Vent: Found out my cheap knitting needles were ruining my tension for 2 years

Last Sunday I was at this yarn swap in Austin and a lady named Carol picked up my scarf and said my stitches looked tight. She asked what needles I used and I told her the $5 set from a big box store. She handed me her circulars for a second and the yarn just glided through my fingers. I knitted a test swatch right there on her couch and the difference was night and day. My tension was all over the place because the cheap metal had this weird drag on the wool. I went home and ordered a pair of bamboo needles for $18, and my first project after that came out even and soft. Has anyone else had a tool swap totally change their craft game?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_faith3d ago

That yarn swap lady Carol sounds like she really helped you out. Good tools make such a huge difference, I've had the same thing happen with paintbrushes where the cheap ones just fight you the whole time. Glad you found what works, bamboo is way better for wool in my experience.

patricia5583d ago

Wait, wait, wait. Did you just say bamboo is way better for wool? Honestly, I've been knitting for like fifteen years and I never knew that was a thing. Ngl, I've always used metal needles for everything and just figured the yarn slip was my own fault. Tbh, I'm kinda blown away right now. I might have to track down some bamboo ones just to see what I've been missing.