Recently, I’ve been going berserk, knitting as much as I can. You’ll remember that not long ago, I finished knitting a mustard beanie and started a pom-pom blanket for my baby niece.
After the successful hat attempt, I went yarn crazy and bought tons of different colours to make a slew of other beanies!
In today’s Smorgasbord Sundays post, I’ll show you photos of my completed purple beanie. (Hehe, I’ve already started a green one, and soon I’ll be making a blinding neon-pink one using hand-dyed merino wool I purchased from Etsy.)
Also, my amazing interchangeable bamboo knitting needle kit came in the mail! I’m so excited about it, and of course I have to show you. It’s literally my dream knitting-needle set. (Haha, that sounds nerdy, but whatever…I stand by that statement!) 😉
P.S. I’ve included a “Knitting” section in the “Categories” menu because it just dawned on me that nobody will be able to find those posts unless they dig and digggg!
Here’s the purple beanie I made.
While knitting, I made some mistakes, but the design is so lumpy that it conceals them fairly well. (Hehe, that’s why it’s a great pattern for beginners like me!)
Here are some photos I took of it with my iPhone. (I was surprised how well my cell captured the details. Funny thing is that when I photographed it using my DSLR, the colour of the yarn didn’t show up true-to-colour. Strange how the iPhone’s camera captured it more accurately!)
It’s exactly the same style as the other hat I blogged about previously (see below). If you would like to see the post on the mustard beanie (it has the free pattern I used), click on the link.
I’ve used straight and circular aluminum, plastic, and bamboo knitting needles. My favourites are circular bamboo knitting needles!
Circular needles are more compact, so when I’m knitting on the bus or subway, I don’t feel like I’m poking people’s eyes or elbowing them. Plus with circular needles, you can ‘knit in the round’ (meaning that you can knit things like hats seamlessly) as well as knit rectangles (like scarves).
I prefer bamboo knitting needles because they’re not cold to the touch, bamboo is a renewable resource, and they’re not as slippery as aluminum needles. (When you’re a beginner like me, you want slight texture on your needles because it prevents stitches from accidentally slipping off.)
Bamboo knitting needles are more expensive than aluminum and plastic needles, though, but I think it’s well worth the investment.
And here’s the Takumi Interchangeable Circular Knitting Needles Combo Set that I’ve been gushing about on Twitter.
What’s the big deal about it? Well, the Takumi (Clover) brand of Bamboo knitting needles are my absolute favourite! They feel very comfortable in my hands, and the cord is flexible, not stiff like the Boyle ones.
So when I found out that there was an interchangeable kit by Takumi, I knew I had to get it!
What’s an interchangeable knitting needle set? Basically you get a whole bunch of different needle sizes and you can screw on different-sized cords to the ends. This allows for a lot of possibilities for an economical price. If you had to buy many needle sizes in different cord lengths, you could easily spend several hundreds of dollars, and storing them all would be pretty messy.
This Takumi Combo Set has these 12-tip sizes:Â
- Size 3Â (3.25 mm)
- Size 4Â (3.5 mm)
- Size 5Â (3.75 mm)
- Size 6Â (4 mm)
- Size 7Â (4.5 mm)
- Size 8Â (5 mm)
- Size 9Â (5.5 mm)
- Size 10Â (6 mm)
- Size 10.5Â (6.5 mm)
- Size 11Â (8 mm)
- Size 13Â (9 mm)
- Size 15Â (10 mm)
You also get 5 different nylon cord lengths:
- 16 Inches (This is one of the few interchangeable kits that has a 16-inch cord, and I was so happy to see it because this is the length you need to knit hats!)
- 24 Inches
- 29 Inches
- 36 Inches
- 48 Inches
In total, you can create 60 combinations with this kit! If that’s not versatility, I don’t know what is!
It also came with a black faux-leather zippered case, which is really compact and keeps all your tools organized. It’s so chic and looks almost like a clutch or an executive’s padfolio!
