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A French Girl Giveaway….

by

frenchWell, not technically a French Girl, but Kristeen Griffin-Grimes uber cool, French Girl Knits book!

Need some criteria here….. ok, how about this….. your favorite needles!

Mine? Well, thanks for asking. I almost always knit with circulars. Why? Because my old arthritic hands and wrists from years and years of farming feel better when the weight of the knitting rests on my lap and not supported by my hands and wrists at the end of a large needle. So, unless I’m doing something that requires double points (yes, I’ve tried the Magic Loop and 2 Circular needle methods, prefer the double points) I’m all about the circular needles! I have the Denise set that I love, but also some bamboo circs which are awesome.

Yours? What are your favorite needles and why? A copy of this book depends on it!

Oh, and you can get a copy of this book, if you don’t win it here, published by Interweave Press, here: http://www.knitpicks.com/French+Girl+Knits_BD31105.html

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Comments

  1. I love wooden needles, but am an admitted scatterbrain, and never seem to be able to find a matching set! I stick to Clover…they’re not too expensive and I know I can find them easily at my nearest craft shop, which unfortunately, I need to do often!

  3. Interchangeable circs for the most part, though I do have some fixed-length and even a pair of straights. Because the only thing I can’t do on circs is a tubular cast-on.

  4. I like the Denise a lot and use them as back-ups, but for me, right now, KnitPicks circs are the needles of choice,wood or metal depending on the yarn/project – and you’re right about using circs vs. straights – they’re saving us from carpal tunnel and/or tennis elbow!

  5. My favorite pair of knitting needles are the ones that come in the Klutz Learn to Knit book and kit. They are number 8 bamboo with a dark pink top. I love these because they are the ones I learned to knit on. As time goes by I will get other brands and styles but these will always be special to me.

    melodyj(at)gmail(dot)com

  6. My favorite needles are the Harmony Straights I ordered from Knit Picks. I love wooden needles and the Harmony ones are so pretty that looking at them makes me smile.

  8. I love my cicular needles, the smaller the better. I find they are easier for me to pack up and bring with me. And the smaller size I enjoy because they feel better in my hands.

  9. Lantern Moon straights – wooden works of art – and helping out in Veitnam too – great combo!

  10. I prefer wood- bamboo usually, hardwoods if I can get it. Circular needles drive me mad; DPNs not so much. Some day I hope to have a beautiful and complete needle collection with a beautiful way to store them, but right now they all live in a cup on my desk and are all sorts of mismatched thrift store finds and sale buys. Ahh, college student life. 😀

  11. I like circular needles too for both of the reasons mentioned already. 🙂

  12. For larger-gauge knits, I am in love with my Denise Interchangeable. They offer such versatility! If I need the same size needle for another project, I can just put the end caps on the cables and free up the needle ends. They also make it easy to try on top-down garments, since I don’t have to bother with lifelines, I just add enough extra cable to fit around my head/shoulders/whatever!
    For socks though, I get antsy whenever I am not using my bamboo DPNs. My 1s and 0s get the most use. They’re lightweight, the yarn doesn’t slip right off them… plus I have something of a bamboo fetish anyway.

  13. I love my Knit Picks needles; Harmony Wood DPNs for socks and the Nickel Plated Options Interchangables for all my other projects. I love the extra sharp tips!

  14. I really like basic bamboo straight needles like Clover but I am getting used to the circular needles too.

    I am a sock virgin so I have not tackled double pointed needles yet.

  15. Circulars, no question. I like Addi lace needles, and am starting to like Hiya Hiya steel needles, though I’ve only used one pair so far. I use my Knitpicks a lot, but am less happy with them lately, and will probably break down and buy a set of the Addi interchangeables.

  16. Clover brand bamboo DPNS. Love the feel of the bamboo and I very much like knitting in the round (small things, not large – socks, hats). If I’m using straight needles I still stick with Clover bamboo. I get bruises from using metal because I use a death grip-like hold on the needles.

  17. I actually don’t know what kind of knitting needles I have been using. I inherited them from my grandmother along with a stash of yarn. They seem to work fine, I guess I never really thought about using better ones.
    rsgrandinetti(at)yahoo(dot)com

  18. I’m a beginning knitter so I’ve only used aluminum needles. I hear bamboo ones are really nice to work with.

  19. I’m in love with my KnitPicks Options nickel-plated set. I prefer circulars to straights or DPNs and I prefer the smooth nickel-plated to anything, especially wood. I’m probably alone but I hate wooden needles.

  20. Personally it depends on the project. That said.. I really dislike metal needles. And dp’s are my favorite simply because my favorite thing to knit is socks! For anything other than socks I demand (yes, Demand! LOL) wood, or my Denise… which I love, but hate not being able to find the cables because I never finish anything….

  22. I prefer straights because I’m just a bit uncoordinated with circulars (I’m not the best knitter). I also prefer bamboo – metal’s too cold.

  23. I found my knitting needles in my nan’s loft – I’m not sure what they are to be honest! Straight plastic ones. Would like some wooden ones really… might treat myself when I get a bit better at knitting! 🙂

  24. my favorite pair on the ones my sister in law gave me when she taught me how to knit

  25. I like the clackety-clack of straight metal needles. I have always used patterns that call for straight needles. I need projects that require circular needles and then I’ll use them.

