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 Size | Metric Knitting Needle Size | Old UK Knitting Needle Size |
| 0 | 2 mm | 14 |
| 1 | 2.25 mm | 13 |
| 2 | 2.75 mm | 12 |
| 3 mm | 11 | |
| 3 | 3.25 mm | 10 |
| 4 | 3.5 mm | |
| 5 | 3.75 mm | 9 |
| 6 | 4 mm | 8 |
| 7 | 4.5 mm | 7 |
| 8 | 5 mm | 6 |
| 9 | 5.5 mm | 5 |
| 10 | 6 mm | 4 |
| 10½ | 6.5 mm | 3 |
| 7 mm | 2 | |
| 11 | 8 mm | 1 |
| 13 | 9 mm | 0 |
| 15 | 10 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/UK | US | Knitting Needle Size (metric) |
| 1 ply | Lace Weight | 1.25-3 mm |
| 2 ply, 3ply | Baby, Fingering or Sock | 1.25-3.5 mm |
| 4 ply | Sport Weight | 3.25 mm |
| 8 ply, Double Knitting Wool, DK | Light Worsted weight | 3.5-5.5 mm |
| 10 ply, Aran | Worsted weight | 4-6 mm |
| 12 ply, Chunky | Bulky | 5-8 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.
| UK | US |
| Rip back | Frogging |
| Cast off | Bind off |
| Stocking stitch | Stockinette |
| Reverse stocking stitch | Reverse stockinette |
| Moss stitch | Seed stitch |
| Double moss stitch | Double seed stitch |