Last night I didn't have anything to do so I headed over to Park Slope and hung out with the ladies of the Park Slope Knitting Group. As usual had a great time and learned new things. Or I should say I learned about ways to spend even more of my hard earned money on. Every time I hang out with a group of knitters I leave with a wealth of knowledge and the next day my my pockets get a little emptier, because I had to buy the must have yarn, book, notion and etc that everyone was talking about it.
Last night the great needle debate came up. What are the best knitting needles on the market and does your needle effect the speed of your knitting?
I have to admit I am a bit skeptical of the idea my knitting needle determines how fast or slow I knit. I am a huge fan of Addi Turbo needles. When I started knitting several years ago they were the biggest rage. A experience knitter that I was hanging out with at the time kept telling me that they would change my life and I would throw away all of my Susan Bates needles after using the Addi Turbo. I did notice that they yarn glided better on the "better" needle, but I honestly didn't notice that I knitted faster or slower on either needle. I will also admit that I didn't buy any Susan Bate needles after that, but I didn't throw the ones that I had out.
(side note: The issue I have with finishing projects quickly has very little to do with the speed that I knit. It is more about the fact that I put projects to the side for months on end. I think when I actually knit I move quickly. If they could make needles that would poke me in the ass when I wasn't working my projects, I would pay extra for that.)
Last night one of the ladies told about the new must have needle Signature Needle Arts (quick note for my frugal friends out there, you will clutch your pearls when you see the price of these things, because the price tag is crazy. Even I had to say WTF about the price....$60 for one pair of needles! But of course you know the other side of my brain was saying I gotta check those bad boys out.)
As usual when I hear about anything new I have to ask a million questions. Why should I spend $60 on these needles? What makes them better than other needles? The answer that I got back was they make you knit faster and they are super smooth. Hearing that made me think about my dear Addi Turbo Needles, because that is what people say about Addi Turbos, so of course I had to ask how are they different than Addi Turbos. I think I stumped the woman who was telling me about the needles with that question. She couldn't give me a solid answer on how they are different than Addi Turbo Needles. It sounds like the only difference is that the Signature Needle Arts needles have different point types and the extra dollars you have to pay. After learning about the Signature Needles I came to the conclusion that I was not missing out on anything if I am already using Addi Turbo needles. If happen to find some while I am out, then I will buy them, but that seems very unlikely since they are only sold in one store in NYC.
With that being said I have some questions for you my dear readers:
- Have you tried the Signature Needles?
- Do you notice if you knit faster or slower with certain needles?
- What kind of needles do you use?
- What is the most you have spent on a pair of needles?
Maybe you should invent some needles that poke you in the ass, or maybe send shock waves up your arms when you're not doing anything ... I could certainly use some of those also! LOL
ReplyDeleteI agree that $60/pair is outrageous, especially if there's no extra added bonus to them ... but I too have interest in checking them out, so maybe we can take a trip to that store and see if they have a "sample" pair to try out? :-D
I find the type of needle does make a difference but it depends on the yarn you are using, not the needle itself. So for slippery yarns, I use wood or bamboo and if the yarn splits easily you want a more rounded tip than a super sharp tip. Then again, bamboo rounds piss me off because they inevitably break at the join ruining my yarn, so from now on, I only use bamboo straights. However, you should ask the Yarn Harlot who will tell you, the best needle is the one you enjoy holding in your hands for whatever reason it may be.
ReplyDeleteThanks Anonymous for the tip. It is true the best knitting needle is the one that you enjoy holding in your hand.
ReplyDelete@Suzy M a little birdy told me we can try them out at the MD Sheep and Wool Festival :)
I will modify my first comment. I have since met up with the singulars and they really are drool worthy. Choice of length and tip. They are actually made by a medical supply company that is branching out. I may never buy the double pointeds, but definite eye candy. I will never be able to afford the circulars, but if they ever managed to make an interchangeable, I'll be there in 2 heart beats.
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