Are 4 (or 5) Needles Better Than One?
Although my poor grandmother tried to teach me to knit when I was nine years old, I had absolutely no patience for fine motor skills at that point, and was much happier playing with her jewelry. I didn’t learn to knit until I was an adult, and I learned very traditionally: straight needles, follow a pattern, make a bottom-up sweater with set-in sleeves and a crew neck. When I started working at Webs shortly after I had gained some mastery of the craft, I was astounded at the variety of designs, techniques, and yarns I encountered. It was overwhelming, but I wanted to try it all. The one thing I stuck to was knitting any sort of tube with double-pointed needles. I honestly tried to use Magic Loop, two circulars, anything but DPNs. However, I don’t love knitting socks ( I have made exactly three socks) and I loved the way my DPNs made hats, baby booties, and sleeves on sweaters look. I’m always on the lookout for really great needles, and I think I have found my DPN mecca: Knitters Pride Karbonz. I recently knit baby sweaters for twins to be born in September, and the pattern was a beautifully easy top-down raglan with the sleeves picked up and knit on DPNs. I did one sweater with my old faithful Dreamz needles, but picked up a set of the Karbonz to try on sweater #2.
Reader, it was heaven.
All kinds’a’Karbonz at Webs!
The Karbonz shaft gripped the yarn just right–it slid easily but didn’t slide off. The tips are sharp and glide-y but they didn’t split the yarn, and there was no discernable bump or glitch at the place where the tip met the body of the needle. Best of all, they look super-badass. Shiny silver tip attached to a matte black needle made me feel a little naughty, even though the project they were attached to was the most adorable peach and lime green baby kimono. Karbonz are available in circulars as well, and we’ve just added interchangeable sets, too. They are well worth the slightly higher price point, and will last until your granddaughters refuse to learn to knit with them.
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Tags: baby sweater pattern, dpns, gifts, Knitter's Pride Karbonz, knitting, knitting tools, store, yarn
August 19th, 2013 at 8:24 am
Must try these and perhaps add them to my Christmas knitting wish list 😉
August 19th, 2013 at 10:23 am
5 for socks, and the shorter the better, 4 for other things, and I like magic loop for others, especially toe-up socks, two at a time!
August 19th, 2013 at 11:23 am
I’ve been on a search for the perfect dpns in the tiny sizes. They’re very hard to find in the 0, 00, 000 sizes except in the nickle plated version which I hate because they’re too slippery. I recently found a Susan Bates set but they’re too short. I’ll be buying a pair of these today!
August 19th, 2013 at 10:24 pm
Circulars!!! lol
I gave up fighting with porcupine while knitting… 😉
August 21st, 2013 at 7:00 pm
I have heard so many good things about these needles! I love DPNs, too, and I’ve been extremely happy with my wooden set from Knitter’s Pride. Sometime soon, though, I’ll have to treat myself to a pair of the Karbonz! (The only thing, though–what is what that name? Seriously?)
October 17th, 2013 at 11:50 pm
A misleading title of the article … I REALLY want to know whether 4 needles are better than 5 – or not.
December 27th, 2020 at 12:54 pm
I have a set of the size 0-3 that come in a storage case. Do you know if there are sets of the larger sizes or if they or anyone sells the same type of case alone?
May 7th, 2022 at 11:27 am
I just received 2 set of the interchangeable tips and I absolutely love them. I wish I had seen these before I purchased a different set of tips. My set didn’t come in the US size 1 and 2, but these did.
December 17th, 2022 at 10:28 am
I am SOLD! Now I just need to find a set for socks and the like and a set of all of the remaining sizes. Better yet… I would love to purchase a set that included ALL of the sizes. Please let me know if you have any suggestions Thank you and Merry Christmas and blessings for the New Year!