My KnitPicks Options arrived last week, I cast on a sweater for DGD and started to work. OK, they are smooth to work with, I’ll give you that, and the nice pointy ends make picking up each loop very easy, and the cords are slender enough so the yarn moves well on them.
BUT -
1.Even using the little piece of metal to help tighten the join, after a few rows, it comes undone, catching the yarn until you figure out what’s going on and re-tighten it.
2.Unlike my Denise set, none of the cords are small enough to cast on a smaller amount of stitches, like eighty in a DK weight, without stretching out the stitches once you start your circular row.
3.Conversely, you can’t join two cords together if you have a long project to cast on.
I’m not sure if I’m missing some important element, or if these problems just need to be worked around somehow.
Does anyone have any wisdom to share with me on this? So many of you love this set, I’d like to also.
They have 16 in fixed circular needles that have to be ordered separately. The needle length has be shorter to accommodate the short cable so they can’t be part of the set.
I had a set of Denise and the shortest one is 17 in which I found to sometimes be too long for smaller hats anyway so I ordered the 16 in fixed circs in the sizes I use most and love them!
The cables are too thin to have the type of set that can join more cables like Denise.
I’ve never had trouble tightening my Options, but I have heard of others. I use one of those rubber grippy things to tighten and loosen and they work great! I’m not sure what they are called, but they sometimes are used under dishes or rugs to keep them from skidding. I just keep a small piece in my needle case.
Use rubber (jar opener or rubber gloves) to help you tighten. I’ve never had to do that, but I have spent most of my life gripping pliers and worry more about getting them too tight.
No, you can’t join two cords. I haven’t run into that need. Instead of one cord when working flat I’d rather use two cords and keep the needles separate
In addition to the 24" and 32" that came with the set I ordered a 40" and 47" but have only used those as stitch holders or ML.
I made a 20" cable for mine. That’s about as small as the needle lengths will allow.
Some people were sticking the key-thingey into the hole and turning it around in the hole, rather than using it as a lever to turn the needle. If that isn’t what you were doing, I can’t help.
No problem. Please, just tighten with the key as far as it will let you go after it is inserted into the holes, and it should be good to go. I give mine, without the help of any other things, a good tighten and after I do this a real tightening force - no coming loose. Give it a try. The Options and the cables are the best, I think anyway.