What length needle do I need for a seamless sweater?

[Namwan]

Hi, I am planning to knit a sweater in the round and I was wondering whether I should use a 24 or 32 inch circular needle.

Thanks

[salmonmac]

I would use the 32 inch for the body depending on the size of the sweater. If you're knitting top down you may want to do magic loop with even a longer needle or work the smaller diameter on different needles.

[suzeeq]

You could use either one, though if the sweater is very large, a 24" may be too small. If it's a child's sweater, the 32" may be too big.

[Lizars1735]

The 32" would be fine for even a small adult sweater. I've made one simple sweater in my knitting career and that's what I used. It was a S/M size. I'm about ready to tackle another one.

[Jan in CA]

It kind of depends on the size. A 32" is generally okay, but you don't want the stitches so crammed on they pop off when you're not knitting. If you are knitting an extra large adult you might want to go with 40".

[suzeeq]

Unless a person wants the sts all spread out, even a 32" is fine for a larger size, up to 50+". I knit my 42"ish ones on 29-30" and they're not crammed together at all.

[GrumpyGramma]

Currently I'm knitting a super giant economy size adult sweater on needles which, while loaded with stitches, stretched out on a yard stick look to be about 33" tip to tip. I don't know what they'd measure empty. I'm knitting flat, not in the round, and the stitches aren't falling off. When I knit them onto a longer cable to see how the size is working out, I'll get a more accurate measurement of the needles if anyone is interested. I'm working with Lion Brand Pound of Love which the label says is 4- ply worsted weight, no number that I can find, but I consider it a light worsted. A heavier yarn might not work on this length of needle.