Knitting needle sizes mm, US, UK and Japan
My pattern gives
Needle size
4 mm
- US
- 6
- Old UK / Canada
- 8
- Japan (号)
- —
- Japanese crochet hook
- 7/0
Suits: Light (DK)
Yarn weights
| Weight | Stitches / 10 cm | Needles |
|---|---|---|
| 0 · Lace | 33–40 | 1.5–2.25 mm |
| 1 · Super fine (fingering, sock) | 27–32 | 2.25–3.25 mm |
| 2 · Fine (sport) | 23–26 | 3.25–3.75 mm |
| 3 · Light (DK) | 21–24 | 3.75–4.5 mm |
| 4 · Medium (worsted, aran) | 16–20 | 4.5–5.5 mm |
| 5 · Bulky (chunky) | 12–15 | 5.5–8 mm |
| 6 · Super bulky | 7–11 | 8–12.75 mm |
| 7 · Jumbo | ≤ 6 | 12.75–25 mm |
Pick the system your pattern uses and the size: the needle comes out in millimetres and in every other system, with the yarn weights it suits.
The millimetre size is the one to trust: numbers differ between countries and some sizes have no equivalent. A needle gauge, or the ring tool's screen calibration, checks an unmarked needle.
Questions
What is a US 6 needle in mm?
4 mm, an old UK 8 and a Japanese crochet hook 7/0.
Are old UK sizes the same as US?
No: they run the other way. Old UK 8 is 4 mm while US 8 is 5 mm.
What needles for DK yarn?
About 3.75 to 4.5 mm (US 5 to 7), for 21 to 24 stitches per 10 cm.