I do like the metal needles…Are the options only available online?
I like the idea of just buying one set to try first…but which set should I try? I guess that doesn’t really matter, does it?
Also, how do people get around not having a shorter cable (like a 16")?
I mentioned above that I do knit quite a bit for my baby and many patterns call for a 16" cable. I guess I could just use the longest options cable and magic loop anything smaller than the 24"?
The options are only sold by Knitpicks and so only available online. You can get 16" fixed needles from them too, or only get a set or two of tips and a cord set to try them out. The fixed circs still have the nice flexible cord, which is why people love them for ML.
As far as I know they are only available online. I have the Harmony interchangeables and love them. But I find that I prefer to knit with metal and so I have put the options on my Christmas list. A couple of weeks ago I was out with my knitting group and one of the other girls showed up with her new options and I had a chance to look at them and feel them. OOOh they were nice…
I knew immediately that I had to have them. They weighed almost nothing and felt soooooooo amazing in my hand. Boy I hope my DH or Mom understand how badly I want them. Also, the inexpensive metal circs that I have purchased at Walmart, Joanns and Michaels don’t seem to be very smooth, meaning I feel they drag them and my hands get tired from using them. And the stores never seem to have the size I’m looking for (very annoying).
Regarding the growing stash. I like everyone here has the same problem, but I say whatever!!!:teehee: Knitting is a stress reliever (therapy cost way more), you save on gifts (cause you can make them instead of buying them) and the objects you knit will be heirlooms someday. Who could complain about that? Plus fmy husband spends ALOT more on his hobby (hot rods). I mean way, way, way more. Have fun and I hope you get all the things on your wish list.
For my ‘trial set’ I got a set of 7 and 8 and a set of 24 in cables. I loved them and ordered the whole set as soon as I could. I know have double sets of the sizes I use most, multiple cables for 24 and 32, plus several fixed circs for socks and 3 -16 inch circs. It’s a sickness I tell you, but I love having them and it’s nice to have multiples for those of us who have multiple projects. :teehee:
http://www.knitpicks.com/nickel+plated+knitting+needles_NL300305.html
The only thing I don’t have are the DPNs and I won’t because I don’t like the length choices.
Thanks for all the input, everyone! Looks like I’m adding a small set of Knitpicks to my Christmas list! 
I just wanted to jump in and put in my vote for knitpicks needles! I have the harmony set, plus extra sets of long cables, plus several fixed sock-size circs, and a couple of sets of dpns. All from knitpicks.
As for controlling costs… it’s really just a matter of self control. Of which I have NONE. But if you try to buy yarn for specific projects instead of just on a whim (yeah, right!) and then store the yarn with the pattern so you don’t forget what your plan was or forget you already have the yarn, that will help a little.
I think I saw online that Addiwere bringing out an interchangeable set too…expensive though! I got the Denise as they were cheaper and they were also available to me as Knitpicks don’t ship internationally. Some shops have set up as dealers for them here though. I also bought a lot of stuff on ebay. The best deals are when people are selling joblots of stuff that they obviously have no idea what they are. Usually selling stuff they got from someone else. I saw a lot for a set of needles and a Denise set included that they hadn’t described properly in the title, so whoever bought them got a good deal!
I joined ravelry so I can search all the free patterns, also to look for substitutions if the recomended yarn is too expensive or not available to me. I buy acrylic if I’m knitting for young kids so that my friends can machine wash it and don’t have to worry about messing it up. I also buy wool/acrylic blends as they are also cheaper but tend to be nicer than pure acrylic. I rarely buy the more expensive yarns unless for a specific project I HAVE to knit.
You are not alone. Pretty much all of us here (or any serious knitter) has issues with being in love with yarn and the amount of money we do spend on it (or would like to spend on it). But show me a hobbie that isn’t expensive! And you get such wonderful results from the expense of this hobby / addiction.
My .02 on the Knitpicks Options or Harmony needles … LOVE 'em! I use the 40" cable for Magic Loop with my interchangeables - works great!
Jan,
What length DPNs do you like? Is there a real difference when you work with them? I usually shy away from them but I can tell there are times that DPNs are more convenient than magic looping. That’s my next wishlist item!
