Which knitting needles and crochet hooks?
Needles and hooks are made of different materials - see which suits you. By Olivia Gordon
Today knitting and crochet needles can be made of anything from different woods to metal to plastic - so what are the pros and cons of each? We asked the founders of two of our favourite knitting shops - Robynn Weldon of the online knitting and crochet shop Purlescence, and Susan Cropper from yarn boutique Loop - for their expert advice.
Metal
'The big advantage of metal needles is that they are super-slippery, which makes for fast knitting,' says Robynn. 'Smoothness is also very helpful in creating an even tension - although some find metal too slippery for this.' This extreme slipperiness can be a real problem when using some yarns, like silk or mohair. 'On the downside, metal needles are cold and heavy (which can aggravate joint problems), they click loudly in action (though some people love this as they find the sound soothing), and thin straight needles may develop kinks.'
The Pony brand of aluminium needles are widely sold in shops like John Lewis and Hobbycraft and are among the cheapest available, but they're not the prettiest. The most coveted metal needles are Addi (available from Loop) - well known for their circular needles for knitting in the round; their brand name 'Turbo' reflects the priority on speed!
Susan says: 'We also, given the huge number of people doing lace shawl knitting, sell a lot of the Addi Lace Circular needles. These are like the regular brass-tipped circulars but are extra pointy to make picking up thin yarn easier. I myself knit almost everything on lace circulars, even if I am not knitting in the round, as they make knitting so much easier. The brass tips helps the yarn slide along beautifully and the tips are pointier than wooden ones.'
Plastic
These are quieter, warmer and lighter; they don't kink or break, though they may bend gently with time,' says Robynn. 'They're the polar opposite of metal for speed - the surface is very grippy.' Robynn recommends KnitPro Spectra acrylic needles (see here for brand stockists), which are smoother than many and come in funky colours.
Bamboo
'When it comes to wood and bamboo, the key point is that all are not created equal,' says Robynn. 'This is true of all types of needle of course, but especially so with wood. Firstly, wood and bamboo are not the same, although they share some advantages - being warm and lightweight, they are recommended for anyone suffering from arthritis or other joint problems; the difference it makes can be quite amazing. They're also quieter than metal or plastic (less clicking). They have all the aesthetic and environmental advantages of natural materials. And they tend not to be picked up in X-rays, making them a top choice for any knitter braving airport security!
'But beyond that, they are quite different. Bamboo is more flexible and grippy. There are huge quality variations in bamboo needles, as in wood; far more than with metal or plastic - unfortunately far too many people buy a 'bargain' lot of bamboo needles on eBay and then are turned off all wood or bamboo for life! Cheap bamboo needles are really rather unpleasant; not just grippy, but actually rough, prone to splintering and breakage.'
Good bamboo needles - such as the Clover Takumi brand, available from Loop, where they are the most popular needles - are still grippy, and of course not as durable as plastic or metal, but they feel pleasant from the start and become smoother with use.
Wooden
Robynn explains, 'the nature of the finish - and the choice of wood - varies widely and will make a big difference.
'At the top of the pile is the Lantern Moon brand (available from Purlescence). This range is famous for a glass-smooth finish, while still allowing some control over slippery yarns, and being less likely to fall out when using double-pointed needles. I believe they are perfect for almost everyone.
'Of their three woods (ebony, rosewood and blonde wood), blonde is the most grippy - however, it's also the strongest of all the woods; I recommend blonde double pointed needles for sock knitting as the smallest sizes of ebony and rosewood needles are quite prone to breakage. Ebony needles - the finest grained wood - are great for fast knitting and a very even tension.'
Other popular brands of wooden needles are Brittany's birch range (available from Purlescence) - 'much more affordable than Lantern Moon, very lightweight and very pretty, but not nearly as smooth to knit with,' says Robynn - and KnitPro's Harmonie and Symfonie (available from Loop). Both the KnitPro ranges are made from laminated birch. 'They are gorgeous (Harmonie is multicoloured, Symfonie imitates rosewood), smoother than Brittany and more affordable than Lantern Moon,' Robynn says. 'The KnitPro interchangeable sets are very popular as you can get an instant library of needles suitable for both round and flat knitting.'
New on the market is Colonial's rosewood interchangeable set, from Purlescence, which offers brilliant value for fans of solid wood.
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