Circular Knitting Needles

Circular Knitting Needles have become the needle of choice for many knitters. The improvements to the joins and flexibility of the cables have made circulars become the go to needle choice for many knitters. There are a wide array of circular needles on the market today and we carry a huge selection of our favorites.

Circular Knitting Needles for Every Project

Once you fall in love with circular knitting needles, it's hard to go back. That flexible cable connecting two tips does more than let you knit in the round; it takes the weight of your project off your wrists, keeps stitches from sliding off the ends, and makes knitting on a crowded couch or a cramped airplane seat downright pleasant. We've been helping knitters since 1997, and circulars are one of the tools we recommend most often, whether you're a brand-new knitter or a seasoned maker with a well-loved stash. From tiny sock circumferences to sprawling blankets, the right circular knitting needle makes the whole process smoother.

We're family owned and operated, and we don't stock flimsy junk. Every set of circular needles here is chosen for smooth joins, quality tips, and cables that don't fight you, because good tools make good knitting.

Why Knitters Love Circular Needles

The appeal of knitting needles circular in style goes well beyond knitting in the round. These versatile needles have quietly become the go-to for all kinds of projects. A few reasons knitters reach for them:

  • Knit in the round seamlessly, perfect for hats, cowls, sleeves, and socks with no seams to sew.
  • Easier on your body, since the cable rests your project's weight in your lap instead of your wrists.
  • Great for flat knitting too, holding wide projects like shawls and blankets that straight needles can't.
  • Travel-friendly, because stitches stay secure on the cable and nothing pokes out of your bag.
  • Family owned and operated, not bought up by a private equity firm like so many of our competitors have been lately.

Add fast same-day shipping on most orders and free shipping when you spend $99 or more, plus expert knitters on hand who use these needles themselves, and it's easy to see why circulars are such a staple. Every purchase also helps us support local farms and Freddy's Dog Rescue, so a little extra good rides along with your order.

Choosing the Right Circular Knitting Needle

The trick with circulars is matching both the tip size and the cable length to your project, and we stock a wide range so you can dial it in. Here's a quick guide to help you choose:

  • Shorter cables like 16 inch circular knitting needles are ideal for hats and cowls, while 9 inch circular knitting needles handle small circumferences.
  • Longer cables, from 32 inches up to 60 inch circular knitting needles, suit shawls, blankets, and magic loop.
  • Fine sizes like size 4 circular knitting needles, size 5, and size 6 are great for socks, gloves, and lightweight garments.
  • Bigger sizes like size 11, size 13, circular knitting needles size 15, and even size 19 are perfect for chunky, quick projects.
  • Material matters too, so try bamboo circular knitting needles or wooden tips for grip, or metal for slick, fast knitting.

Knitting socks? Circular needles for socks in short lengths or long cables for magic loop both work beautifully. If you'd rather have every size on hand in one kit, a circular knitting needle set or our interchangeable needle sets let you build any needle you need, and a good knitting needle case keeps your circular needle storage tidy and tangle-free.

Shop Circular Knitting Needles Online or Visit Us in Spokane

Our shop lives in a restored historic bakery in Spokane, four floors and 27,500 square feet of fiber heaven where you can handle the different brands and materials for yourself. Come compare tips and cables in person, or shop the full range of circular knitting needles online from anywhere. We ship worldwide, and our friendly crew is just a chat bubble away whenever you need help picking the right needle.

Frequently Asked Questions

You'll want to match the needle size to your yarn and pattern, since finer yarns call for smaller sizes like US 4 to 6 and chunky yarns need larger sizes like US 11 to 19, and your pattern will usually specify the size. Cable length matters too, because it should roughly match the circumference of what you're knitting, so 16 inch cables suit hats while 32 inch and longer cables handle shawls, blankets, or magic loop. If you're unsure, tell us your project and yarn, and we'll help you land on the right combination.

You can absolutely use circular needles for flat knitting, and many knitters prefer them even for flat projects because the cable holds the weight of your work and keeps stitches secure. To knit flat, you simply work back and forth turning at the end of each row, just as you would with straight needles, rather than joining in the round. This versatility is a big reason circulars are so popular, since one needle handles both flat and in-the-round work.

A fixed circular needle has the tips and cable permanently joined as one piece, which gives a very smooth join and is great for sizes you use constantly. An interchangeable set lets you screw or click different tip sizes onto different cable lengths, so one case can create dozens of needle combinations, which is more economical and compact if you knit a wide variety of projects. Many knitters own a mix, keeping fixed circulars in their favorite go-to sizes and an interchangeable set to cover everything else.

Neither is objectively better; it really comes down to your knitting style and the yarn you're using. Bamboo and wooden needles have a bit of grip that helps control slippery yarns and slow down fast-moving stitches, which many beginners and lace knitters appreciate, while metal needles are slick and fast, ideal for speeding through plain stockinette. If you knit tightly, wood's slight give can be gentler on your hands, so it's worth trying both to see what feels right for you.

For socks, knitters generally use one of a few approaches, and circulars work well for all of them. Very short 9 inch circulars let you knit the small sock circumference directly, though some find them cramped, while a longer 32 to 40 inch cable lets you use the magic loop method comfortably. Fine tip sizes around US 1 to 3 are typical for sock yarn, and if you tell us your preferred technique, we can point you to the ideal length and size to make sock knitting a breeze.