What needle size do you prefer to knit with?

It just occurred to me...
I bought some thick yarn because I wanted to knit a scarf that would be finished very quickly and that I could wrap myself up in.
The recommended needle size on the label was 6–7. “That’s fine,” I thought to myself, “I have those at home,” so I cast on and started knitting. After a few rows, I realized that the recommended needle size was way too small. To achieve the “fluffiness” I was going for, I need at least size 8!
Since I’ll probably only use them once, I bought the right size yesterday at a 1-euro store—bamboo ones, because they’re nice and light.
I’m getting the looseness I want with this needle size. Buuuut: it feels like I’m holding actual tree trunks in my hands!
That’s why I thought this would be a good topic for a poll.

What needle size do you prefer? And what kind of needles? Do you not care and just grab something from a 1-euro shop, or do you go for the more expensive brands like KnitPro or Addi? Do you knit with bamboo, wood, acrylic, or do you prefer metal?

My personal favorite needles are the “Carbonz” from KnitPro in size 3.5. I’ve never had lighter, more grippy, or sharper needles. It’s simply a pleasure to knit with them! 

You can’t always rely on the needle sizes listed on the label. This varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. I tend to go by the yarn’s yardage instead.
For scarves and loops, I usually use needles that are 1–2 sizes larger than specified. So, for yarn labeled for size 8 needles, I’ll knit or crochet the loop with a size 10 needle.
I find that when the scarf is made with larger needles, it turns out nice and loose.

I have all kinds of needle sizes at home—knitting and crochet needles ranging from size 2.5 to 15.
For sizes up to 10, I mostly use the colorful wooden needles from KnitPro. Those are my favorites. The larger needles (i.e., sizes 12 and 15), however, are made of plastic because they’re lighter.

It does take a little getting used to working with the thick needles. But you get used to it.
You also try out different things, like working with two needle sizes at the same time or using a thicker needle with thinner yarn. That’s how my “Ananas” loop (free pattern) came about, for example. It uses yarn recommended for 8–9 mm needles, but is crocheted with a size 15 crochet hook. The result is amazing.

I hope everyone has a wonderful, creative time.
Best wishes, Petra
 

I just can’t work well with large needle sizes anymore. I was knitting with 5 mm needles last week, and my arms get tired really fast because it feels so different from working with smaller needle sizes. So I end up having to set a project with larger needle sizes aside after an hour and switch back to working on something that’s knitted with smaller needle sizes. That’s how it is with knitting; with crocheting, I can manage with a larger hook.
My favorite needle sizes are definitely 3 through 4, and anything in between.

I’ve gradually replaced some of my old knitting needles. I haven’t settled on a specific brand. I have needles from Addi and Knit Pro Basix. And I now have a few of Susanne’s bamboo needles as well. It’s a world of difference compared to my old needles, because the tips of those were already very worn down.

But with the larger needle size, you make faster progress. Plus, chunky knitting is really trendy right now. I still prefer the plastic crochet hooks, though.