Don't know my needle sizes!

[norahjd]

I bought a bunch of circ needles, including interchangable ones, but haven't touched them for about a year. Now I'm looking at like 7 pairs of needle tips that have NO MARKING on them to tell me what size they are! What's the best/easiest way to figure out what size these are, and how to mark them so I don't have to go through this again?

[Ingrid]

You should invest a few dollars in a needle gauge and keep it with your tips.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/188/4...a5bd42.jpg?v=0

Any craft store will have one, or they're available everywhere on line.

[Jan in CA]

Head to Michaels, Joanns, Hobby Lobby or the local yarn store and get a needle sizer aka needle gauge. You won't be sorry!

They look like some variation of these:

http://www.nakedsheep.com/stitgaugsiz.html
http://www.knitpicks.com/accessories...r__D80306.html

[suzeeq]

Yep, even walmart has some, they're very handy and most have a ruler along one side.

[norahjd]

Awesome - thank you!!

[OffJumpsJack]

Or in a pinch head to your husband's tool box/room and borrow his drill gauge.
They usually have mm equivalents on them. In a pinch they work if you don't need the US standard needle size and just an approximate mm size.
Image at http://www.tradesman.irwin.com/irwin...e/12092_lg.jpg

Funny thing is I have a drill gauge but every time I want to use it, it is in the other place (i.e. if I'm knitting, the gauge is in the tool room with my drills but if I'm working with my drill I have to go pick the gauge out of my knitting bag).

I wish that darn thing would catch up with me; but I suppose it if had legs and followed me around like a puppy I'd still find it annoying.

[sandy57th]

I personally wouldn't mark them. Permanant markers, no matter how permanant, can wear off, and that mean onto your yarn. If you have a needle gauge, you can just check them as need be-- I think that's a much better idea.

[cacunn]

Funny thing is I have a drill gauge but every time I want to use it, it is in the other place (i.e. if I'm knitting, the gauge is in the tool room with my drills but if I'm working with my drill I have to go pick the gauge out of my knitting bag).

I wish that darn thing would catch up with me; but I suppose it if had legs and followed me around like a puppy I'd still find it annoying.

Drill a hole in it and put it on your key chain. If it has a ruler on it you can also use it to determine the Wraps-per-inch of mystery yarn that has crawled into your yarn supply.

[suzeeq]

You could always use one of those metal etchers (bet Jack has one!) to put the number onto them. Provided they're metal needles...

[OffJumpsJack]

Drill a hole in it and put it on your key chain. If it has a ruler on it you can also use it to determine the Wraps-per-inch of mystery yarn that has crawled into your yarn supply.

Then my key chain would look like the ones used for gas station bathrooms! My drill gauge is about the size of an iPhone but a little longer and not as thick.