Woo-Hoo! A pile of new needles for me...

[Josh - Photo.net]

Just wanted to brag a little. Had a little extra cash after the holidays were over and decided to get a gift for myself. Knitpicks delivered a pile of new needles to me yesterday. And let me say this, the regular shipping from Knitpicks is awful. Took almost 2 weeks for my previous order to show up. Do yourself a favor and pay the $5-10 extra for the 3 day shipping. You will be a lot happier. Also, I wrote a message in the "notes" of my order that said one needle (in my 8's and 11's) was spinning a bit from a previous Harmony wood interchangeable order (just ordered those sizes, not a whole set) and asked what to do. I said that they still knitted just fine, but I was a bit worried about it. Knitpicks sent me a new set of both the 8's and 11's. Pretty good customer service considering that I didn't even email or call.

-Options interchangeable set 4-11
-Options 13 tips
-Options 15 tips
-Harmony wood 6 tips
-Harmony 8 & 11 tips (free replacement for tips I already had where the needles was spinning in the "base")
-Options "sock" DPN set sz 0-3
-Crystal palace 6 DPN's (okay, these were from my local knitting shop. But I got them the same day)


Yes, I know that there are arguments against Knitpicks and that they are a danger to local knitting stores with the way that they run their business. But I wasn't going to pay $150 for an Addi interchangeable set, I don't really like the other interchangeable options, and I was tired of buying individual needles. I buy most all my yarn from my local stores and so don't feel bad mail ordering a bit. Plus, while their warehouse is in ohio, their headquarters are here in Washington state. So they are kind of local. Local enough that I have to pay sales tax anyway.

[RecycleMicol]

Uh...drool! Couldn't pass up this photo without congratulating you. :-) I have the options set, but plan on adding more.

Have fun knitting!
RM

[Pirate Mama]

   I'm still using a set of Denise Interchangeable Needles, and saw these at my local knit shop about 4 months ago!  I can't wait to own a set!  I'm jealous....Lucky you...I'll love to hear how others feel about knitting with them....Tell me more?!  (My needle stash is large, but mostly thrift store bargains, garage sale finds, and "hey my grandma doesn't want these needles, do you?" gifts) 

[Josh - Photo.net]

I've only used the 6 & 8 (options) so far, but I like them a lot. They are quite "fast" to knit with and feel very smooth. The Harmony wood ones are pretty nice too. While they aren't as fast and don't make the nice *click* that the metal ones do, they are smooth and rad to look at.

one thing about the knitpicks needles, especially the options, is that they are pretty sharp. If you are the type of knitter who pushes down hard on the tip of the needle with your finger, you might find knitting with them kind of painful at first. I barely do any pushing at all and so it doesn't bother me.

[Josh - Photo.net]

One thing that is worth noting is that the needles are long (compared to many fixed circulars) and when you combine that with the fact that Knitpicks doesn't offer any cables in a 16" or 12" total length, you may be limited in what smaller items you can knit. For example, I have to go out to the knitting store today and track down a set of 6's so I can get started in an infant hat I want to knit. The KP setup is just too large.

[jewells68]

I have been eyeing the harmony interchangeable set, but they don't make the tips in anything smaller than a size 4, so you'd have to by the fixed needles if you wanted something smaller, for socks or something else with fingering or lace-weght yarn...

By the way, how do the wood tips feel, is it kind of like bamboo in that it sort of takes on whatever temp your hands are? I have arthritis in my hands so after buying one addi turbo I haven't bought any more, I try to stick to bamboo in the winter months, but if the harmony sort of warm up too that might be a good option for me.

As for the hat, have you ever tried magic loop knitting? you could use your harmony tip with your longest cable and knit the entire hat on that one needle with no need to change to dpns for the top. Just a thought.

Anyway, impressive needle haul there... very "envy-inducing". 

[RecycleMicol]

I can answer your question...Yes! The Harmony wood needles feel like bamboo. Very lovely, too!

Also, this is the magic loop method that I use for knitting in the round with circulars although I knit continental style. The concept is the same, though. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtBSmxGomPk

Then, there's also this method, which requires two circular needles, but there's less pulling and pushing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RybPvCNfrT8
 

I have been eyeing the harmony interchangeable set, but they don't make the tips in anything smaller than a size 4, so you'd have to by the fixed needles if you wanted something smaller, for socks or something else with fingering or lace-weght yarn...

By the way, how do the wood tips feel, is it kind of like bamboo in that it sort of takes on whatever temp your hands are? I have arthritis in my hands so after buying one addi turbo I haven't bought any more, I try to stick to bamboo in the winter months, but if the harmony sort of warm up too that might be a good option for me.

As for the hat, have you ever tried magic loop knitting? you could use your harmony tip with your longest cable and knit the entire hat on that one needle with no need to change to dpns for the top. Just a thought.

Anyway, impressive needle haul there... very "envy-inducing". 

[jewells68]

Oh, great that's good to know... I may have to place an order then... I love how they look too, I'll  just have to order some fixed circulars in the smaller sizes so I can complete the set... hmmmm, now if only someone had given me a gift certificate for xmas...