I recently made a really lovely pair of fingerless gloves, and I'm in the process of writing up the pattern, and wanted to get some opinions on a technical issue
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I personally don't like it - I have plenty of knitting needles, but I think it's excessive to buy a 3.25, 3.75 and 4mm pair (once you put it in mm, which is how you buy needles over here, they seem a bit unnecessarily close together). I honestly doubt my gauge on 3.75mm and 4mm needles would be that different. 3.25mm and 3.75mm needles are also fairly difficult to get hold of in smaller yarn stores - if your pattern called for, say, 3mm and 3.5mm they'd be common, but the quarter-mm sizes are a lot rarer.
I would explain why you used three (relatively close, but not quite the same) needle sizes in the introduction. A lot of knitters might not even use the same needle sizes, so it helps to know right up front what's going on with that (I'm a ridiculously loose knitter with fine yarn and always have to go down a few needle sizes). But, a nice, well-made FO with a well-written pattern will not intimidate advanced knitters one bit once your methodology is clear.
As long as you explain why you're using different needle sizes for each purpose, and clarify what your gauge should be for each different part of the pattern/needle size. I almost always need to go down a needle size to get gauge, so that would be important to me, and other loose knitters.
I agree with people who say the three sizes are fine. (No matter what the skill level, in my opinion.)
However, what if you just made a slight compromise and called for sizes 4 and 6. The ribbing might be a little snugger, the cast on a little looser, but then it's only two needles?
As someone who worked in a yarn shop, we would often help customers with needle purchases, as exchanges weren't allowed on those items. We'd read over the pattern and see what the needles were for, and advice the customer. Usually they would try to do it all on one size needle. LOL
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As long as you explain why you're using different needle sizes for each purpose, and clarify what your gauge should be for each different part of the pattern/needle size. I almost always need to go down a needle size to get gauge, so that would be important to me, and other loose knitters.
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However, what if you just made a slight compromise and called for sizes 4 and 6. The ribbing might be a little snugger, the cast on a little looser, but then it's only two needles?
As someone who worked in a yarn shop, we would often help customers with needle purchases, as exchanges weren't allowed on those items. We'd read over the pattern and see what the needles were for, and advice the customer. Usually they would try to do it all on one size needle. LOL
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