Everyone has their own opinions about what the best knitting needles are. Straight or circular? Metal or wood? Long tip or short tip? There are so many aspects that go into what makes the perfect needles.
Quality and price go hand in hand. A set you’d pay thirty dollars for is going to be better than the set you pay a dollar for. No really, you can buy needles at the Mighty Dollar for one dollar. They also have novelty yarn, but that’s for another post.
It comes down to preference. Some prefer metal over bamboo. Metal is more slick, so stitches slide off easier. Bamboo will hold onto the stitches better. If you’re a tight knitter, metal might be better. If your stitches are loose, or if you let go of the needle often when you knit, bamboo needles will help keep your stitches in place.
I knit with bamboo circular needles for a couple of reasons.
1. I knit loose stitches and often let go of one needle to wrap the yarn around the other needle. I don’t hold any tension in my hand when I knit, I just let the yarn dangle. It’s a slow method, but I’m working on it.
2. Circular needles will hold all the stitches. Straight needles hold stitches well too, but with circulars, I’ll have a shorter needle and plenty of space to keep my work spread out so I can see my progress.
Bamboo is my tool of choice. I own metal needles and I own straight needles. Bamboo circulars are what I’m most comfortable with.
My favorite bamboo needles are Takumi Clover interchangeable needles.
In this set there are sizes 3 through 15 with 5 cord lengths, which allows for 60 combinations! I save a lot of money by buying interchangeable needles instead of fixed needles individually.
I’ve had these needles for 6 months now and have never had a problem. Even when I knitted my self into a tight spot, the needles’ durability allowed me to work through the problem without trouble. As I researched what sets to buy, I did come across poor reviews for the Clover kit. These reviews were for older versions and the company fixed any issues that would arise so now there are no problems. Like I’ve said, I’ve had my set for 6 months and have had no snags or cords coming undone.
This set goes for around 170 USD, BUT if you manage to find a bargain in the form of x amount of percent off, take advantage. Deals are out there. I got my set at my local craft store at 60% off!
These needles come in their own case, so you can keep them neat and organized.
Bottom line: if you’re looking for an affordable way to have many different needle sizes and circular lengths, then interchangeable sets are the way to go. If you prefer bamboo, then why not give Takumi Clover circulars a try? Just be sure to catch one on sale somewhere. They’re always on sale somewhere.
amberknits 