Okay, if you’re not into knitting, this won’t do anything for you, but if you are into knitting, seeing a set that’s so organized and practical probably makes your heart race. (Mine’s racing!)
The inside cover has a pocket. This will be great for when I need to keep some patterns handy.
Haha, when it comes to knitting, size matters! 😉
Here they are all lined up. I love how there are elastic loops to hold each pair in place.
And here’s a closer look at one of the needles.
Each one has the size clearly labelled, which is very important for me because I don’t want to buy those ‘knitting needle measure tools’.
The end is made out of stainless steel. This is where you screw on the cord.
(And, by the way, another reason why this interchangeable knitting needle set is da bomb dot com is because the joints swivel. You see, if that part doesn’t swivel, when you knit, the connection between the cord and the needle can unscrew itself…and your work could fall off! But Takumi was smart because by having that swivelling mechanism, there’s less chance of having that disaster happen.)
The point of the needle isn’t sharp. It’s blunt, but that’s the way I like it. With sharp knitting needles, I hurt myself because I tend to touch the point a lot when I’m knitting. Plus I don’t work with really thin yarn or do any lace work, so I don’t have a need for sharp points.
These are the 5-different cord lengths you get:
The cords are very flexible, which makes a big difference. I’ve been using a pair of Boyle circular needles to knit the pom pom blanket for my baby niece, and the cord is so stiff that it sticks up and is a bit annoying to work with!
In case you want to get your hands on this awesome Takumi Combo Set, I really suggest that you buy it from the Nancy’s Notions website like I did. It’s $99 USD, which is the cheapest I’ve seen it sold. Everywhere else, it goes for $175 USD or so. (Plus shipping to Canada is about $17 USD, and I didn’t have to pay any additional fees like duty, tax, or C.O.D.)
(You know what? When I was little, I remember watching Nancy’s TV show. She usually talked about sewing or crocheting. I was probably the only kid who watched that show because it was definitely geared toward the much-older crowd. I had completely forgotten about it until I came across Nancy’s Notions. Then I saw her photo and recognized her immediately!)
What’s Next on My Knitting Agenda?
Now that I have the right tools to make anything, I’m looking up new patterns since needle size and cord lengths can’t hold me back now. (“You can’t hold me back! Come at me, bro!” Hehe…)
And, as I already mentioned, I’ll be working on two hats (one green that I already started and the other will be a blinding neon pink because I found an Etsy seller who hand dyes merino wool. Apparently it’s so bright that it’s supposed to glow under a black light! :D). But I also want to challenge myself and make a sweater.
Haha, and I think that after I make my first sweater, I’m going to go crazy and become That Person Who Knits Everything Including Your Poodle. 😉 Who knows? Maybe I’ll start knitting little toys in the shape of nail-polish bottles…haha!
Knitting Goodies I Suggest for Beginners like Me
Although having bamboo needles helps prevent your work from accidentally falling off, it doesn’t hurt to have extra protection.
When I was browsing Michael’s again (oh boy, I feel like I go there once a week these days!), I found out about these Silicone Needle Point Protectors. They come in different sizes to fit a range of needles.
This is how you use it:
Another little goody I suggest getting are Locking Stitch Markers if you’re knitting in the round.
Previously, I used regular split-ring stitch markers because I thought those were the only kind available. The problem with them is that they would occasionally pop off my work! Do you know how distressing that is? When working on a hat, if it pops off, you have to ‘figure out’ where the beginning of the round was. And since I’m a beginner, I wasn’t even sure if I guessed correctly.
So I made another trip to Michael’s. (They must recognize me by now as that weirdo who zeroes in on the knitting section.)
I found these Locking Stitch Markers, and they’re much more secure than the split-ring variety. Even if you shake your work around (although I don’t know why you’d be doing that…), the stitch marker won’t come off. So now I don’t have to worry about it popping off unexpectedly.
Here’s what the stitch markers look like:
See how the split ring (on the left) just slips onto your work? Then, in the middle and on the right, I show you how the locking ones can open and then lock to secure it onto your work.
