Aero Knitting Needles – All Your Questions Answered

By Jodie Morgan

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They’re a discontinued brand popular in the 1960s, 1970s & 1980s. These needles survived the decades! Here’s a guide to vintage Bernat aero knitting needles.

Aero Needles Feat Img

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Friends and family may have knitted with these vintage best knitting needles!

I reviewed, fact checked and updated this post on March 26, 2023.

Table Of Contents

Best Aero Bernat Knitting Needles

The knitting needles Aero made were straights, circulars, and double points. They didn’t sell interchangeable knitting needles or a needle set.

Where can you order yarn online? I’ll tell you.

Aero Straight Needles

Aero Straight Knitting Needles
Betty’s Attic Treasures has great reviews for her Vintage Knitting needles and knitting needles – aero.

They’re smooth and an ideal length for many projects. Vintage stock from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. They’re in pristine condition, and are comparable in quality to other top knitting needle brands.

Note: The seller has other Aero needles in her store.

Features

  • Sizes Available – Needle Size 2mm – 12mm (See my size conversion chart here for what they’d be in US sizing.)
  • Needle Length – 35cm
  • Made From – Smooth aluminum, except the larger sizes, which are lightweight plastic.

Pros

  • These single point needles come in a wide variety of sizes
  • These Aero Bernat tools are in excellent condition
  • Original aero needle packaging
  • Smooth
  • Lightweight
  • Easy to knit with
  • The stitches slide along
  • Fast shipping

Cons

  • Not for beginner knitters, as the stitches slide too easily
  • Not for delicate yarns, as the tips aren’t sharp
  • Makes a clicking sound

Aero Circular Needle

Aero Circular Knitting Needles
Carol and Don Carruthers have happy customers.

Circular knitting needles were known as Circular Twin-Pins. The join is snagless, and the points are tapered, making it easier to get into the stitches.

Features

  • Sizes – US 2 – 15, Metric 2.75 – 10mm
  • Cord Lengths – 32″ (80cm)
  • Needle Tips Are 5″
  • Made From – Smooth aluminum, except the larger sizes, which are lightweight plastic.

Pros

  • The aero circular needle has a range of sizes
  • Excellent condition
  • Original packaging
  • Free shipping within the US
  • Comfortable to use
  • Lightweight
  • Great for speed knitters

Cons

  • Some may not like the clicking sound
  • Slippery
  • The tips aren’t sharp, so not for thinner yarns

Aero Double Pointed Needles

Aero Double Pointed Knitting Needles
Carol and Don Carruthers have great customer reviews for their vintage knitting needles.

Despite being plastic, these are durable and inflexible. They’re smooth and ideal for smaller projects like baby clothes, baby hats, regular hats, and sweater sleeves.

Features

  • Needle Sizes – US 00-11, Metric 1.75 – 7.5mm
  • Needle Length – 9″
  • Pack Of 4 (Single Needles, Not Pairs)
  • Made From – Lightweight gray plastic

Pros

  • Great for fast knitting
  • Durable and inflexible
  • Affordable
  • Smooth
  • Lightweight

Cons

  • Some may not like the feel

FAQs About Aero Needles

Where Are Aero Needles Made?

Aero needles were made in England by the Bernat Aero company.

What Are Aero Needles Made Of?

Most aero needles are smooth, aircraft-quality anodized aluminum. However, the larger sizes are plastic. They didn’t make them using bamboo.

Conclusion

Smooth, quality knitting needles guaranteed to last years. You’ll find one to suit your needs.

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About The Author

Jodie Morgan From Knit Like Granny

Jodie Morgan (Author & Founder)

jodie@knitlikegranny.com | Lives In: Regional Australia

Author: Jodie Morgan is a passionate knitter and blogger with 40+ years of experience currently living in regional Australia. Taught by her mother and wonderful grandmother “Mama”, she fell in love with crafting from a young age. When she’s not knitting, you’ll find her enjoying a cup of coffee with cream, or sharing helpful resources and tips with the online knitting community. Get to know Jodie and the team on our meet the team page.

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Comments

  1. I found what may be an Aero knitting needle point protector, but I am not sure. It is a circle on a short stump with a slot in it. It is made of some rubber type substance and on one side says AERO and the other made in England. Could it be a point protector?
    Thanks.

    Reply
    • Hi Fran. What an interesting find. From what you describe it may indeed be a point protector. I’ve done a quick search for what you’ve described but only aero knitting needle images are listed.

      Reply
  2. I just bought something at a thrift shop and want to know what it is. It’s 5 inches long, has a plastic piece on each end. One end says AERO on one side and ENGLAND on the other side. The other end has an arrow on each side. There is a gray piece and a spring between the two ends if you pull on the ends, the arrow end comes off the gray piece looks like a tiny knitting needle and the spring keeps the 2 ends together. What do I have??

    Reply
    • You have a stitch holder. The ‘grey piece’ is to hold the stitches, the plastic pieces on each end connected by a spring prevent the held stitches from falling off the holder.

      Reply
  3. Hello, I’ve recently purchased some 5.5mm aero twin pins. I think they’re plastic but the lady I’ve bought them from insists that they are aluminium. They don’t feel like aluminium to me at all. Could anyone please help. I’ve looked for a guide for materials and sizes but can’t find anything.
    Any help would be greatly appreciated.
    Many thanks
    Lindsay

    Reply
      • Hi me again
        They are more than likely plastic but on the very odd occasion they did small batches of aluminium
        Not much help really for your inquiry.If the flex is a different colour to the needle parts then aluminium if the needles are the same colour as the flex (grey)they are plastic

        Reply
  4. I have a red wallet with a full set of Aero needles in and it is beginning to split. Are the holders still available anywhere? – the only ones I see advertised are full of needles.

    Reply
    • Thanks for getting in touch Janice. Perhaps one of my readers would know. If I hear anything I will be back in touch. Cheer Jodie

      Reply
    • I don’t think they make them anymore
      Aero needles owned the company that made them then sold the company to Arrow Display in Redditch England

      Reply
  5. Ok, I bought a bag from a thrift shop as well, and in it is 2 sizes of… something…they are shaped like croquet wickets, like a squared arch. It says “Aero” and they are sized “1.5” and “2.5” and also say “England” on the other side. Any ideas???

    Reply
  6. I have been knitting for nearly 60 years and in my opinion Aero needles are the best. What a loss that they are no longer made. I learnt to knit using them and wool does not flow on any modern needles that I have had the misfortune to use. The look on a shopkeepers face recently when I returned a pair of ‘modern’ needles to the shop as they did work! If I need new needles now I buy them from charity shops as that is the only place I can find decent Aero needles for sale.

    Reply
    • Thanks for sharing your experience of Aero Needles Anne. Good to know you’ve had success finding them in charity shops.

      Reply
    • Yes, I love them too. I have been knitting for 51 years. What I like best and miss greatly is that the Aero needles are longer then the US and now also Euro needles.

      Reply
  7. I have found an aero product none can tell me what it is……It is about six inches in length with plastic stoppers at both ends one marked with an arrow. One needle thin lying along side a piece of elasticated metal also with plastic moulded into each end with the needle so it looks like two 6 inch needles but one steel the other wire both ends in plastic together. Any ideas

    Reply
    • Hi Marily. I believe this might be a stitch holder. You remove the end with the arrow, place the live stitches on the needle and then replace the end to keep the stitches in place.

      Reply

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