I know it’s hard to switch from Imperial to Metric. But here are 6 reasons why you should use it for your crafting:
- Needle Sizes: The US method is arbitrary. What exactly is a US#7 knitting needle? Or a size B crochet hook? With metric, they’re both based on measurements. A 2 millimeter needle is a 2 millimeter needle. Period.
- Weight: It’s much more accurate to measure weight in grams versus ounces. Just think – a mere 3.5 ounces equals 100 grams. As an example, 63 grams is 2.22226 ounces. Who measures in hundred-thousandths?
- Length: Just like weight, 2.5 centimeters equals 1 inch.
- Using it will get you familiar with the metric system. You’ll seem cooler.
- It’s easy to convert from one to the other because it’s all base 10. For example, 100 centimeters equals one meter. Try to do that with imperial. 1 mile equals 1,760 yards. Go ahead and convert 6.5 miles to yards. In your head. I’d wait, but…
- Baking: It’s more accurate to weigh dry ingredients versus using cups. For example, a cup of flour can vary by as much as 30%.
I’m not suggesting you go cold turkey to all metric. You’ll still need to use it when buying car gas sold in gallons or fruit sold in pints.
But it’s a start.
Off topic – what’s that gorgeous yarn in the picture?
It’s Hedgehog Fibres Skinny Singles in a Potluck colorway. I got it at Vogue Knitting Live New York.
I’m using it in the Nama’s Cottage https://knotions.com/issues/fall-2016/pattern-fall-2016/nanas-cottage-carolyn-macpherson/ KAL so you’ll see it some more 🙂
Interesting post! In Canada, we’ve used the Metric system for years. I bought a set of Addi interchangeables, so my needles are in metric. I can convert between the two systems when I visit the US (the most challenging conversion is from miles to kilometres. I need to ensure I’m not speeding, ha ha).
Love the fall patterns that came out today!!
Just like learning a new language, building the intuition so you KNOW when a weight is “heavy” takes a lot of time.
Glad you like the Fall patterns. The designers did a great job!
I go back and forth between both systems and I don’t find one superior to the other. It’s easy enough to do conversions back and forth. There are hundreds of resources online to use for that, if one bothers to look.
Besides, needle material and cheap production methods (and cheap needles are made everywhere in the world) is often what makes them vary slightly not how they’re named (size 8 or 2.5 mm, and yes, I know that’s not an equivalent). I purchased metric needles purportedly the same size, yet they vary slightly when you use a needle gauge on them.
Take your nose out of the air. Knitting is knitting everywhere in the world no matter what measuring system is used to do it.
Thanks for your comment!
You’re right – manufacturing can make slight differences in needle sizes and I didn’t mention that. Thanks for bringing up that point.
But what I was really trying to explain is that the US method of declaring size names is somewhat arbitrary. For example, Addi needles in the 2.25 mm size don’t even have a US equivalent. In some brands they call it a US 1 and others call a 2.5 mm a US 1. That’s just confusing unless you look at the metric size.