  26. I have all my Mom’s knitting needles so I can’t justify buying new needles but I love it when I can use the circular needles with the metal tips. I don’t know what they are because I didn’t buy them but she only left me three sizes with the metal tips!

  27. I too am a big fan of the DPNs. I LOVE bamboo needles but am afraid of the really tiny sizes that I may break them in half. I am trying to break into using two circulars but am finding it a little awkard.

    I also have arthritis and the bigger projects on straight needles just puts too much strain on my old hands.

  29. I love knitting on bamboo circular needles. I find as I get older my hands hurt more. 🙁 Using circular needles helps ease the pain and the bamboo warms while I use them… and that just feels wonderful to me. =)

  30. Knit Pick Harmonys with those pointy tips are what’s in my knitting bag. I’m a circs girl. They don’t fall out of the work when I’m riding the bus.

  31. I just got my first pair of bamboo needles, straight, and I love them! They’re so light but still sleek and solid. Beside the slightly exotic feeling I get using them, I really like that I’m using something natural.

  32. I love my set of interchangeable circulars. I always have every size and length I need in one case, which is key, because I’m one of those people who would lose my head if it weren’t attached.

  35. When my grandmother passed away, I inherited her container of metal needles. She was a knitter for years, so some of them are over 30 years old. My favorites are size 5 straights, powder blue coated with silver ends. I imagine all of the things she made when I use them. I think it’s nice that she passed her creative side and her needle collection to me. I’ve been knitting since I was 15 and plan to do it for many years more!

  36. My favorite needles are my signature arts needles with the stiletto points. I love them!

  37. My favorite needles are a pair of circs I got in a thrift shop. They had no label, so I don’t know the brand, but I wish I could find more like them. They fit my hands perfectly and I love making hats with them.

  38. I love clover bamboo dpns, I don’t freak out when I lose them and never get bothered when traveling.

  39. oh wow , i just had to return this to the library and really wanted to keep it!!

    My fav needles are the harmony interchangeable by knitpicks. Been close to 2 years now that i have been using them and am so in love, plus i think they are so worth the money and a good value vs the cost of needles. I have also purchased some of their smaller sized non interchange needles and enjoy them as well.

  40. When I first came back to knitting after a long absence I had very few needles. I found a set of used Boye Needlemasers and have done most of my knitting on them.

  41. Circular Lace Addis (my latest new knitting purchase). Knitting with them is like greased lightning!

    But when I really want to savor a project, I reach for rosewood. I own Colonial, but dream of trying Lantern Moon!

  43. My favorite brand of needles are the crystal Palace Bamboo. They just seem to work better than the other brands of bamboo or wooden. I like the bamboo circular needles. I have tired DPN’s but for the life of me I can’t seem to work them right.

  44. I will go to any length to get Addi needles. Although my closest local yarn shop that sells them is 600km away, they will post them out for me. I’ve just finished paying off a layby for the Addi CLICK system and am so chuffed!

  46. When I first started knitting I found the Boye and the Denise interchangable sets. I go back and forth between them depending on the yarn and needle size for 99% of my knitting.

  47. I prefer wood/bamboo circular and DPNs as the metal straights I have just hurt my hands. I tried magic loop and just can’t seem to get it to work. Maybe I’ll try again sometime on a different project but for now my DPNs are fine (and look so impressive to non-knitters).

  48. My bamboo dpn’s are my favorite for small knitting and boye metal straights for most everything else. Please enter me in your great book giveaway – Thank you!

  49. my faves are crystal palace dpn’s & addi turbo circs, hands down. of course i have some bamboo dpn’s & circs, along with metal single points in just about every size made!

Have you read?

Book Review: Knitovation Stitch Dictionary

There’s always room for more stitch dictionaries on your shelf, but Andrea Rangel’s Knitovation Stitch Dictionary is unlike those stitch pattern books you might already own. That’s because this one is full of colorwork stitch patterns rather than textured stitches, lace or cables, so the designs are ripe for adding to hats, sweaters and other projects with a stockinette stitch background. 

The book starts with a quick introduction to knitting colorwork that’s also unlike what you’ve probably seen before, because it’s less about the colors themselves and more about the kinds of fibers you choose, how the yarn is prepared and the gauge you’re working at and how those things all change the look of a design. 

Most of the book is filled with motif designs and swatches. The motifs were designed and named by Andrea’s husband Sean, who is an artist and brings a bit of whimsy to the designs. 

You’ll find some classic looking leaves and flowers, mosaics and waves, but also rubber ducks, penguins, puzzle pieces, cherries and cows, snails and teapots, eyeballs and chess pieces, to name a few. Many of the designs also have funny names, like a fish named toilet bound, or cats in suits called corporate fat cat.

Of course you can use the designs in any way you want on any project you like, but there are also three patterns in the book — for a hat, a sweater and a pair of fingerless gloves — plus discussion of how the motifs were added, adjusting patterns for a different size or gauge, and adding your own motifs. 

If you like adding a bit of colorwork to otherwise plain projects that other people have designed, or you’re ready to start making your own designs with fun motifs, this book is a great place to start. The fun and funny motifs are sure to inspire you to want to pick up your needles and add a little more color to your projects. 

About the book: 160 pages, hardcover, 150+ motifs and three knitting patterns. Published 2023 by Interweave, suggested retail $28.