Knitting at Bloglander talks about everything related to knitting including yarn, patterns, and DIY knitting projects.

Most beginning knitters use Single-pointed straight needles, which are sticks with a pointy end and a knob end. They come in all sorts of widths and materials, and it is up to you to which you prefer. I’ve posted a picture of the most popular ones above: aluminum (show in size 19), bamboo (shown in size 15), and plastic (shown in size 6).

Aluminum and plastic needles are the most economical. Aluminum needles are lightweight and slippery, which is easier for sliding in and out of loops with. But I’ve found that it is very easy to drop stitches with aluminum needles. Aluminum needles are also very cold to hold and loud to knit with. If you plan to knit in bed with someone sleeping next to you, the clang clang of the aluminum needles could keep someone awake. Plastic needles are a good option. They are cheap and widely available, but sometimes the tips are not well-made and can snag and pull your yarn.

Last but not least is bamboo, which is my favorite type of needle. The feel of knitting with a pair of bamboo needles is just so much better than anything I’ve ever tried. It’s lightweight, quiet, warm, and smooth. It’s like driving a fine-tuned luxury automobile on a freshly-paved road compared to an old beat-up car on a bumpy one.

If you don’t mind spending a little more money, bamboo is the way to go.