New Project, New Needles

I found a new project I think I would absolutely love to try: Lullaby Blanket. It uses some techniques I have never tried before, but that's part of the appeal. The family I am working for is expecting a baby in January. I have no idea if I could get it done before then, but I'd really love to try. It's sooo pretty.

(c) Phyll from ravelry.com

I have also been interested in getting interchangeable needles for awhile. Every time I start a new project, it feels like I have to buy a new pair of needles (different sizes, different lengths, circular/straight, etc.), and it's getting old. Plus, after working with the Boye circular needles on my current baby blanket, I'm not impressed.

After watching many videos on dpns and the Magic Loop method, I would much rather try the Magic Loop method. Yesterday I did a lot of online research about interchangeable needles. I looked at the Boye Needlemaster, which I could get for about $25 with a coupon I have to Michaels. But the reviews overall from people who have used it and other systems don't seem to be positive, so I'm glad I decided to research first. When looking at reviews, many compared the Boye Needlemaster to Denise Needles. I looked for more reviews and they seemed a lot more positive. I don't love the idea of plastic needles, but I went ahead and placed an order on Amazon.

I decided to keep reading after I placed my order just to see what else was out there, maybe on the higher end, just for kicks. I had seen mention of Addi Turbos and their Addi Click Interchangeable Needles. They are very pricey, but people seem to love them. I thought maybe in the future I could save up for those if I really like the Denises.

Finally, I read about several people comparing the Addis to the the Knit Pick's line of interchangeables: Options. My first impression of these was great. They look beautiful, they have "options" on material for the tips, and if I want, I can just buy the sizes I use most often. They also are a much more feasible price than the Addis. I immediately hunted down several reviews, and they seemed to have great reviews. I decided after some looking that I preferred them to the Denises, so I cancelled my order on Amazon.

Now for the next big decision, do I want to go for the Harmony Wood, the Nickel Plated, or the Zephyr Acrylic? People seem to love their wood needles, and the Harmony Wood ones are gorgeous. I have been knitting on Boye Aluminum Needles for many years, so the Nickel Plated has the appeal of the metal I am used to, even though I know they won't be the same. The Zephyr Acrylic is intriguing to, and it is the cheapest set of tips. I finally decided to order the "Try It" set which comes with one of each for $20. It's adding extra expense to the purchase, but I think it will be worth it to see which material I prefer and what works best with my yarn. I made the order yesterday. I don't know how long it will take to arrive because of the holiday weekend, but I'm looking forward to getting them and trying them out!