Needles and Thread

Mrs. Stone's Treasury of
Historical Knitting Facts, Tidbits and Patterns

On Needles and Thread:
Some Useful Facts and Charts

          

         NEEDLE SIZE CHART

OLD UK SIZE	US SIZE	METRIC (MM)
	24	8/0	.5
	22	6/0	.75
	20	N/A	N/A
	19	5/0	1.0
	18	4/0	1.25
	17	000	1.5
	16	N/A	N/A
	15	00	1.75
	14	0	2
	13	1	2.5
	12	2	2.75
	11	2	3
	10	3	3.25
	9	5	3.75
	8	6	4
	7	7	4.5
	6	8	5
	5	9	5.5
	4	10	6
	3	10.5	6.5
	2	N/A	7
	1	N/A	7.5
	0	11	8
	00	13	9
	000	15	10

On Materials for Knitting from the Workwoman's Guide, 1838

    Worsted, lambs' wool, or fleecy wool, is used for stockings, and other wearing articles.
    Cotton is employed for curtains, window blinds, bags. fringe, &c.
    These materials are always sold by the weight; one pound contains sixteen ounces.
    The extense of wools and worsteds varies so materially, that an average price can hardly be stated. It has been as low as at 2s. per pound, and as high as 6s.6d. Cromsons are the most expensive colours, greens and oranges the next, blue is more moderate, and black, grey, purple, and pepper and salt are the least expensive, although excepting white, which is the lowest of any.
    Grey and white common worsted contain a good deal of turpentine, and are often preferred by the poor on that account.
    Black should be well soaked in strong vinegar, to set the color, and prevent its coming off on the hands while being knitted.
    Worsteds are more suitable for men's and women's stockings.
    Wools for children's stockings, or for muffatees, ruffs, and other lighter articles of wear, which should be soft and warm.
    All worsteds and wools should be carefully wrapped up in the coarsest brown paper, which also contains turpentine, and keeps out the air. They should be often looked to, as the moths are apt to get at them and spoil them.
    Worsteds in use should be neatly wound in small balls, about the size of an orange.

Mrs. Stone's Historical Knitting Treasury