And look! I told you that Clover/Takumi is my favourite knitting brand! 🙂 Even my stitch markers are made by them! (And, actually, when I checked just now, the needle point protectors were also made by Clover!)
Hope you’re all having a wonderful Sunday!
Are you knitting anything? Do you have a favourite knitting brand? What knitting books, YouTube channels, or magazines do you recommend?
When I saw this post I thought my knitting and nail blog feeds had got mixed up!
Join Ravelry there is a nail polish group there too
Hey Kate!
Hehe, I’ve joined Ravelry a while ago, but just never fully explored all the groups. 😉 You can find me under “MarySAL”.
What knitting blogs do you follow? Please share! I would love to be introduced to some great ones!
Right now I’m knitting a cabled cowl (pattern here: http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog/2011/02/15/chunky-cabled-cowl-pattern/). I decided to knit one for each of my female family members – there are 5 girls total, and I’m on my 4th cowl. Still loving it! Thanks for this post 🙂
Hey Kinsey!
Thank you so much for including the link to the pattern. I took a look, and the design is so cool! I’m going to head to Michael’s to pick up that thick yarn in another colour and try making it.
Maybe I can make one for my mom and my sister-in-law for Christmas. I think they’d wear it.
I definitely have the needle for it, and I want to learn the seed stitch! This is so awesome! 🙂
I’ve always wanted to pick up knitting. I’ve tried it out once and just didn’t get into it. I am an avid crocheter though. Working on some fingerless gloves right now in a peacock blue color. Check out Vogue Knitting magazine. They do a crochet special magazine once a year and it’s got some really great, cool stuff so I’m assuming their regular knitting magazine has got some really great stuff too.
Hey Camille!
I’ve only tried crocheting once, and that was when I was a kid. It’s so cool how with crochet, you can complete projects faster and you can make circles and pretty flowers. One day (hopefully soon), I want to try my hand at crocheting again. Haha, maybe it’ll become yet ANOTHER addiction. (I’m such an addict – nail polish, knitting, writing, geeeeeez…)
Yes, checked out Vogue Knitting magazine just a few days ago, but it wasn’t the crochet special edition you mentioned. I’ll have to keep my eyes open for that. The issue I did see (on knitting) had really interesting patterns, but they looked way too advanced for newbie me…haha! I’ll have to practice more first.
You’ve stumbled upon the great secret of making your own hats! Custom color and size, plus you can make so many for the price of one!
Hey The KnitMaster!
YES – This revelations opened up my beady little eyes! Now I’ve gone off the deep end…haha, I want to knit hat after hat after hat! 😉
But since one of my readers shared a pattern for a cowl, I’m going to try to make that, too. And at least it’ll add some variety instead of just hats all the time.
Just wait until you start knitting socks! I’ve probably knit 100 pairs and given the majority of them away!
When you knit for kids, tell them that you made the item for them and when they wear it, it’s like wearing a hug from you! 🙂
You really ARE The KnitMaster! 😉
Is it hard to knit socks? I always thought so because the yarn you use is so thin. It must take a verrrry long time to finish a pair of socks!
Aww…that’s so cute. I’ll definitely say that when I give my niece or nephew something I’ve made! Good idea!
Love the beanie, looks great! I’m a crocheter, starting learning how knit this June. I could cast on & do the knit stitch, but I’ve since forgot how to do either, lol. I LOVE LOVE the locking stitch markers, those small ones & the larger ones are the only kind I’ll use. They are super easy to get on. I love them!
Hey Melissa!
Thank you so much! 🙂 I think knitting hats is like potato chips…because you can’t stop at just one.
Do you follow any crochet blogs? If so, please do share some links with me. I’d love to learn and also be inspired by patterns.
Love that beanie! I am knitting another Zuzu’s Petals cowl right now. Love the pattern!
rebecca recently posted: Pumpkin Patch Nails with Zoya Lianne
Hey rebecca!
