Square shaped circular needles for Artlady

#1

Well, recently I’ve been struggling with the RIGHT NEEDLE for the right project. You know how it is.

For the most part, I use nickel plated needles, but that’s normally for sweater knitting.

Recently, I’ve started a couple of scarves that use fingering weight yarn, or something very ethereal like Rowan Kidsilk Haze. And nickel plated needles are not cutting it! Falling out of the stitches right and left! Too heavy for the lightweight yarn.

Anyway, I moved on to use my Knit Picks Harmony needles, and they were just fine. But still a bit slick sometimes, but I like the pointy tips.

When I was rummaging around in the WEBS site…I stumbled upon their branded CUBICSfixed circular needles! I purchased sizes 5-9 in 24"…and they’ve arrived…and they are spectacular.

Read on down to Post #6 for more details about my experience with the needles…

#2

Cool. I’m still pretty new at knitting, trying to decide which circs to buy for working with smaller yarns. I’m trying socks in a worsted weight yarn and if they come out OK I want to try sock yarn and will have to get the right needles. Does the square shape make them easier to work with?

#3

I saw those and wondered how they were! Good to know!

#4

Yes, the needles are easier to hang on to, and they say that they cause less user stress. I also read that they make prettier st st. Well, time will tell!

If you are going to do socks with them…you will need to purchase the right length of cable…either [I]really long cables[/I] for magic loop…or two-24" for the 2-circs method. And some knitters like to use dpns for socks. I hate dpn’s…too fiddly…and I don’t knit socks at all…so we’ll have to leave that to the pros!

For knitting in the round, I’m all down with the 2-circs method.

BTW: the cable on these CUBICS fixed circs are absolutely DIVINE! Much nicer than Addi, much nicer than KP Options. Much like Signature Needle cables. Could be the exact same thing as Signatures!

#5

And how is the join? Super smooth?

#6

No complaints whatsoever…and a snaggy, hitchy join is my pet peeve! :wall:

I knit up a swatch, casting on 35 st so that the knitting would fill the nickel shank and the wood stalk of the needle and then onto the cable. As I knit along I had to queue the stitches along over the join, and no problems at all.

I also did a few little maneuvers to test the accuracy of the tip. I did an ssk and k2t, plus a 2x2 cable…all with no problem. The tip is nice and pointy.

As you can see from the comparison photo below, the Cubics tip is not a sharp as the Knit Picks Harmony. But on the other hand, if you are a knitter who “pushes” your stitches off the end of the needle with your fingertip…ouch…you know how that can get very painful after a while. So here is the comparison on that score. I pushed hard with the end of the Harmony with my fingertip…and it hurts. Not just pressure. H.U.R.T. When I did the same with the Cubics tip…I could feel the pressure, but it wasn’t sharp enough to cause pain.

[B]Cubics Fixed Circ: US8… Harmony straight: US8[/B]

On the other hand, too, I don’t think the Cubics will be as likely to split your yarn. But it is sharp enough for accurate maneuvers such as the K3tog, or P2Togtbl! Don’t’ we all just [COLOR=Red]love [/COLOR]those maneuvers!
[B]
As you can see by the photo below, the US8 is stamped on both stalks! Sweet![/B]

As for [U]how the needles knit[/U]: they knit very well. I didn’t notice much difference with the knit stitch, but I sure did like doing the purl stitch on the wrong side! Working with the square stalk made the purl stitch move along like a dream. It seemed to have quicker accuracy. The stitch was just easier to perform. More stable. Less kvetching between the needle and the stitches!

Measurements: the silver shank is 3.2cm; the wood stalk is 9.8cm. Overall, that makes the needle,
from cable-join-to-tip, a 5-incher. Oh, and BTW, the needles are very light in weight.

Overall, I like these fixed circs a lot. As I said in my initial post, I purchased them MAINLY to knit difficult yarns, slippery yarn, slippery fingering yarn for lacy scarves.

[B]Such as this scarf that I haven’t made much progress on due to fighting with my needles!
[/B]

[B]I’m farther along with this scarf because the yarn is a little bit heavier.[/B]

[B]This scarf is done…but I sure could have used the fixed Cubics![/B]
[B]
PS: I haven’t blocked this scarf. I don’t know if I will. I sorta like the crumbled look.[/B]

#7

Wow! If you like them that much I think they’ll probably be great for me. I’m sure you’re less easily impressed than I am…you know what you’re doing already! ::cool: I’m still getting my feet wet.

Dear Santa, Those square circs would be a dream come true! :teehee: