Tag Archives: needles

Four sets of interchangeable needles

Addiction to interchangeable needles

I have a bit of an addiction to interchangeable needles. Yesterday I bought my fourth set, and I’ve already started lusting after the set which might be my fifth.

Denise needles
Denise needles

I started with Denises – the only ones easily available in the UK at the point I was sure enough that the knitting bug was going to stick. The idea was revolutionary for me, but the physical objects never melted my heart — there’s no joy, or luxury, or fun in the way they look or feel. I don’t use them at all any more.

KnitPro Harmony needles
KnitPro Harmony needles

My second set was KnitPro Harmony (then called KnitPicks) — such a difference! Beautiful coloured wood, smooth surfaces, sharp points, purple cables. The case broken and I replaced it with a roll-up multi-pocketed pencil case, the needles aren’t size marked, the joins sometimes come unscrewed, and several of the cables have snapped or pulled out of the join, but I do still love these, and still use them a lot.

Addi Click needles
Addi Click needles

The third set was Addi Click. The click join is clever (needs no key!) and has never yet come undone for me, the needles are size marked,  and so are the cables. But the join is a bit bumpy, and the tips aren’t as pointy as I like.  I use them a lot, and particularly enjoy the ease of swapping needle tips without hunting for they key, but they’re a teensy bit disappointing.

ChiaoGoo Twist needles
ChiaoGoo Twist needles

So the fourth set, bought yesterday at White Hart‘s Purlescence birthday party, are ChiaoGoo. This presented a bit of a dilemma, because they make two sets: the Twist have metal needles and tough plastic-covered-metal cables; the Spin have bamboo needles and cables with swivel joints. I wanted metal needles and swivel joints, so I bought a small set of Twist (I rarely use needles bigger than 5mm, and couldn’t quite justify the complete set), and supplemented with some Spin cables, since the two types are interchangeable. Early indications are that they’re going to be my favourite. I love the swivel joints, the joins are smooth, and they’re pretty pointy (not quite as pointy as the KnitPro, but way more than the Addi). Both needles and cables are size marked, and the case is both pretty and well designed.

(Now to start scheming for how to get my hands on the Lantern Moon set.)