[net.tv.drwho] The Knitting Needle Debate

nlt@duke.UUCP (N. L. Tinkham) (09/19/85)

>> The pattern for the second scarf posted by m. baker calls for 
>> 
>>> Size 7 metric needles. Don't know the American size.
>> 
>> The corresponding American size is 6.
>> 
> ... and a previous poster said it was American size 10.
>
> Does anyone know the *real* answer (i.e., did anyone check it out
> before posting)?


   My "authority" for claiming that American size 6 corresponds to British
size 7 is the pattern as transmitted to me by The New Fantasy Shop
(5651 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago, IL 60634).  I received from them a xeroxed
copy of the pattern printed on BBC stationery (thus accurate, presumably)
which referred to U.K. sizes and colors only; handwritten on the same document 
(thus, I assume, added by someone at the shop) was a note saying that the
U.S. size was 6 and also suggesting appropriate yarn colors (as they might
be labelled in American shops).

   So...I didn't just pull something out of the air, but neither do I have
a reference book giving the complete mapping.  One piece of information
would help here:  in the U.K., is a needle of size N larger or smaller than
one of size N + 1?  Anyone in Britain who knits should be able to answer
that for me.  Please respond to me by mail only, and I will post anything
interesting to the net.

                                              N. L. Tinkham
                                              duke!nlt

djd@bcsaic.UUCP (dennis j. doherty) (09/24/85)

> >> The pattern for the second scarf posted by m. baker calls for 
> >> 
> >>> Size 7 metric needles. Don't know the American size.
> >> 
> >> The corresponding American size is 6.
> >> 
> > ... and a previous poster said it was American size 10.
> >
> > Does anyone know the *real* answer (i.e., did anyone check it out
> > before posting)?
> 
> 
>    My "authority" for claiming that American size 6 corresponds to British
> size 7 is the pattern as transmitted to me by The New Fantasy Shop
> (5651 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago, IL 60634).  I received from them a xeroxed
> copy of the pattern printed on BBC stationery (thus accurate, presumably)
> which referred to U.K. sizes and colors only; handwritten on the same document 
> (thus, I assume, added by someone at the shop) was a note saying that the
> U.S. size was 6 and also suggesting appropriate yarn colors (as they might
> be labelled in American shops).
> 
>    So...I didn't just pull something out of the air, but neither do I have
> a reference book giving the complete mapping.  One piece of information
> would help here:  in the U.K., is a needle of size N larger or smaller than
> one of size N + 1?  Anyone in Britain who knits should be able to answer
> that for me.  Please respond to me by mail only, and I will post anything
> interesting to the net.
> 
>                                               N. L. Tinkham
>                                               duke!nlt

The English UK size 7 = American size 7, but a European (metric) size 7 mm
equals an American size 10.5 or 10 depending on the manufacture.

All this aside, the most important thing is to achieve the correct
tension or gauge that the pattern calls for, the size of the needle 
is not important as long as the stitch guage or tension is correct.


					Dennis & Pat