Knitting Conversion Tables

In this overview, you can find some helpful knitting conversion tables from U.S. and Old UK knitting needle measures to metric and vice versa. You can also find a reference table of yarn types further down and the recommended knitting needle size for different yarn types as well as a reference table of US/UK translation for common terms used in knitting guides.

Knitting Needle Conversion Table – Metric to US to Old UK

Knitting needles are sold under a range of different denominations. Below you can find a knitting needle conversion table for US, metric and old UK knitting needles. Knitting needles in the UK are now sold in metric measurements. However, if you’ve inherited your great-grandmother’s knitting bag you may have needles with the old UK ratings so these have been included for your information. Or you might be in the US but you ended up on a website that talks about metric knitting needles. Where there is a gap in the table this is where there is no direct equivalent size.

US Knitting Needle SizeMetric Knitting Needle SizeOld UK Knitting Needle Size
02 mm14
12.25 mm13
22.75 mm12
3 mm11
33.25 mm10
43.5 mm
53.75 mm9
64 mm8
74.5 mm7
85 mm6
95.5 mm5
106 mm4
10½6.5 mm3
7 mm2
118 mm1
139 mm0
1510 mm

Knitting Yarn Type Conversion Table and Knitting Needle Size

While many people speak English all over the world, we tend to have different names for the same thing and this is certainly true of yarn types. Below is a yarn type conversion table between US and UK/Australia. The table also shows the recommended knitting needle size range for the type of yarn. The exact needle size depends from your knitting style and preferences. The values are given in the metric system, you can use the conversion table above to finde the suitable needle sizes in US or old UK size.

Australia/UKUSKnitting Needle Size (metric)
1 plyLace Weight1.25-3 mm
2 ply, 3plyBaby, Fingering or Sock1.25-3.5 mm
4 plySport Weight3.25 mm
8 ply, Double Knitting Wool, DKLight Worsted weight3.5-5.5 mm
10 ply, AranWorsted weight4-6 mm
12 ply, ChunkyBulky5-8 mm

The commonly used double knitting wool is an 8 ply wool, also abbreviated to DK. In the US, it is known as light worsted weight. For double knitting wool, a needle with a size between 3.5-5.5 mm is recommended.

Knitting Reference – UK/US translations

Not just measures and sizes vary by country, also the words that are used. Below is a translation table for knitting terms for US and UK English. Here on the website, I try to use both terms when explaning the processes since our readers are from all over the world.

UKUS
Rip backFrogging
Cast offBind off
Stocking stitchStockinette
Reverse stocking stitchReverse stockinette
Moss stitchSeed stitch
Double moss stitchDouble seed stitch
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