8
and 12 ,,, you also had a term Guiny [ i think this is the name ??]
that was really a pound + 1/12 of it ,,,, i was LOST ,,,,, aha ,,, but
several months after we came ,,, UK chnged it`s money into Decimal
,,,, and here we could Excell ,,, we became a help to any poor person
who was lost about counting in decimals .
Than when we came to USA ,, the school teacher of my son was FACINATED
at the way he "So naturally divivded in Decimals " ,,, ach the world
has a variety of counting methods and we each are so used , to the
method we were brought up in ,,,,, the Inches Feet yards were a
mystery to me as well ,,, but i learned ....
mirjam
ps i still am confused with Stone weights ????and ounces .....make me
look in funny faces .

Let`s hope all this mind bogglres are good excercize for us hahahah
mirjam
On Sat, 27 Nov 2004 18:39:24 +1000, "Gwendoline Kelly"
wrote:


Mirjam I am glad I am not the only one to do this double take on
measurements God Bless gwen
--

Gwen Kelly


"Mirjam Bruck-Cohen" wrote in message
...
Gwen my Loom combs are all in Inches , thus i work out my measured
width in cm , than calculate the threads for the warp in Inches and
than weave the length in cm .
mirjam
On Wed, 24 Nov 2004 23:16:02 +1000, "Gwendoline Kelly"
wrote:

Mirjam , now it is my turn to laugh - very heartily ! We had those
dreadful pounds, shillings and pence until around 1961 when our
government
of the day saw the light and changed to decimals - such a mixture of
measures - one pound = 20 shillings and one shilling = 12 pence and
currency
came in one pound and ten shilling notes ( ie 1/2) two shilling (1/10)
one
shilling (1/20) sixpence (1/40) threepence (1/80) and a penny which I can
still remember was .00416 repeater of a pound and yes we had the stupid
thing of a guniea which was one pound and one shilling
mainly used here is the sale of valuable things like horses .

I used to be a comptometer operator in those days and before anything was
calculated the currency had to be changed into decimals so that if
something
was say two shillings and sevenpence each and one needed the cost of 42
of
them you had to first bring the two and seven to decimals ie .12896 of a
pound and multiply by the 42 and then bring the total back to the
currency.!!!!! Think of the operator hours wasted - I figure that what
could be done in a day could be done in seconds with decimals.

As for stone weights that is even worse - 16 ounces =1 pound,14 pounds
one
stone, 112 pounds = one hundredwieght and 2240 pounds = 1 ton - now
imagine
what that meant to me the comp operator calculating say a 1/4 pound of
nails
at 2 pounds one shilling and threepence a ton, as both the money and
weight
had to be brought to decimals !!!!!!**

Feet and inches just as bad 12 inches one foot, 3 feet one yard and I
forget
the rest. Here is another laugh for you Mirjam - my daughters say I must
be
the only knitter that knits in inches in length and centimetres around !!
This is because I can remember lengths of jumpers - to armhole and to
shoulder etc from my youth but the girls give me the width depending on
how
loose they want the garment and that, of course, is in cms.

These days I think most countries are all decimal. God Bless Gwen

Gwen Kelly


"Mirjam Bruck-Cohen" wrote in message
...
ACH GWEN i had ti Tumble over laughing [ excuse me please ] when i
read your letter ,,, Many years ago my husband made his post Doctorate
in UK [ Manchetter Umist ] . At first we could not find our feet and
hands in the British Money ,,, Pounds and cents that were divived in 8
and 12 ,,, you also had a term Guiny [ i think this is the name ??]
that was really a pound + 1/12 of it ,,,, i was LOST ,,,,, aha ,,, but
several months after we came ,,, UK chnged it`s money into Decimal
,,,, and here we could Excell ,,, we became a help to any poor person
who was lost about counting in decimals .
Than when we came to USA ,, the school teacher of my son was FACINATED
at the way he "So naturally divivded in Decimals " ,,, ach the world
has a variety of counting methods and we each are so used , to the
method we were brought up in ,,,,, the Inches Feet yards were a
mystery to me as well ,,, but i learned ....
mirjam
ps i still am confused with Stone weights ????and ounces .....make me
look in funny faces .

Els van Dam wrote:
In article ,
(Richard Eney) wrote:



Think about all
those beautiful sweaters knitted on goose feathers for Irish seamen.

Now, I've read that on the newsgroups before, but the only place I've
found any definite statement of that story in print is a
reminiscence by a woman who was taught to knit on goose feathers as
a child.

It seems likely to me that the feathers were used because children
are likely to lose things and knitting needles were hard to come by
and couldn't be risked. Feathers, even quills, are fairly weak.
Quills can stand up to gentle use as a writing pen, but knitting
involves a lot more strain; I don't think feathers would stand up to
knitting an entire sweater.

=Tamar

Ahh Tamar, you may be right, but it is so wonderful to think of a
whole room ful of women knitting on goose feathers. How romantic. I
can see a story with lovely pictures....Katherine, ask Kandance, I
bet she will agree.....LOL

She would, for sure! I like the pictures myself. g

Hugs,
Katherine