Hook, Needle & Yarn Guide

What Needle or Hook should I use?

Knitting needles and crochet hooks can vary in the way they are labelled depending on whether you're using needles that are in metric size, US size or UK size.

The following table is helpful when you need to convert knitting needle sizes:

Yarn Ply to Approximate Yarn Weight Conversion

The relationship between yarn ply and yarn weight has historically been connected, especially in countries like Australia, NZ and the UK. However, modern yarn manufacturing has made this much less consistent. In general, when referring to the ply of a yarn in Australia/NZ we're talking about the yarn weight. This isn't the case in the US, and so to avoid confusion, pattern sites like Ravelry use the Yarn Weight Name when specifying yarns for a pattern.

Here’s a general guide to help with yarn Ply (thickness) to yarn Weight conversion while keeping in mind that ply referring to thickness/weight doesn’t always equal the number of strands making up your yarn. For example, it's quite common to have a single strand fingering weight yarn which is known as 4ply when referring to the thickness.

Read more in our blog: A Quick Guide to Yarn Weights

Yarn weights guide

Yarn weights, needles, hooks & gauge

Yarn weight symbols are sometimes printed on yarn ball bands. The table below is from the US Craft Council and shows the meaning of these symbols with their category names, gauge ranges and recommended needle and hook sizes.

Yarn Weight Symbol  & Category Names
Type of Yarns in Category	Fingering 10-count  crochet  thread	Sock, Fingering, Baby	Sport, Baby	DK, Light Worsted	Worsted, Afghan, Aran	Chunky, Craft, Rug	Super Bulky, Roving	Jumbo, Roving
Knit Gauge Range* in Stockinette Stitch to 4 inches	33–40** sts	27–32 sts	23–26 sts	21–24 sts	16–20 sts	12–15 sts	7–11 sts	6 sts and fewer
Recommended Needle in Metric Size Range	1.5–2.25 mm	2.25— 3.25 mm	3.25— 3.75 mm	3.75— 4.5 mm	4.5— 5.5 mm	5.5— 8 mm	8— 12.75 mm	12.75 mm and larger
Recommended Needle U.S. Size Range	000–1	1 to 3	3 to 5	5 to 7	7 to 9	9 to 11	11 to 17	17 and larger
Crochet Gauge* Ranges in Single Crochet to 4 inch	32–42 double crochets**	21–32 sts	16–20 sts	12–17 sts	11–14 sts	8–11 sts	7–9 sts	6 sts and fewer
Recommended Hook in Metric Size Range	Steel*** 1.6–1.4 mm Regular hook 2.25 mm	2.25— 3.5 mm	3.5— 4.5 mm	4.5— 5.5 mm	5.5— 6.5  mm	6.5— 9 mm	9— 15 mm	15 mm and larger
Recommended Hook U.S. Size Range	Steel*** 6, 7, 8 Regular hook B–1	B–1 to E–4	E–4 to 7	7 to I–9	I–9 to K–10 1⁄2	K–10 1⁄2 to M–13	M–13 to Q	Q and larger
* GUIDELINES ONLY: The above reflect the most commonly used gauges and needle or hook sizes for specific yarn categories. Crochet gauge is for US terms. ** Lace weight yarns are usually knitted or crocheted on larger needles and hooks to create lacy, openwork patterns. Accordingly, a gauge range is difficult to determine. Always follow the gauge stated in your pattern. *** Steel crochet hooks are sized differently from regular hooks—the higher the number, the smaller the hook, which is the reverse of regular hook sizing