That’s awesome – have fun with it.
I’m going to try making my first cowl soon (probably tonight)! Got the thick, chunky yarn yesterday.
It’s just a knitting-themed day today, Rhinebeck in the afternoon and a knitting post in the evening. 😉
Lovely interchangeable set! Bamboo is my second favorite kind of needle, right behind wood. I love the harmony needles from KnitPicks (and I want to try the new blonde wood ones). I do find with my bamboo needles that their ends start to splinter after a while, which leads to snagging on my yarn. =/ I’m not a super new knitter anymore, but I still like the extra ‘grip’ bamboo and wood give me, because I tend to knit really tight and really close to the ends of my needles.
For knitting in the round I like closed ring markers. I just slide it onto the needle at the beginning of the round and it travels around with my knitting. When I reach it again I slip it and know I’ve started a new round. Or if I’m feeling lazy/don’t have a marker handy, I use the hanging end of my cast-on to show me where my row started, but that only really works on double pointed needles.
Hey Heather!
Wow, you must knit a LOT! Now I’m going to go easy on mine because I don’t want the needles to get splinters.
Now that you mention it, I have tried wooden needles once, but I’m not sure what kind they were. They were reddish purple and polished. They were really comfy to use, but they were more slippery than the bamboo.
Oh, I love that knitting set! I love those beanies. I can’t wait to see the neon pink! Have you looked into the Knifty Knitters? They’re looms in different sizes, both circular and rectangular.
Hey Kayla!
Not sure if I saw the exact one you mentioned, but I’ve seen some looms at Michael’s.
Was so tempted to buy it, but then I figured that I already bought a whole interchangeable bamboo set, so I should use that. 🙂
I haven’t knit in a while ( the bug usually hits me in autumn) but I love using Malabrigo yarn (can be found on ebay or specialty yarn shops), their colors are amazing! Check out Ravelry, its a crafting community site.
ahhhdri recently posted: We Have A WINNER!!!
Hey ahhhdri!
Oh yes, I love Ravelry. You can find me there under the name “MarySAL”. 🙂 I haven’t participated in any groups yet, but I’m starting to check out the free patterns there more and more.
Sweeet! I love how excited you get about knitting. I am not a knitter, I am not allowed to pick up any more hobbies until I find a tree that grows money 😉
I used to watch Nancy’s tv show with my mom when I was a kid too! I also assumed I was the only kid who watched it, but I didn’t really care, I was never the “typical” kid (I’m still not).
Hey Heidi!
Hahaha, yeah, I’m almost TOO excited about knitting. Ever since making a beanie (and now a chunky cabled cowl), if I see anything made with yarn, I think, “Could I make that? What yarn could I use?” 😛 It’s bad, but at the same time, now when I see hats and scarves in stores, I leave them on the rack if the design is something I can make myself (and even for a lot less)!
I’ll help you find that tree that grows money. Haha, I’m also on the hunt for it! Maybe together, we can find it. 😉
Oh wow. You also watched Nancy’s show? I think we were the only two kids who did! (Hahahaha, and you know what? When I was a kid, I wanted my mom to watch it with me to get her into arts and crafts, but even she thought it was boring, so I had to watch it alone. 😛 My mom doesn’t really like arts and crafts in general, though…)
Omg! So SO jealous of your bamboo interchangeable needles! Bamboo are my FAVVV to knit with! My heart really did race when I was looking at the pics lol yay for knitting nerds! And I LOVE the color! Thanks for posting!
Hey Christine!
Weird! I know I read your comment, but when I was browsing some old posts, I saw that I didn’t reply. Thought I did, so my apologies!
Definitely bamboo needles are also my favourite to knit with, haha, mainly because they help my work from slipping off the needles! 😉
what a gorgeous hat and a beautiful sight I really enjoyed reading through.
Hey Nicole!
Thank you so much! 🙂 After learning how to knit a hat, I couldn’t stop – it’s so much fun to be able to create custom hats!