I’ve been knitting since June and I want to buy [I]everything[/I]…even though I really need to practice a lot more first. I’m trying very hard to buy yarn only when I have a project I’m ready to start, or when it’s so inexpensive (and something I can see myself using in the near future) that I just can’t pass it up. If I need a “fix” I sometimes window-shop on eBay or my favorite online yarn shops, but log off and think at least twice “Do I really need this now?”…and maybe pay some bills first…
I like to haunt Goodwill and Dollar Tree for the occasional good buy; I never know what I’ll find. I got my Addis on eBay, plus links to a couple of discount yarn stores. Luckily there’s no decent LYS in my neck of the woods! I have a rather large binder of patterns I have to make someday; I photocopied most of them from books I got at the library. AND I remind myself that all this shopping leaves me less time for knitting with all the stuff I already have!
Good luck. And hey, there are worse addictions.
I would suggest you stop spending money. Sounds like you have enough to do some projects for a while. You could stop buying yarn and start doing stash buster pattern/projects only.
IF I’m going to use DPNs - for socks I like 5 inch, but the top of hats probably 6. KP does have 6, but only in the smaller sizes. I use the bigger sizes for hats so I’d need to use 8! I feel like the needles are just too unwieldy when their two long… porcupine like! :teehee:
I mostly use the 2 circ method anyway though which I prefer to ML btw. 
As a beginner knitter, I can tell you I have lots of yarn in my stash already. How can you not fall in love with yarn and the possibilities! I have a wall of shelves in my sewing room, half the wall is storage containers of fabric (I am also a quilter) and the other half is storage containers of yarn.
Probably more stash then I will ever use. And the odd thing is, I find myself wanting to buy more, because it is all different, and prettier.
But in 2009 I will attempt to use my stash whenever possible, I have already started to do it a little.
The bad part about buying yarn or fabric is, I think later on, you may change your mind about a project and have to find some other use for the stash item. But it is hard to buy for just your present project. I think we all like to dream of the next project before we are ready.
Welcome to knitting.
Any hobby has its initial set up costs. It is really up to you how you decide to do it.
I took a while to find what I liked, and then invested in what I liked. I went cheap at first, but have since replaced it with stuff that I like. But now that I have a lot of the supplies…I don’t have to invest so much in notions and needles…it is mostly just the yarn now!
it seems like you have a lot…just work on a few project at a time until you have used up all your yarn…I started to knit in April and I don’t think I have spend more then $300.00 and the most expense item was my Harmoney needles I just got a month ago. Also Michael’s if you join the mailing list your get weekly coupons for 40% off and only use a coupon and get what you need
[COLOR=“DarkOrchid”]I’m not sure that this will help you but I like to buy some yarn at a secondhand store. Most of them have some yarn on hand… great for hats and scarfs or any small thing to be knit. Of course you have to be careful… sniff the yarn, test it with your fingers… that sort of thing… but yarn can be bot there for about a dollar a ball and sometimes it’s even real wool!
Not that I’d use this method for buying sweater yarn… You just can’t get enough of the same colour, altho it has been known to happen… 
TEMA:knitting: [/COLOR]
sounds like you have officially become a knitter befor eyou were “prepared”! hehe - stashes arent an addiction, they are works of art that inspire!
Jan,
I have the harmoney needles and just love them…I was thinking of getting the option nickle plate too…my question is can the option tip be use on the Harmoney interchangable cables?..if so then I can just get a few different sizes to start out with…It seems that the size 8 and 10 seems to be the size that most pattern use for a project. Please pm me. Maria
They’re designed to switch between sets Maria.
I shop on ebay, I purchased 87 pairs of knitting needles along with some notions and such for $15.00. I was so happy with my purchase. But I do buy on line, http://www.knitting-warehouse.com/company.html, here, the yarn seems to be some what cheaper. And every once in a while at the LYS, it’s new to my area and small so not everything I want is there. I let my DH know what things I want so when Xmas and my birthday come along he’ll know what to get me. Last year for my birthday I got a set of knitting needles from Signature that I had been eyeing. Hope he’s been listening to me with I want… since Xmas is just around the corner.