I’m just starting to learn to knit and was wondering if there was a good size of needles for someone starting. Even general “something big” or “something small” would be helpful.
My mom gave me some really huge ones and I’m finding them super hard to use (I think unwieldy would be the right word here), a size 13 I think.
Would perhaps something smaller help or is it a matter of getting used to them?
I seem to always teach people on a size 8, but anything from 7-10 would be good. It’s a ‘medium’ sized needle, not so small that you’re first project (most likely scarf) will take forever because the stitches are so small. But not so big that as you say are difficult to weild.
But that’s just my humble opinion. Good luck and have FUN!
Some people do recommend the big ones like that, but I found them difficult to use, too. I recommend a US 8 or 9. I also suggest you use a smooth, light colored, worsted weight yarn. It may have a number 4 on the wrapper. By smooth I mean not fun fur, boucle or any other fancy yarn. Light colored is so you can see your stitches easily. :yay:
I agree with Jan, for sure a light yarn- it will help you see how the stitches look, and eventually spot mistakes more easily.
I found that size 9 were my favorite to start with… having just recently started as well. The other suggestion that REALLY made a huge difference to me was the type of yarn I used. My first project ever was a scarf using wool/alpaca yarn. I can’t even begin to explain how much easier it was to work with than the cheapo .99c yarn I thought I was going to learn with.
It may have turned me into a yarn snob, but I don’t think I can go back to acrylic any time soon.
I think I’m allergic to acrylic (hehe), you couldn’t pay me to knit with it. 
13s are pretty big, 10 or 10½s would be easier. And a medium #4 (also called worsted weight) yarn knits up fine on tht size.
Thank you very much. I went and got a pair of US size 6 and another of 8, both are so much easier to work with. Now I can’t seem to stop knitting.
I started with needles 6, and went down to 2 1/2, but found them difficult to work with, after having used such “big” needles.
Then I went up to 8 with lace, which was awkward in the beginning.
I would recommend size 8 to 10 to start with. Then you can always change needle size, after you got the basics down.
9’s are my favorite. I find that they are small enough to handle most yarns and they are big enough to be able to see whats going on and not be so intriquate(sp).
I also tend to use them if I have a difficult patter that I want to follow, I will knit it out in 9’s first to see how it goes before I will go to a smaller needle.