Today we’re going to look at the first of the Interchangeable needles to be reviewed. Before I get into that though, let me update you on the contest.First of all, if you’ve already sent in your money for the draw, check you email, you’ll be getting some patterns. Second, the entries for the draw for the needles have changed slightly. In order to be entered into the draw for the needles, you will need to make a purchase from this site. Here are the details:
- Purchase Angel – 1 entry for the draw
- Purchase Untangling Cables ebook – 3 entries in the draw
- Purchase both Angel & Untangling Cables – 5 entries in the draw
These can be found on the Patterns and Products tab. This actually makes it a lot better for you now. No matter what, you’re going to get something. During the contest period (closes May 31, 2011), all proceeds will go to a charity or non-profit organization of the choice of the person drawn third. I’d like t take a moment to thank Webs and Denise for the needles they have donated to get reviewed and then given away for a good cause. If anybody else want to send some in, there’s still time and I’ll definitely make sure they get reviewed and written up on here. So here we go with the testing …
The above interchangeable needles are from Webs. I’d like to talk about the essential parts of any set of interchangeable needles first, then continue on to the extras. I think the most important part of an INS (Interchangeable Needle Set) is the join between the cable and the actual needle tip. Let’s face it, if there’s a snag here and it isn’t smooth, your work will slow down considerably and you’ll also run the risk of destroying your yarn. The Webs INS has a very smooth join. They incorporate a screw and thread setup to attach the nylon to the needle tip, and the end of the screw where it is attached to the nylon is bulbous, allowing for a very smooth transition. Basically, most companies use either the screw method that Webs uses, or some sort of turn and click system. Both have their pros and cons. With the Webs needles that I was sent, the threading on the tips was fine for all but two of the needles. I am certain though that they will provide a replacement and I am sending such a request immediately. That, and making sure that the tips are locked in securely are the only two drawbacks that i can see from the screw type connection. When the tips are screwed in place securely, they are very secure and the join works very well.
For me the next most important thing for an INS is the actual length of the needle tip. No herein lies some controversy (well, I might be starting some). In the past the length of the tip (for both INS and regular circular needles) has been dictated by the length of the cord. That is, the needle couldn’t be too long as the shortest cord wouldn’t be functional. For regular circular needles that’s not a big deal, as this would only really affect the tips on needles of 16″. However, with an INS, all needles have to be able to fit onto a 16″ cable, so that meant the maximum length of the tip was usually about 3″. Now I don’t know about you, but for me 3″ just isn’t enough – behave! I am a large male and my hands are proportionate to my size. That means I need a tip at least 4″ long, with the ideal being around 5″. Luckily, the Webs tips are around 41/2″ long and are quite functional.
Before I leave this topic, I’d like to address the manufacturers (and knitters) that say that you need short tips to use with short cables. My question is why? The truth of the matter is you don’t need short cables. As a matter of fact, the longer the better. Yes, I know that in the past the thing was to use short circulars to make hats, socks, and the necks of sweaters and such. That however, was before the Magic Loop and Knitting with Two Circular Needles were developed. I actually teach these techniques to new knitters and most prefer them to bumbling with short cables and even shorter tips. I’ll do a post on them in the future, but if you need to know now, you can check out Cat Bordhi’s videos on YouTube. With these two techniques, you can knit any number of stitches in the round with any cable length from 24″ up. My favorite length is 40″ as this is usually long enough for increased flexibility in the cable when doing the Magic Loop and it can hold a large number of stitches when doing the 2 Needle method.
So the next and last thing I’ll talk about today (the rest will be done on Wednesday) is the needle tip material. As you all know, knitting needles come in a range of materials. While it would be great to have an INS for each type, you’d end up carrying around a LOT of needles and you’d have to make quite the investment into needles. For this reason,most manufacturers have limited their production to 3 types – plastic, metal, and wood. Now the types of each vary with the manufacturer, but the final selection is up to your personal reference. The Webs comes with a high quality, hard bamboo that is said to not split or splinter. They appear to have a very light coating of something as they slip very nicely and you can actually knit quite rapidly with them. If I was only going to have one set of needles I would choose bamboo for a few reasons – they’re right in the middle of the spectrum for speed, they’re made from a highly renewable resource, they’re easy to care for, and can be lightly sanded to blunt or sharpen the tips. Of course, if bamboo isn’t your preference, these needles wouldn’t be for you. Unfortunately, lots of people have metal allergies and issues, so the bamboo is a great choice.
Okay, on later this week I’ll finish the review on these needles. Tomorrow, we’ll talk SILK! Hmmmm, SILK!
Hugzzz 😎