I need an opinion on an Interchangeable Needle Set

Hello All,
I have lately been wanting to buy the Boye The Needlemaster Set ( http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog.jsp?CATID=cat2868&PRODID=prd20751 ) , but am unsure if I should or not. I have read mixed reviews on it and really need more opinions.
Has anyone ever had a problem with their neeles due to weight ? (say you were knitting a baby blanket)

Do the cables break easily?
Does your yarn snag on the plastic cables?
What do you think about the set, overall?
Can you easily magic loop with this set? (this is my MAIN reason for wanting them!!!)

My birthday is coming up and this MAY be something I would like to ask for. My other reason for wanting this kit is because I have a 40% off coupon from Michaels this week… which will lower the price (retail is I think about $69).

Thanks a bunch for the imput!!

Still as cheap as she can be :aww:
Spooky

Many people prefer Knitpick’s options interchangeables for less than Joann’s is selling the Boyes. The Boye cords are rather stiff and the metal joins are long making the tips longer. KPs cords are soft and very flexible so Magic loop is much easier. One drawback to the KPs is that you can’t join cords together to make really long needles like you can with Boyes. I don’t think the Boyes are heavier than KPs

I think I would still be saving money with the 40% off coupon… Lets see… I think that would run me around $46.97 after the rebate and with our lovely 10% tax. (Boye set)

Now the knitpicks is $59.99. No shipping because the order is over $50.

A difference of $13.02.

With the Boye set you get 14 different needles (size 2-15) and Separate cables in lengths of 20’’,24’’,29’’ & 36’’.

Knitpicks you get 9 different sizese US Sizes: (4,5,6,7,8,9,10,10.5 and 11) and
CABLES == 2 each of 24" and 32" lengths.

Is this $13.02 difference and 5 needle and 3 cable shortage that much better than the Boye set?

Just curious before I make this big of a commitment. :slight_smile:

My local Michaels store carries Denise interchangeables. It has the options you are looking at for Boyes without as many of the negatives. Having used neither of those ( I have Options) I am only going on what I have read here in previous discussions on pros and cons. I don’t remember anyone off hand who like Boyes.

Have you read this thread? http://www.knittinghelp.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57276

In the third post from the top, Amy writes a great comparison of all the pros and cons of each interchangeable set.

Thanks for the link Jdee! That helps a bunch:yay: . I have only checked one Michaels in the area, but there is another one in the opposite direction. The Michaels I checked today only had the Boye set, but since this weekend is the tax-free weekend for school it is probably possible that I will be on the other side of town and will be able to see if the other Michaels has any other brands of interchangeable needle sets.

It sounds like the Boye set is way to stiff for what I want to do with it. Like I said, my main goal is magic loop. I also like the fact that the [B]Denise Interchangeable set[/B] has a 17 inch cable. That is very appealing for hats :wink: .

Keep posting your opinions :stuck_out_tongue: . I hope I can make a decision soon:teehee: LOL!!!

IMHO, there is a HUGE difference between the two, and for me, it is definitely worth the differences to get the KnitPicks.

I found the Boye set at a Tues.Morning store for $30 and bought them for my 10yod. She loves them, but on the occasions I’ve let her use my KP’s she likes mine better. I’m borrowing her size 13 for a project, but I just cast on tonight. So far…I still like the KP’s better.

I have only just barely tried Magic Loop, but I think the Boye cables are too stiff for them to be a good choice for that.

But then, everyone has different preferences. You might well be much happier with the Boyes, especially money comparison will bug you.

The fixed needle Boyes work very well for Magic Loop, but because of the join on the interchangeables amd the stiff cord, they’re much more difficult. It would be worth it for the aggravation factor alone to consider a different set if you’re looking to do quite a bit of ML.

I have a couple of Boye circs, and the Knit Picks set. I can’t imagine doing magic loop on Boye. The cords are so stiff! I also love the tips (I have nickel-plated & harmony wood and they are both wonderful!) and they’re way better than the Boye ones. Knit Picks sells a 47" cable, and I can’t imagine needing anything longer than that. You get 2 in each pack. Mine have been 200% worth the money :slight_smile:

I hate Boye products…

I have not bought the circular set…but that is because I don’t like the way boye needles have the surface wear off where you knit…blah

I like my Denise set…although I imagine…it would not be very practical for magic loop

Has anyone tried magicloop with Denise set? Are they happy with it?

I cannot imagine using the Denise for magic loop, the cables are much too thick and sticky. I have both the Opitons and the Denise and recommend the Opitons hands down. I have not used my Denise for anything since getting my options. I keep them in case I go on a plane trip, the plastic needles would be easier to take on an airplane.

I looked at the Boye in HoAnn’s and just didn’t like the way they looked.

The thread on Interchangables referenced above should tell you all you ever wanted to know about interchangables!

I’ve used Denise needles for Magic Loop, and I didn’t have a problem with it. The cable is thick, but it’s very flexable. I’ll admit it’s not as easy as the KP for Magic Loop, but it did fine.

I guess I am now leaning more towards knitpicks then. How many times have I changed my mind lol!! Like I said, I’m about as cheap as the come, and I wanted to see what everyone thought about their sets. THanks a bunch for the help!!:hug:

The Options cables are wonderfully soft and flexible and the points are nice and sharp. But I have had problems with the points coming undone from the cables and others have mentioned the same problem. Really frustrating, especially if you’re doing lace.

My Denise set gets a lot of use. I like the not-too-sharp points for splitty yarns and the resin (a form of plastic) feels firm and warm in my hands. Since I don’t do Magic loop (love me my dpns), the thickness of the cables isn’t an issue.

I’ve tried the Boyes and given them away. The tips were always coming unscrewed and the aluminum tips feel screechy to me, like biting down on a popsicle stick.

My perfect needle collection would include:
a Denise set for swatching, travel and slippery yarn;
Addi lace needles for thin yarn and (of course) lace;
KnitPicks fixed needles (not interchangeables) for small-gauge things like socks;
Addis for most everything except slippery rayon.
And the set of dirt-cheap wood dpns I found on eBay.

I have the Boye set and the cords are way too stiff for magic loop. I have used them for other things. I have never had the cables come undone. The needles are funny. I can’t get the yarn to slide smoothly over them. I have figured out that the main barrel is not tapered into the points enough–hard to explain–but the yarn catches there.

I just ordered KP options and the cords are wonderfully flexible. I haven’t used them yet but I can’t wait to try them out. I thought I’d keep the Boye in case I need the other sizes that the KPs don’t come with or if I want to try 2 circs.

I would get the KPs, esp if you want to do ML.

Bambi

I have figured out that the main barrel is not tapered into the points enough–hard to explain–but the yarn catches there.

Yes, the end of the tip and ends of the cord don’t match in size so even with the cables screwed on very tight, there’s sometimes a teeny gap there that catches the yarn.

This tells you how to do the 2 circ method with one interchangeable set. http://www.knittinghelp.com/forum/showthread.php?t=29072&highlight=interchangeable+needles

I started out with the Boye set from Michael’s. Their cables aren’t long enough for ML anyway, but I honestly didn’t like them to begin with. I LOVE my Options and Harmonies!! Wish I had saved my $$ and started out with one of them and not bought the Boye’s at all.

I started trying to do ML with boyes and found the cable too stiff. I really like my knitpicks, but then I haven’t made anything heavy, I was wondering how the kp cables stood up to something heavy like an afghan.