Over the last few months, I've become increasingly annoyed with my knitting needle situation. I was lucky enough to receive a set of KnitPicks Harmony interchangeable needles for my birthday 2 years ago. I've used them everyday since then (approximately 26 months or 771 days, if you're keeping track). They are a great starter set of needles, or they were.
KnitPicks Harmony Wood Interchangeable Needle Set, Picture Source
So, I set out on a quest to replace my set. Knitting needles are a really personal choice and everyone values different things in their needles. Personally, I loved the wood of the Harmony needles, so I started looking into bamboo sets. I have a list of requirements for a needle set - extremely smooth joins that stay tight, cables with no memory, and a very specific grip (or drag) to the needles. A nice bonus would be a set that comes with it's own case. Another huge pet peeve of mine with the KnitPicks needle set is the lack of labeled case. The needles come on a cardboard card, but that got ratty after only a few months.
My LYS has a ton of needles set aside for customers to try out. I sat down a few weeks ago and got to swatching. I tried out the Addi Naturas, which I didn't like. The join was not smooth and the bamboo felt cheap. Not what I expected for $180. I also tried the ChiaoGoo Twists, which I liked a lot better, but the bamboo felt too grippy. I was assured that as I used them, they would smooth out some. I left, undecided, but leaning towards the ChiaoGoo set and vowed to continue my research.
Over time, I realized that all of the bamboo sets I tried were too grippy. It was only then that it dawned on me - the Harmony needles are birch, not bamboo. I tried to convince myself that maybe I could learn to love bamboo, but that didn't happen. Then I reluctantly started over.
I scoured the forums on Ravelry, read reviews, asked friends and even ordered a few sets of tips and cables on eBay to test drive. It was only then, after weeks of research and test driving that I was able to confidently make a choice.
Stay tuned for Friday's post where I reveal which needles I picked. I'm still surprised by my choice.
I had a similar falling-out with my Knitpicks needles. Although, I'm a metal needle kind of girl. I'm excited to see which set all your research has lead you to!
ReplyDeleteI'm sad (but also a little relieved) to know I'm not the only one not feeling the KnitPicks love lately. I would love to know what you think of your new DyakCraft needles!
DeleteI also have the problem of cables unscrewing mid-knit. I only use them if I absolutely have to for hats, huge blankets or similar projects. I'll be interested to see what you chose.
ReplyDeleteI'm a die-hard circular needle fan. I can't stand straights or DPNs, so I had to figure something out. One tip I read is to use a grippy pad (like what you'd use to open a sticky jar) to hold the needle tip, while tightening the cable with the key. I haven't tried it yet, but it's got to be worth a shot!
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