Wooden/Bamboo Needles:
Wooden and Bamboo needles are not susceptible to seasonal temperature changes and are Travel Friendly (unless you try carrying a pair of 14" -- long US size 35's on an airplane...well, then they might think you're a Vampire Hunter!). Wooden and Bamboo needles are great for those who enjoy using natural materials. They are lightweight and the tips don't clack, so knitting is a quiet affair.
Tight-grippers beware; the smaller sizes in all the natural materials are delicate.
Wooden Needles
We really like the Rosewood Needles; they feel like silk and the nicely defined tips make knitting a breeze. Because they are a dark wood, they are wonderful when using light colored yarns.
"Brittany" are very sturdy and smooth with a natural color – great for knitting socks.
Bamboo Needles
Bamboo needles are NOT created equal; there are more than 500 kinds of bamboo (just ask the Pandas) and the best bamboo needles are made from aged bamboo, which is superior in density and flexibility. We really like "KA" (Kinki Amibari) bamboo needles manufactured in Japan; the quality is wonderful, with a satin finish that is smooth to the touch and which becomes even smoother with use! And if you want fun, flirty or sophisticated-looking KA bamboo needles, take a look at "Beadles" for custom made sets of needles (link provided on "Links" page). "Clover Bamboo" needles tend to slow the speed of knitting -- a great feature for beginners, and a true advantage when using slippery yarns for knitting socks or any project requiring DP needles, because the yarn DOES NOT slip off the needles easily, which is a good thing! However, we found the tips/points on the larger-size needles a little too blunt and thick, slowing down our knitting. With use you can actually feel the ridges of the bamboo.
Note About Naturals Needles
All natural needles need a little loving care and sometimes repair(s). We found a great kit to service all your natural needles needs -- "STIX FIX" by Knotty Girl (link provided on "Links" page).
Metal Needles
Metal needles are susceptible to seasonal temperature changes. They get HOT, HOT, HOT
in the Arizona heat. Some people say the metal needles are cold in winter, but warm hearts and woolly yarns quickly take the edge off. Stitches glide easily over the pearl gray of the Inox single, double-pointed and circular needles making knitting fast. The tips tend to be a little more pointed, which is great for cables and bobbles.
At the time this review was written, metal needles, in any size, were frowned on by the airlines. But we still use them and love Inox and Addi Turbos. We just tried a new brand of metal needles by "Hiya Hiya"; they make a tubular stainless steel needle that feels like air, and circular needles to size #000! Both are smooth as silk. Slick, slippery and FAST...who could ask for anything more!
Circular Needles
Even for knitters who prefer straight needles, the long ones can be cumbersome to use and heavy with the weight of a large project. Circular needles solve both problems; the flexible nylon/plastic allows the weight of your work to rest in your lap (so you'll never lose one needle somewhere), and they make your project compact and easy to carry. If not knitting in the round, just knit back and forth...but whenever possible try knitting in the round and you won't need to seam as often!
Circular needles have the same characteristics as their counterparts. We discovered a new brand at the TNNA Show/Long Beach 2008 - "Hiya Hiya" that offers wonderful circulars to size #000!
We have used all types of circular needles, some with black rubber-like cables, some with cables that look like wire cabling, some that are all plastic, some with detachable cables...the list goes on and on.
What is most important is that the ends (actual needle length) are long enough to grasp comfortably. We found the short ends tedious to use. We also do not recommend the detachable cables, because while knitting the cable can come loose or pull away.
NOT A GOOD THING!
|
If you have problems with unruly cables, try dunking them in a cup of hot water and straightening them with your fingers while still warm. But the first line of defense against curling cables is to store them in a needle holder -- that allows the cables to hang freely, and they will be ready when you want to use them. If you store them, (long-term) curled up in a CD-like holder, plastic bags, etc., you'll always have problems with curling cables.
|
|
